Growing up on the mean streets of Welland, I was maybe an average comic fan at best. My brother had a big collection that I’d often borrow from, but it wasn’t comics that really got me into marvel.

Marvel Trading Cards (series one) is what made me first realize that I could get really crazed about collecting. I was addicted! This led to a somewhat obscure view as to how the Marvel Universe might work.

Not only did most of my knowledge stem from power ratings and the little trivia blurbs at the bottom of each card, but the spectacular feature “Spidey Presents” let me understand the characters on a deeper level.

Although looking at these now, I’m not sure how spidey’s recording with only a microphone…not to mention in space! This however was the real Marvel in my eyes.

Frank preferred to be called Francis, Magneto had a “magnetic ” personality, Cap got his powers from what he thought was a glass of lemonade. These were all things that I not only naturally thought to be fact for many years, but would eventually come under fire for and bitterly defend!

You can find these cards and the whole set (holograms included) here.