How to Be an Earthling: Money Doesn't Grow on Mars
1 TALONS AND FIRE Jack’s eyes were wide His mouth hung open No drooling on the comics teased Nina Especially that one Jack held a comic book in his hands Not just any comic book A rare Talons and Fire from the very first year they were made He’d never seen one in person before 11
Wh-when did you get this asked Jack Just this morning Nina finished dusting a shelf Isn’t it great Amazing whispered Jack Jack could just picture it in his collection He’d build a special display case for it with a spotlight shining on the cover Jack had been collecting Talons and Fire comics forever He always bought them at Nina’s shop Colossal Comics Nina was the only one he could talk to about T and F Everyone else’s eyes glazed over whenever he brought it up which he 12
just didn’t get How could people not be into a world ruled by dragons and danger and destiny Jack turned over the comic and looked at the price tag Twenty dollars Oof A regular T and F cost two dollars and he had a hard time coming up with that Usually he dug under the cushions in the living room couch But twenty bucks He’d never find that much He put the comic back on the shelf But he couldn’t stop staring at it So Jack said Nina I was just thinking I’m getting tired of dusting shelves How’d you like to help me out on Saturday mornings I could pay you five dollars a week 13
