I Love Comics

I love superhero comic books.

For everyone who is thinking “aren’t all comic books “superhero” comic books?” (and if this isn’t you skip to the next paragraph*), I have five answers; Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, Archie, The Sandman, Cherri Poptart and Alien Vs. Predator ,all of which are representatives of non-superhero comic genres that have been popular. We will call them “dark humor”, “kids”, “intellectual fantasy”, “adult humor” and “other media based” in respective order. That doesn’t even cover the other types of humor, the other types of fantasy, or ANY of the types of Horror. Really “kids” can be dived in to sub genres to. So the short answer to the question would be “no”.

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I love superhero comic books.

For everyone who is thinking “oh a fan boy”, while picturing some version of “the comic guy” from The Simpson’s (and if this isn’t you skip to the next Paragraph**), I have a response question; “Do YOU like being judged by you worse stereotype?” I know that A LOT of comic collectors resemble the stereotype, but not all. It’s not that I can’t laugh about it. I make fun of it my self; the image is true on some levels. And if you are joking about it WITH someone who either is a comic collector or is involved with one (comics widows and sports widows tell almost the same jokes), then that is fine. HOWEVER when you use the “joke”, as a way to judge me as a person, especially when you use the parts of the “joke” that do not apply to me as part of your judgment that’s not O.K., not even close. Not all comic collectors are fat sexless slobs with no life, and isn’t that what you thought of when you said “fan boy”? I am not fat. I have a great sex life. Alright Yes I am a slob, but not that bad. I have a life. (I hate the term “get a life” and all related slang, but that is a rant for a different day.) Why dose this upset me so much. Because when you thought “fan boy” you meant “Fat ugly slob”, do you like being called a “fat ugly slob”?

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I love superhero comic books

For everyone thinking “cool one of us”, (and if this isn’t you skip to the next Paragraph***) I must respond with “are you sure?” I love the DCU (all 52 of them now) and Earth 616 as well. (If you don’t understand that sentence then you might as well skip ahead too***) I love that there is a continuing story thread that goes back to well before I was born on which these “worlds” are based. The changing history of these worlds and how it reflects society at the time fascinates me. However ultimately I care if the story is entertaining (good or bad). Yes I enjoy the crossovers. I enjoy the “when did that happen in continuity” game. However I like “what ifs” and “Else Worlds” as well. I like a good story or a really bad one. I like to be entertained. If a good story happened but can’t be shoehorned in to continuity it’s still a good story. Using the “rich boys with to many toys” from the above worlds, if you think Batman or Iron Man has recently been acting “out of character”, you annoy me. Tony (Iron Man) Stark varied back and forth between weapons manufacturer and philanthropist in the first decade of his existence. Since then he has been a drunk, a traitor and a teen, and that was all before “Heroes Reborn”. Bruce (Batman) Wayne has been soooooo much. Some of my favorite bad comics of the 50’s and the 60’s are Batman Comics. Some the BEST stories I have ever read in comics are Batman stories. But when I here someone say “Batman would never do that”, I wonder do they mean the one in the comics now, the weird Sci-fi hero of the 50’s, the brooding vigilante of the early book or maybe one of the Movie versions (because West and Keaton play the parts sooooo similarly) or one of the cartoons. Continuity is a fun game, but its story that’s important, and if you feel otherwise then you and I are not actually an “us”.

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I love superhero comic books

Now when I say love you may think I am exaggerating, but I’m not. I don’t mean the kind love you have for your significant other or family. I do, however mean a type of love. Any fan of any thing knows what I mean. It is the love the Trekie/Trekor has for Star Trek. It is the love the “Jedi wana bes” have for Lucas’ two trilogies. It is the love Lord of the Rings produced twice, once as books and once as movies. It is the love the Car enthusiast has for his four wheeled “baby”. It is the love every sports fan has for his or her team. It is the love every techie has for their machine. It is the love historians have for all things “period” to their specialty. It is a real love, a true caring and emotional involvement. It may or may not healthy. It may or may not be “right”. But it is a real love.

I love superhero comic books

I love doing things “for the greater good”. I love the way the media and the genre support each other so nicely. I love keeping track not just of my favorite hero and teams but of the different versions of them that show up. I love wondering who would win a fight between X and Y. I love the good guys coming up on top barely every single time. I love flashy costumes and silly codenames (both of which start with Superman) I love secret identities. I love the problems caused by having secret identities. I love the problems caused by not having secret identities. I love the magic (even when it tries to pretend to be science fiction) of the powers. I love the mythologies that surround the characters. I love the really silly bad stories. I love the “politically motivated” stories. I love the beautifully crafted stories. I love multi-issue crossovers with dozens of stars. (A place where the same over reaching story arc can produce both “good” and “bad” chapters a “win-win” for me) I love escaping in to a world (or worlds) where things are both simpler and more complicated. I love “Truth”. I love “Justice”. I love any version of “The American Way” that can be included with those two things. I love the trying to guess what is going to happen from month to month. I love the idea of “hero traditions” and “heroic legacies” I love the beauty to the beliefs the superhero is based in. I love seeing those beliefs played out in the artistic fashion that was born along side them.

I am not saying everybody should run out and start buying comics. I am saying I Love them. The stories may or may not be your thing. But for me they represent the best of Camelot and Greek Myth all rolled up together and modernized. I do think there is a super hero for everyone, and if you want to have fun go try and find yours (mine is The Green Lantern of the Golden Age). However there are things other people love that I can’t get my head into so maybe the super set isn’t for you. That’s cool. But for me:

I Love Superhero Comic Books

Bradleyman