You Can Never Take Nolan's Superboy with Balloons Tattoo Away From Me

I had a pretty good couple of weeks.  While I feel badly that Jamie is currently suffering from allergies, I wrapped up my week by visiting the newly relaunched Austin Books Sidekick Store and then having a burger and beers with recent Houston-to-Austin transplant and high school pal Marshall, and, of course, Paul.  Turns out Marshall took a position at the place Paul already worked, so we're all chumming around.

I really dig the cast of characters at Austin Books and Comics, but I honestly can't remember the last time I saw Nolan around.  He's a swell fellow, and we share a mutual admiration for Superman, Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane back issues.

But Nolan has taken it up a notch.  Maybe all the way to 11.

I saw a couple of Super-feet poking out from beneath his sleeve and asked to his his ink.

He produced this:

and with that, he made my week

Oh my gosh, you guys...

As he rolled up his sleeve, Nolan said "You're the only one who's going to get this".  And, indeed, I remembered the story immediately.  A young Superboy learns to fly with the aid of balloons and a patient Pa Kent.

When I asked "Of all the images..?" his response was phenomenal.

It's about learning to become a superhero, that even Superman wasn't always Superman and he had to keep trying things and learning, and there's no reason to look at that as a bad thing.  In fact, it can be pretty great.  Even Superman had to learn how to fly.

Y'all, that's a super good perspective on life.

I believe the story is in the pages of Superboy #69 and reprinted in Superboy Annual #1, which is the source of the image.

Jamie will never let me get my Goody Rickles tattoo.