JLU 10" Figurine - 2005

Normally I wouldn't think to interrupt the Steve Skeates-O-Rama that started yesterday and will kick into overdrive tomorrow with a brand-new interview with Mr.S, but today is a special day I had to take the time to celebrate it.

Today is my and my Darlin' Tracy's fourth anniversary, and it's partly because of her--someone who barely even heard of Aquaman before she met me--that this Shrine exists at all.

You see, I've been collecting Aquaman stuff since 1998, and in the various homes I've had over the years, I've always made space for my collection, even as it grew to ridiculous proportions, probably scaring the bejeezus out of any woman who was foolish enough to be in a relationship with me.

But in April 2004, after our first anniversary and I moved into Trace's house, my art studio took over what used to be her dining room (she still cries about it at night), which left me little room for anything other than Essential Freelance Illustrator Stuff. So all my Aquaman merch went into storage, along with my giant penny and king-size statues of Jor-El and Lara.

Since I now had no place to display any of it, my desire to get anything new really dropped off--it seemed sorta pointless to get something only to stuff it in a box, to be pulled out who knows when. So during all of 2004, the collection remained dormant.

Then one day we were in Target, and I checked out the toy aisle as I always do (old habits die hard), and there it was--the brand-new 10" Justice League Unlimited Aquaman doll, something I had heard they were making but had never seen in a store. I got excited and told Trace about it (who I'm sure was riveted because she's riveted by all my stories). I told her you didn't see it in stores much, blah blah blah. As I stared at Aquaman, peering at me through the clear plastic, Trace wandered off to the Doilies Department or whatever girly thing she's always looking at.

A minute or so later, I caught up with her, Aquaman doll not in hand. She looked at me dissapointingly and asked "aren't you getting it?" I said no, and explained why (see above). I guess she saw the look of utter despondency on my face and said "Well, why don't you clear off one shelf on your bookcase and have a mini Aquaman Shrine?"

"A travel version, perhaps?" I asked, excitedly.

"Exactly", she said.

I ran back towards the toy aisle, knocking several children and someone on crutches over in the process. I grabbed my JLU 10" Aquaman and re-joined her in the Notions Department and was absolutely thrilled over the idea of setting up a mini version, and how lucky I was to have this wonderful, understanding woman in my life.

It was that moment that rekindled the Aquaman collecting bug; and while most of it is still in storage, I of course found a great way to indulge my Aquaman collecting habit and, even better, share it with everyone else.

So thanks, Trace; you're the coolest--and Happy Anniversary!