When I originally started this series of five columns I was super gung ho about my beef with retailers. Time, however has softened my stance.
Originally I’d planned to rail against the prevailing notion that comic shops should cater to all thing geek. I don’t dig it as a business model.
I mean I get it, the crash of the mid-90’s made things tough for comic shops so they decided to diversify and hedge their bets by widening the geek net to draw more geeks in. But I’m sorry, I don’t like having to share a shop with gamers.
That’s right, I look down my nose at gamers. Yeah, a guy who writes a Q&A column about one particular brand of comics is claiming to be better than those dice throwing squares.
I think it’s because, at least to me, gamers seem to be totally consumed by their hobby. Whereas comic fans generally blend into a crowd, gamers seem rather obvious. I dig comics and I’ve been reading them for decades now, but I’m not consumed by them. They are a hobby that I enjoy, but I don’t take them that seriously. Sure I entertain queries about “who’s stronger” or “who’s got cooler powers” but I realize there’s a time and place for comics. Plus I’ve got other interests, which unlike gamers don’t’ consist of manga, anime and cult tv shows.
Comic shops, particularly in the light of the success of The Dark Knight, could be a haven for cool rather than an incubator of geek. But by catering to gaming, shop owners are not only anchoring comics to “less than mainstream” but providing an excuse for the wider audience to turn away from the genre. If you wonder why comics aren’t growing, you have to consider that gaming is dragging it down.
I mean, think about it, how many comic shops have you been to that are dank and unfriendly to outsiders? Walking into an establishment that specializes in one hobby is overwhelming enough, but two hobbies complete with zealots arguing in completely foreign jargon is down right daunting. And that’s a factor to the lack of growth for the industry.
The last true comic shop that I went to was, surprise surprise, Fantasy Comics in Tucson. They a bit of apparel and the figure selection was sparse. But they had comics aplenty. Walls of trades and hardcovers and back issues galore. And the only gaming stuff they had were Marvel and DC Heroclix.
And that’s exactly how it should be.
Wait, apparently time hasn’t softened anything. Nevermind.
What I Read Recently – Outside the DCU Edition
House of Mystery #3 – I liked the addition of someone looking for the House of Mystery. I still love Rossi’s art. Willingham & Sturges have created some really intriguing characters here. Oh and the side story was expertly illustrated and superbly written.
100 Bullets #91-93 – Wow. Wow. Really. So much has happened. Pip. Cole. Loop. Rothstein. Cooper. Remi. Only seven more issues left, and I bet their going to be bloody.
Squadron Supreme #1 – Boo. This should be called Squandered Supremely. I wanted a resolution to my cliffhanger with Redstone. But instead I get remixes of the 616? Boo.
Secret Invasion #4 – Black Widdow and Tony was cool. And the new Howling Commandos was interesting, but at this point I’m almost buying out of a perfunctory nature.
Crossing Midnight #17-18 – Man, I really liked this book and now there’s only one issue left. It’s just my luck. What’s worse is that Fern’s art seem rushed, so the ending isn’t really a high note.
Genius #1 – Man, I really hope this book wins Pilot Season. It’s not flawless, it felt like it was trying too hard, but it’s an interesting concept. I really liked Richardson’s art and I’m on the cusp of signing on to whatever Bernadin & Freeman write.
Ex Machina #37 – I liked seeing Leto again, though his current state saddened me. I liked how the Secret Service completely twisted the facts to make the threat larger than it really is.
The Spirit #18 – Eh, I think I may be dropping this book. It’s just not providing the same thrill that I got when Bone and Cooke were doing it.
X-Factor #32 – I liked how it set up the new status quo. I liked the character stuff. It’s a solid issue of a pretty dependable book.
Black Panther #37 – I’m still digging Portela’s art. But this storyline just doesn’t do anything for me. I’m bored with it and it seems like it’s gone on too long.
Project Superpowers #4 – I don’t dig the zombie army, but that’s probably because I’ve got zombie fatigue. Things are picking up which is interesting. Still I think it’s be a bit more interesting if there were some people who weren’t white in this book.
