Comic book man: with great collection comes great responsibility

Bill Waldie is not about secret identities – he’s a comic book man.

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With a simple origin story, the owner of Vintage Comics and Collectables in Dawson Creek has been reading comics since he was about three years old.

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“My older brother used to come home with some, and he’d sit and read and relax, and I would read with him.”

The western tales of the not-so-distant past were the gateway to a lifetime of exploration of universes and characters right in front of him on the page.

Growing up, a vintage comic books store in Grande Prairie, Bluestar Comics was a homing beacon to Waldie. “I’d go in looking for comics, my brother would be looking for novels by that age. for comics. I picked up an Iron Man #5 I bought it, and held onto it ever since,” he says.

As far as favorites, his reading is eclectic.

“I’m a bit all over the place with what I like.”

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Late into the 1970s a Battlestar Galactica comic series was an early collection of Waldie’s tied into the television series.

“It is sometimes just something that hooks you, like yourself, Conan was another standout. The comics led to Waldie reading all the works of Conan creator and writer Robert E. Howard,” Waldie says, proving he knows his client base.

Now in 2025, sometimes he’s hunting for older novels of the barbarian – just for the cover art on the book like the comics of old. The names of the past still are the top level of art and storytelling, says Waldie.

“It is incredible to see those artists. Incredibly prolific in horror genres, and the art of the past is incredible all around. People know Stan Lee, but Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, people should learn more about their creations of the Marvel world.”

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He says for awhile now, older comic titles are still as popular as ever.

“The older stuff is keeping people collecting and reading.”

Waldie himself has more than 20,000 titles, keeping most every comic he has ever read. His average display and “travel” comics on a few tables total about 2,500 titles.

“I’m starting to downsize now a bit.”

Waldie says the new storytelling doesn’t compare to the work of the past.

“It seems mass produced now – with little storytelling and no design and art to capture the imagination of readers. It seems really missing to me. Now it seems like gimmick front page covers, and crossovers.”

The nostalgia is true. A repeat customer, meeting up with Waldie the day before, was back again looking for more titles. Comic illustrated retelling of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Around the World in 80 Days, for example.

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“These will get me through the winter.”

Waldie smiles.

“Nostalgia is great right now and huge for people.”

He holds out hope for the next round of comic book stories in the movies.

“I’m hoping the wheel comes back around for comics and the movies.”

He’s hoping it’s on the way back around.

With names like Russo Brothers, James Gunn, and Kevin Fiege, the age of these creators brings the 1970s and 80s stories back to the front and center on the big screen.

Gunn picked up a little known character from 1966 and turned it into a multi-million dollar series and franchise in Peacemaker, while also rebooting the very familiar to this world and Krypton – Superman.

Waldie stayed away from online spoilers this year for Fantastic Four and Superman, the countless reboot of both titles on screen. Marvel Cinematic Universe is steering the films towards the Secret Wars story arc from 1984/85.

“Let’s see what they do. I think if they stick to the existing stories – they will be just fine.”

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