Ken Murphy gets animated

For comic book fans in Cape Girardeau he's the hub of the collector universe. For 10 years his Marvels and Legends shop has catered to those with an interest in the written, and drawn, word and their obsession with good guys and bad guys.

Now after a successful go at creating a comic and gaming expo in Cape, he's more high-profile than ever, and he's planning a free comic show on Sept. 9 at Buffalo Wild Wings. He's Ken Murphy, and if you don't know the name yet, you're about to. This month OFF Magazine talked to Ken about stereotypes, patriotism, the beauty of comic books and the fans who keep his business going.

OFF: What made you decide to kind of go out on a limb with this kind of business?

Ken Murphy: I was 30 years old, and the previous owner of this store absolutely sent a trial balloon my way. He knew it and I knew it, but when he sent it my way it was like "Oh, man." I think at that age I wasn't naive, but you still wouldn't mind giving it a try.

Every hobbyist is like, "Oh, nice little nook comic shop, hobby shop."

For two reasons. One is you love the hobby and you want to promote the industry within the area and try to make a living doing it. But two was, I was ready to be on my own.

I knew when I came back to Cape I wanted to have my own thing.

OFF: It seems like you're kind of an icon of the geek/nerd community.

KM: Is there any chance I can ask you to move away from the geek/nerd thing.

And I'm not overly sensitive, I'm not sensitive at all. It just seems like we always go back to it.

I used to always tell people, if you took my customer base and you walked through them in a single line and shook all their hands ... most of them are going to be like you, me and the guy over at Blimpie. We're all the same.

I really like promoting the industry. If I put my face and my name to that in this community, I'm all for that.

OFF: Well how did you get started? Did it happen when you were a kid?

KM: Nine or 10 years old, picked up a comic and went from there. I really liked the graphics and the artwork, and I really like the good guy versus bad guy thing. I liked everything about, it's physical conflict. And I know a lot of times as an adult that's not where you want to be, but if you can just realize it's pen and paper, I have a good time with it.

OFF: What was the first comic book you read?

KM: It was Fantastic Four (tries to remember the exact number of the comic, but can't). It was 1974, it was a copy of the Fantastic Four which I believe my brother had left laying around the house.

A year later he was into girls and cars, and I was still 10, and it never stopped.

OFF: What interests you know?

KM: The art has really evolved over the past 30 years.

In the past five years I've crossed over into the actual art side. I'm pretty fascinated with original art that the pages of the comics come from. I'm pretty fascinated with original art from the past.

Storytelling, as much as I enjoy the fun storytelling of the past, the compelling social and political stories. Just like some television, some films and some novels, comics have their place to tell social, political and economic storytelling.

Everyone knows in the last 25 years, we've blurred the lines between good guys and bad guys. And that's okay. I still hold true to, there are the guys that are trying to take the shortcut and get by on the way of crime or thievery or global domination and there are the good guys trying to stop them. And I still enjoy that.

OFF: Your whole life can't be just comics.

KM: No, as a matter of fact, if you want to talk a little bit about me, that's fantastic, because I'll tell you right now, I am without question the fractured comic book reader.

For instance, I've played sports my whole life. Enjoyed sports. Member of a college fraternity. Family man, married with three kids. So I would say I have many interests, and I also consider myself a news-hound if you will.

I'm a big patriot. You see the painting behind the counter (Captain America). Yes that was done after 9/11, yes that was done after we went to war, but I've been that way my whole life. I can't watch a war movie without just balling.

What I'm telling you about myself is the reason I don't like to think we're geeks and nerds.

And my wife and I are involved in church.

OFF: So how did the comic and gaming expo go?

KM: I asked the game community to be a part of it, Plainswalker Games downtown, and they supported the weekend fabulously.

Then on Sunday, I threw the best comic book trade fair that I could do, and again we were well, well represented by the community. It was really successful. For two days we drew 350 people. I think everybody had a great time.

I can't say enough about the success and support of the first show, and I do want everyone to know I want to celebrate that annually.

OFF: So we can expect another this year?

KM: Oh man, absolutely. I will have dates and venues set up. Buckners, bless their hearts they're the best people, but those floors are murder.

I'll have it set up by the end of summer for April.