Singapore teen amasses what might be the world's biggest collection of Galactus comics

The Star

5 days ago

SINGAPORE: As the second reboot of the Marvel superhero film franchise that kicked off in 2005, The Fantastic Four: First Steps will no doubt serve up something familiar for fans.
But director Matt Shakman's new version marks the first time supervillain Galactus is fully depicted on the big screen since his creation in 1966 by renowned American comic creators Jack Kirby and Stan Lee.
Portrayed by British actor Ralph Ineson, the cosmic being who feeds on entire worlds to stay vital is arguably one of the top comic-book 'big bads' of all time.
When First Steps opens in Singapore cinemas on July 24, local teenager Lael Lee will be going to watch it not for Marvel Comics' 'First Family', but for his favourite character Galactus.
Says the 14-year-old: 'From what I've seen in the trailers, there's a lot going on in the film. I don't think Galactus will play a significant part. But the actor they've cast seems cool, so hopefully they do Galactus justice.'
Just as many classic superheroes have secret identities, so too does Lael.
By day, he is a soft-spoken Secondary 3 student at Assumption English School. By evening – or whenever he is done with his schoolwork – he is a mega fan of Galactus, and might have amassed the world's largest collection of comics which include the character.
Lael has already accumulated 854 of these, and says the second-biggest collection he is aware of numbers around 200. He has his eyes set on another 20 or so Galactus-covered comics to make for a richer and more complete set.
Lael's father Ernest Lee – a human resources (HR) professional and erstwhile comics fan in his 40s – is the boy's partner and sidekick in this quest.
'My dad is very supportive of the hobby, mainly because he was a comics collector too. So he funds a portion of the comics I buy,' says Lael, who has inherited Ernest's collection of around 150 comics from the 1990s and shares his finds on his Galactus-centric Instagram account @galactus_hunter96.
It comprises mainly X-Men and Image Comics, an independent American comics publisher founded in the early 1990s by a group of prominent Marvel artists.
Lael's interest in Galactus actually predates his interest in comics, via the Marvel Snap digital collectible card game that he first discovered via Instagram.
'Galactus' card is very powerful and fun to use, and that took me down the rabbit hole. I just wanted to find out more about him,' he says.
Since only two or so of Ernest's comics included Galactus, Lael turned to the Marvel Unlimited digital app to read up. The app is essentially a digital library of most Marvel Comics published, available for a monthly subscription fee.
As many young people do when they develop a new fixation, Lael began to rack up merchandise related to his burgeoning interest: figurines, statues and signed artwork.
He says: 'Seeing my Galactus comics collection grow gives me a lot of energy. I don't read the paper comics though. I treat them like art, like they are an investment. I don't want the monetary value to be affected.'
He purchased each comic for anywhere between S$5 and $150, with the exception of a limited-edition cover that cost about $200, and estimates he has spent more than $16,000 in total. But Lael and his father suspect that some individual comics might be worth more than the price they paid, especially those that are rare, signed or in mint condition.
All of Lael's 854 Galactus comics are stored in plastic sleeves with acid-free backing boards in his condominium bedroom, which is kept cool and as free of humidity as possible via the air-conditioning system and a dehumidifier. No one else in his family of four is allowed to touch the books, except maybe Ernest.
'Just like many teens, Lael is at an age where he is finding himself and his interests. As parents, it is important that we encourage and support them in doing so,' Ernest says.
He adds: 'Lael always saves up his weekly allowance (of $50 a week) to pay for his comics. But as a one-time enthusiast myself, I can't help but co-fund covers that are just spectacular, masterful works of human art untouched by artificial intelligence.'
It is a family affair, as Lael's mother Adeline Lee, also an HR professional in her 40s, organises the logistics of importing any comics ordered online.
On the family's Europe vacation in June, Lael's nine-year-old sister helped him dig through back-issue collections at the various comic shops they stopped at.
During the June school holiday, Lael spent a few days as an intern at Comic Grail Vault shop in Sim Lim Square. In addition to giving him a small internship allowance that he uses to fund more comics purchases, the store has also been an invaluable source – it was where he got his first Galactus comic.
Adeline says: 'I don't know much about comics, but this 'mission' has given Lael and his father something to do together and bond over.'
She adds: 'We do still have some ground rules – the most important of which is that he keeps up with his schoolwork.'
Lael and Ernest have begun the paperwork with Guinness World Records to certify the teen's Galactus collection as being the biggest in the world. So what comes next after he receives confirmation of his record-breaking target?
'To get those comics signed by the artists and writers who created them,' Lael says without hesitation. - The Straits Times/ANN