Comic book collectors and military men united for a unique cause last Saturday: to fight the war on boredom for their troops overseas.
A Comic Shop held a donation drive July 26 called "Operation Sequential Art" to provide troops in Iraq and Afghanistan with donated comics, sci-fi books and graphic novels.
There was a final box count of 65 30-pound boxes - which equals about 15,000 comics - all donated in a single day.
With the added 400 pounds of comics donated in the month before the event, A Comic Shop will send more than 2,000 pounds of comics to the troops.
A Comic Shop was attempting to create a record for most comics donated in a single day to a charitable cause. The hope is to create a competitive spirit between other shops, A Comic Shop co-owner Aaron Haaland said.
There are already other shops interested including Famous Faces and Funnies, Tate's Comics and Apocalypse Comics, Haaland said.
"I wish more people thought about the troops the way he [does]," said Bruce Yberg about A Comic Shop's co-owner, Jason Blanchard. Bruce Yberg donated about 200 comics that he used to collect with his son.
Bruce Yberg's son, 29-year-old Bryan Yberg, has been in the service for 12 years.
"He's a classic example of be-all-you-can-be. That's my son," Yberg said.
But why donate comic books?
"I know that they're still following 'hurry up and wait.' Now they have something to do while they wait," said Blanchard, a former combat cameraman for the Army.
"Hurry up and wait" is when a soldier is called to go somewhere immediately, and then forced to wait extreme lengths of time before any action takes place, Blanchard said.
Blanchard got creative with his other reason for donating comic books as he placed another stack of comics in a box.
"Comics are great because they don't need batteries," Blanchard said.
Charles Bowman, another donator, believes that the literature will be a good distraction.
"When you get into a good book - everything else goes away," Bowman said.
Besides Yberg, other donators were also associated with the military.
"I'm ex-service too," said Joey Culotta, another comic book donator. "I know how hard it is for those guys there."
When he was abroad, his mother sent him comics every couple of months.
"Any little bit of home is something," Culotta said.
While there were donators with a connection to the service, others were just glad to help.
UCF graduate Joe Carey donated four long boxes.
"I hope it's a little diversion until they get home," Carey said.
Haaland had a different perspective on his own non-military status.
"I've never been a soldier - I'm a nerd," Haaland said. "But I think all nerds can unite against boredom."
The event also included signings from Chuck Dixon, a 25-year veteran, who donated a box of comics, which included his own work, Batman. He wrote Batman: Knightfall and created several characters such as Bane and the current Robin.
Blanchard said Dixon was specifically brought in for the drive.
Dixon's presence brought on more donators, but also the on-running joke of the day: "Chuck Dixon fought Chuck Norris and won." Haaland was responsible for the phrase.
But Dixon made it clear who the real heroes are.
"I really appreciate what [the troops] are doing there," Dixon said. "They're making a tremendous sacrifice."
Dixon said he knows people who are or have been in the military, and knows that there are a lot of comic book readers involved.
With the event's success already established, A Comic Shop will be hosting another for the same cause. The drive will be held November 5 to coincide with Veteran's Day and the launch of William "Billy" Tucci's Sgt. Rock. Tucci will be present at the event, and will be holding the launch of his mini-series at the shop.
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