LET'S LEVEL WITH LEE!

By Lee Hester, owner of Lee's Comics of California.

Thursday, May 19, 2005

IT BROKE AT BAY TO BREAKERS

Connie and I have been running the Bay to Breakers in San Francisco every year for 5 years now. It’s a 7 1/2 mile course that includes a brutal 200-foot climb up the Hays Street Hill. It’s one of the ways we celebrate our anniversary.



This year Connie did better than ever, finishing in just over an hour, which was her best time ever. I finished in 58 minutes. That was a little less than a minute slower than I ran last year. Last year was my record so far. I am a bit disappointed in myself for not beating my personal best. There’s always next year. As it turns out, mayor Gavin Newsom ran the race in 60:03, so I beat the mayor, and Connie came in right after him. I didn’t spot him at the finish, but there is a lot going on at this race.



Along the race path, there are a couple of areas where scaffolds are set up and photographers take pictures from above. If the pictures look like we are really hauling, I’ll let you in on a little secret. Over the years, Connie and I have developed a strategy when it comes to race photos. We look around for the most physically fit person running ahead of us and zip over to run near them. We also run extra fast, and try to show good running form.
It’s just for a few seconds, so it won’t kill us.



This new technique comes in handy for our self-esteem. Too many times we have finished thinking we really ran nicely, until we saw the pictures of us running flatfooted next to Grandma Moses, and an old toothless man with a walker. Now we just make a beeline for Wonder Woman, or Sam Studly and let the camera work it’s magic! We don’t run any better that way, but damn do we look good!





Monday, May 09, 2005

FREE THE COMICS!

It is another fantastic Free Comic Book Day at Lee’s Comics! The sun is shining brightly, and there is a crackle of excitement in the air. The gods have granted a reprieve from the unseasonable rains. People of all ages start to line up for their free comics. I stand by at the ready with a counter and spinner full of great free comics wearing my Free Comic Book Day polo shirt.



Some think that Kids don’t like to read comics anymore. Some of these people are even comic book dealers! These pictures provide compelling evidence to the contrary! Around 500 people showed up at each Lee’s Comics for Free Comic Book Day. About half of them were children, and they had a ball!



It’s Uncle Scrooge for her, and Betty and Veronica for mom.



My wife Connie brought our daughters Hannah and Sophie. She also brought our houseguests Billy Martinez, his wife Catherine and their two daughters. Here I am with Hannah and Sophie. The younger girl in the middle is Billy’s daughter Guinevere.



We handed the free comics out in front of the store. You didn’t have to come into the store to get them. Almost everybody came inside and shopped around, though. We were having a sale inside, and we enjoyed record sales. Here is a view from the register.



Here’s a view from the front of the store.



Here’s a view from the back of the store.



Here’s a view through the front door.



Our special guest Billy Martinez signs.



More kids!



Hannah takes over the free comic give-away duties. She does a bang up job, including laying down the rules, and calling out “Free Comics!”



ODE TO FREE COMIC BOOK DAY

By Lee Hester



The First Saturday every May:

It will be Free Comic Book Day.



Be sure to meet us all right here,

at the comic book store each year.



There’s lots of comic books for free.

Get one for you and one for me.



Bring all the people that you can,

for Archie, Simpsons, Spider-man.



We’ll read them all, and when we’re done,

we’ll trade them with our friends for fun.



I love the Free Comic Book Day:

It’s Halloween without decay!

About Me

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Imagine a World with no comic books. Not worth living.

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