Kudos from Lord Vader

How is it that twenty some years ago comic books were some harsh secret to harbor? I know I wasn’t very forward to my friends about this. Only one collected because I did and I collected because I liked the story. I never understood how through my youth I hated reading but these four color books seemed to just call me. When that eventual one book came out hooking me I was gone. I never made it known to the girls I was dating I collected, but they eventually found out when they came over. It is not easy to impress them when you have comic books hanging in Mylar bags displayed around the upper part of the room.

This wasn’t a cause for a break up because they mainly sat in their boxes with the only real evidence of any comic geekdom hanging on my walls. I remember the Bill Sienkiewicz poster directly next to the girls in thong bikinis getting ready to ride bicycles and of course the multiple pictures of Alyssa Milano. I had the typical guys’ room. As I grew older I still collected and even if my other half in the relationship never understood, she never objected. I have condensed my collection a little over five years ago. This was done for a few reasons, all of which sucked.

I collect differently now. I even started to place pictures from certain Cosplay sites on my hard drive and am thinking of dressing up SteamPunk style next year. I already tried the cosplay scene once when I dressed up as The Doctor. The day that I did this was at Wizard World 2010 and as I was walking around and passed Lord Vader, even he gave me kudos and lowered his head saying “Doctor”. I mean seriously Darth Vader bowing his head to me, how cool is that? I even got to meet Beaker, and Death.

I do enjoy how more woman are into the comic scene then there were years ago. Maybe just maybe I might find one that is a tad bit worse than me. We all have our vices, dreams, ambitions, and desires but isn't it nice when you can combine all of those and talk about it freely. Look at Stan Lee, he is an 84 year old kid. What part of your collection did you hide as a kid and are proud of now. Was it comic books? Action figures (they aren't dolls), maybe even shot glasses?

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The Issue #1 Comic Craze

Thank you for reading our comic book, find out what happens next month in the sequel issue #1 abcdefg with variant covers brought to you by the letter F, the letter U and the number 1.

Seriously, does DC actually expect me to buy their comics just because they are starting over with issue #1’s? Fifty two of them no less, maybe dedicated to the 52 week program when they were releasing the title of the same name every week of the year, because they seem to like that. I like the Legacy numbering and for one have no desire to jump on the new number one system. Did I see the preview of the new Justice League, yes. Does it look good? Yes. So why am I not picking up the number ones? Easy answer, they did it before and it didn’t do very well.

Green Lantern, Emerald Dawn was a great six issue mini. They started over with number one after these issues were over…I was done by issue 14. Justice League didn’t get that far for me. Superman, a powered down Superman, who was it that put Kryptonite in his water. The Flash started with a number one, I didn’t even bother to pick that up. I would rather pick up a sensational story at 903 then a mediocre one at issue #1. No offense DC but this number one thing you have going stinks of #2.

And Marvel, why (the hell) are you following DC starting with a new number one. Why are the Uncanny X-men to start over at a number one? I loved the fact that they were in the 500’s. Even Amazing Spider-man was started off at a number one and now they went back to their Legacy numbering. Apparently they realized that a fan loved the higher numbers. With issue #666 the story seems to be picking up steam. Start a New Universe if you want to start all over again, The Ultimate universe is doing pretty well, and you’d have to kill off Spider-Man to get a new number one over there….oh wait.

I am not a fan of Daredevil being taken out of his book and being replaced by Black Panther. Why wasn't he given a new number one? No, he took over as the Man without Fear title. Thor…relegated to number one and his numbering went to Journey into Mystery, you know the same title that was changed for Thor in the first place. Is this a rant, yes! I am sorry I couldn’t help myself. I would love to know if the new numbering system has you clambering for purchasing all 52 new DC books or will this new idea make you forget about DC altogether. Not to mention all those 9.8 Action Comic books #1 there is going to be. I hope no one confuses them with that 8.5 copy that sold for 1.5 million dollars

The other side of the coin is comic book companies want new readers. I like Marvel’s point one system. That is something innovative. I didn’t pick up any of the books I normally pick up though. I believe you either collect comic books or you don’t. When I stand in line and a Cosmopolitan magazine is staring me down with a gorgeous woman on the cover I am not thinking whatsoever of picking this rubbish up and placing a number one on the cover won’t change my mind. To any comic book company deciding to read this rant I will tell you one simple thing that would make me part with more of my money on a good comic book and try a new title. Lower your prices.

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