In a digitized age when many people have to touch their tablet one or more times before going to bed, what do those cartoon booklets – the ones we used to love just before turning off the lamp decades ago -- mean to you?

Well, one obvious answer is that they are too far removed from us.

Well, not exactly. In spite of the fact that comic books are not as trendy as electronic devices, they’re still the apple of many a comic lover’s eye. For example, one middle-aged man in the city of Jilin, Jilin province, who can be found on Sundays, in a narrow space in his newly-opened shop devoted entirely to comic books.

In explaining his comic book passion, Dong Chao says, as a fan, "I just hope as many as people can recall our collective memory, as simple as that." And, he’s not alone. Like Dong, many members of the 1950s, ‘60s, ’70s and ‘80s generations whose social lives may be limited find reading and collecting comic books is a real pleasure.

Dong’s little store have 3,000 personal collections in display.[Photo provide to ejilin.gov.cn]

"So,these books have a special meaning for us," Dong, who was born in the ‘60s, goes on, noting that he still remembers begging his mom to read him a copy when he was little and barely knew how to read.

So, by the time he grew up, he began collecting those books by himself, noting, "When I had a few coins, I’d go out to buy a comic book and I’ve kept some of the good ones." And Dong’s affection for these books has grown over time, as has the number of comics in his collection, sometimes by exchanging his with those of other booklovers who might live out of town.

For this, he’s gone to many big cities across China looking for well-preserved copies drawn by a famous cartoonist, and, he declares fondly, "My efforts have paid off," fingering the cover of one of his 3,000 prized copies. But Dong’s ambition does not stop with just showing his own collection, but, rather, "to unite all comic book lovers".

So, his shop also displays other people’s collections, for example, "We’ve got a collection of Chinese classics -- Romance of the Three Kingdoms – from the 1950s, an edition that’s rarely seen nowadays. We hope the booklet will attract more like-minded people."

The comic book collection is estimated to be worth 700,000 yuan by a member of the provincial collectors association, who went on explain that comic books, also known as picture-story books, were quite popular for their contents with young people from the 1950s to the ‘80s. And, for many people, the small booklets still hold a lot of shared memories, pleasure, and learning because the drawings on each page told a story in a more vivid way that was easier to grasp.

In concluding, Dong says, "I just want those of the post ’90s and 2000s generations, sitting there playing with their electronic tablet or iPhone can come to understand this old-fashioned form. And I hope the comic books can endure forever."