In October 1962, young Timothy “Timmy” B. Silver navigates a rough home life, school pressure, and the comfort he finds in comic books. The issue centers on his birthday, where an already tense family situation and awkward social interactions underline how isolated he feels, even surrounded by relatives and classmates. The story mixes nostalgia for early-’60s comics fandom with the harsher reality of parental abuse and simmering prejudice in his world, setting the tone for the semi-autobiographical series.