By Dan Brereton – Science-fiction writer Alan Dean Foster once wrote that he blamed comic books for what had become of him. He’s a prolific and masterful sci-fi writer whose novels and short stories captivated and entertained me as a teen. His testimonial to the powerful influence of comics in his life gave me solace when classmates and adults alike ridiculed my own childhood obsession with comic books. I read as many comics as I could get my hands on, though I confess I paid more attention to the artists than the writers back then. And although I was ga-ga for comics from age 8 on, I still read more…