European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 2, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Cover Stor Northstar continued from Page 5 character in do comics Flash series announced he was homosexual. Future issues will have the pied Piper bring a male Date to a wedding and discuss the importance of protecting yourself from exposure to aids according to do comics spokeswoman Martha Thomases. A out of 50 or 60 letters we got after the pied Piper said he was Gay Only three were negative a Thomases said. The typical do comics Reader she added is a Man 18 to 25 years old. A kids Reading this should feel comfortable whoever they arc a she said. A a it a really not a departure for us a insisted Pam Rutt a spokeswoman for Marvel. A we feel the popularity of All our stories depends on their currency. We Pluck things from the headlines and issues we feel Are of current interest All the  she noted that Northstar a coming out of the closet will not Surprise ardent fans. Although he is known in the comic As a Mont real a most eligible Bachelor a he indicated in a previous episode that he Wasny to really interested in women. Some comic Book stores and Gay organizations were pleased by Northstar a decision to announce his sexual preference. A i think it will go Over Well probably boost sales just because of the notoriety a said Joe Lihach owner of Village comics in Manhattan a Greenwich Village. A the regular fans Are going to buy it anyway but i think extra people arc going to come in for  a this certainly sounds like a step in the right direction a said David eng a spokesman for the Gay menus health crisis. A god knows Young people need to know there arc Gay people out there that arc positive role models. I think something like this is reflective of that and i Hope it continues on a positive  staff sgt. Scott Shorley stationed at Rhein main a Germany makes sure that when it comes to comic books he buys two of each title. Sas Ron Jon Ianthis airman is caught in web of comic books by Ron Jensen stall writer. Staff sgt. Scott Shurley discovered one of childhood a Joys at the age of 33. That was a few months ago when he began collecting comic books. The air Force member with the 435th equip maim so at Rhein main a Germany does no to read the books. He simply collects them Lour separate titles a month since september. �?o1 will buy at least two of each title a said Shurley. Quot one set is an  Shurley Hopes to Cash in on the investment value of Eomie Birks. The first edition of a limited series of books featuring spider Man a a superhero who acquired his amazing Powers when he was bitten by a radioactive spider a sold for $1.50 two years ago when it was new. It is now Worth $400. It was suggested to this father of three children that his Money might be better invested in a certificate of Deposit or an individual retirement account. A a that a a Good Point a he admitted. A if i had $5,000 i might be Able to do that. I done to have that kind of  besides he asked what Mutual fund for example has risen in value from $1.50 to $400 in two years that too is a Good Point. And a leap of Superman proportions from where comic books were in their infancy. Comic books As americans know them were born in 1935. They had existed for More than two decades but had been merely compilations of newspaper comic strips. That idea was born in Germany in the second half of the 19th Century according to the world encyclopedia of comics edited by Maurice Horn 1976, Chelsea House publishers. The illustrated stories of Wilhelm Bush were collected Between hard covers. The japanese began producing comic books of original material in the 1920s. At that time american books were compilations of newspaper strips like yellow kid the Katze Jammer kids and Mutt and Jeff. The first modern american comic Book was called funnies on Parade. It was a 1933 free promotion from Proctor amp Gamble. The first original comic Book in America was 1935�?Ts new fun. In 1938, comic Book history was made with action comics the first appearance of Superman and the Start of comic books As we know them today. By 1941, there were 168 comic Book titles on the Market. Some of them specialized in horror with titles like tales from the crypt and the vault of horror. Such books brought Public attention to the burgeoning Industry much of it negative. New York psychiatrist Frederic Wertham claimed in 1954 that such horror books were responsible for the a psychological erosion of  others called comic books the a marijuana of the  the juror eased Only when publishers created an association and a comic authority code. This self regulation allayed Many of the fears. Today comic books arc accepted entertainment for children and adults perhaps peaking in acceptance when one company began publishing comic Book versions of literature classics such As Robinson Crusoe and David Copperfield. Shurley does no to know about that. Comic books were not a part of his childhood. A i did no to care anything about them a he said. A i wont lie. In a sure there were times when we had them. But i never rushed out to buy the new comic  his interest began a few months ago when he was stationed at Dyess fab Abilene Texas. He had been collecting baseball cards for a Short time a lured by the investment nature of the Hobby a when a store owner pointed out that comic books were also potentially valuable. His collection now consists of fewer than 50 books All from the four titles he buys monthly. A a in a limiting myself a Shurley said. Its possible to spend hundreds of dollars a even thousands a trying to catch up with Back issues of now valuable books. A a it Sall real new to me a he said. A and its  6 a sunday february 2, 1992