From the ages of 11-21, one of THE biggest concerns in my life was the next issue of Elfquest. When was it coming? Next month? Next week? TOMORROW? Would you check with the publisher? The printer? COULD YOU CALL WENDY?!
The clerks always looked so TIRED in my comic shop.
Thus was the decade I spent in friendships with elves and superheroes; drowning in a dreamy graphic world of color. Easily folded between two pages and tucked away in the bookcase, there was my Otherland, my refuge from the grayness of real life. I lived for Things On Paper, for Story and Action, for bows and arrows and spandex tights. It was an easy place to understand. Good guys. Bad guys. Sexy chicks who had the power to disintegrate planets.
Which explains all that time I spent at renaissance fairs. IN COLLEGE.
I lived for a place where I imagined I liked myself. A place where I could beat my bad guys, where masks made me pretty because no one could see me. Eventually, finally, I got to the end of the fantasy. I got sick of just imagining. I kept the books, but I threw away the mask. And I started living – for me.
Last July, we went to the Pacific Northwest Scottish Highland Games. Because our friend Jerry wanted to go. Because he’s Scottish. I think. And we thought, hey. Maybe a red-bearded guy will throw a boulder. Could be cool.
So Trav, Nick, Jerry and I spent a Sunday afternoon wandering tent to tent avoiding 98 degree heat. Dangling necklaces,fluttering streamers, gleaming swords – all the glittery, dreamy, pretend-world tchochke I had once found so easy to love was all there, whispering ‘Jules. Juuuuuules. Come to the Dark Side, Juuuuuules. Feel the power!’
I won’t lie. There were pair of whimsical autumn fairy wings screaming my name. There was a glinting dagger in the air-conditioned beer hall. And then, there was the leather tent.
Travis: “Jules! C’mere. Check this out.”
Jules: “Hm? What?”
Travis: “Look at this dress. It’s cool.”
Pulls down a black leather dress with a neck cuff, biker buttons and an embroidered celtic pattern
Jules: “…its…its…”
Flashing back to a scene of myself at 16 years old. Sitting on the bedroom floor. Surrounded by stacks and stacks of comic books. Reading. All. Day. On a Saturday. Alone.
Jules: “…it’s really well made.”
Travis: “You should try this on!”
Nick: “Hey! Whatcha guys find?”
‘oh my god. get this off, get this off, get this off.’
Trav and Nick: “Oh, you should buy that.”
Jules: “No.”
Trav: “But, you could wear it for Halloween”
Jules: “No.”
Trav: “But…”
Jules: “No. Just, NO.”
Also? It was FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS. I think I made the right call.
View the complete geekery here.
© 2009 – 2010, jules.maas. All rights reserved.
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oh, no doubt, it was VERY well made. Absolutely handsome. But did I forget to mention it took about a year and a half to button? Gah.
It’s a *wee* bit too big, but otherwise, great craftsmanship and beautiful piece of leather working there. Not so sure about the 500 bucks thing – but… Yah, I followed you there – and have given in to the geekdom myself on many occasions (you *have* seen my Halloween pictures, after all.)