Panelology: Married... With Comics, Pt. 1

by Brandon & Jenn
It's happening and there's nothing I can do to stop it now. No, I'm not referring Steve Rogers returning as Captain America. In just four measly days, I'm going to get married to the love of my life, Jenn. We're currently smack dab in the middle of that "fun" stage right before the wedding where tensions are high as our nerves fritz out on us. While we're both sure that we are right for one another, one of the things Jenn likes to kindly rib me for is my affinity for comic books. As we begin to merge households, we have talked a lot about comic books lately. These are not the kinds of comic book conversations I would like to have about plot points and our favorite issues. No, these are serious, adult conversations about what we should do with all these damn comic books in my townhouse.

These conversations have been pretty riveting, lighthearted, and sometimes tense. I realize that the comic books in my townhouse take up a considerable amount of space. Ultimately, I decided to go with the BCW long storing boxes to file away my twenty some odd boxes in order to help create some space for us to live. The death of my bachelor lifestyle is upon us, but does that mean my comic book collecting days are over?

What follows is just a sampling of the conversations Jenn and I have been engaged in the past few weeks. Jenn doesn't call me an "asshat" here, which is a very positive start for us when having these conversations. Just as background, Jenn and I have been dating for almost three years now, but we haven't necessarily lived together other than on the weekends since she lives 90 miles away. She's probably the smartest woman on the face of the entire planet. She has got her PhD. in molecular biology and she is a scientist. Unfortunately, she hasn't been able to come up with any cool experiments that will give me superpowers yet, but I'm sure that particular instance is just around the corner for us.

Brandon: What did you think of comic book hobby when we first met? Do you remember your first experience with my fanboy room?

Jenn: I thought the comic book thing was "cute." Clearly, I did not realize the extent of your enthusiasm or the far reaching impact on every other part of your life (poor decorating decisions, planning vacations around comic conventions, etc.). The first time I saw the Fanboy room, we had only been dating for about a month and I was still in that "blinded by love phase." I don't really think I took it all in on that first visit because I only remember being struck by two things: 1)the sheer volume of books/boxes and 2)the life size stormtrooper in the corner.It wasn't until much later that I saw all of the "toys" and other Fanboy paraphernelia.

Brandon: I don't mean to be picky, but that's not a Stormtrooper in my extra bedroom. That's Boba Fett. But that's beside the point. What do you like about my having this hobby?

Jenn: First, I like that we have our own interests and maintain our own unique identities. Second, as my mom always says: At least I know what you are up to on a Friday night! There are many worse hobbies that you could have, so I guess I should be happy with this one!

Brandon: What do you dislike about my having this hobby?

Jenn: I think the first two dislikes are obvious, but are also a problem with many other hobbies that a person could have (you could say the same about scrapbooking for me!)...Space and money. However, I think with our new storage system, the space concern is much less of an issue. Also, you do a pretty good job monitoring how much you spend on comics and you shop for deals, so even though it is not how I would choose to spend MY money, I can't really complain about it.

Now, the real deal...an indirect effect of your comic book madness is that I get stuck at comic book stores (or at least sitting out in the car waiting for YOU in the comic store) WAY more often than I would like. Also, you put comic books on bithday and Christmas wish lists, which means that if I want to be a good girlfriend (replace with wife after June 13), I have to visit the comic book stores!

Brandon: To date, I've successfully managed to get you to read one comic, the Fables graphic novel. What did you think of it?

Jenn: I thought it was enjoyable to read - an interesting take on some characters from my childhood. I think the thing about comics that is frustrating to me is that you don't get a nice neat conclusion at the end of one book, because usually that one book is part of a series and you've really only completed a chapter in the story. I just don't see how you can be reading 6 different titles and keep all of the various stories straight from one month to the next! Ok, let the eye rolling begin...

Brandon: Why haven't you read any more comic books? What would it take to get you to read another comic?

Jenn: As mentioned in my previous, response...it is frustrating for me. I guess if you find me a somewhat girly comic that I can finish in just a few issues, I would consider it. Also, you will need to take up scrapbooking.

Brandon: What is the geekiest thing you've ever seen me do?

Jenn: Wow, so many to choose from! No, really ...I think you keep the "Geekiness" to a minimum. I wouldn't nail this down to a particular activity. I think the geekiest I've ever seen you behave is when you got really into Heroscape initially - the childlike giddiness over your new discovery was pretty geeky!

Plus, the occasional soliloquy ranting about the accuracy of a movie based on comic book history can get a little Geek too.

Brandon: Really? That's an unusual choice! I wouldn't have even put Heroscape in my top 100 geek out moments. Which hobby annoys you more and why; Star Wars, Comic Books, or the music collection?

Jenn: I can not choose. Star Wars and Comic Books take up so much space. The music collection results in my exposure to your music. There is no lesser or greater evil.

Brandon: How do you describe my "fanboy tendencies" to your friends and family?

Jenn: I don't try really. No one has ever really probed beyond "He collects comic books" unless it is to ask if you own any valuable ones. Plus, it is just who you are...I don't think I should have to explain who you are to anyone. They should have to figure it out for themselves, just like the rest of us! :)

On that Hallmark note, I'll end the interview for the day. Check back tomorrow for part 2. Jenn will be interview me about my hobby and I'm going to attempt to be honest.
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Panelology

by Brandon

What do Punisher, Eminem, Free Comic Book Day, Wolverine, Star Trek and DC's Multiversity have in common? Do I really have to tell you they end up being discussed in this week's column? I do actually rant and rave about all of these things. Enter, those who are brave.

Free Comic Book Day Recap
I hope everyone had a good Free Comic Book Day this past Saturday. Mine was so-so. I visited two shops over the course of the day. Heroes Aren't Hard to Find in Charlotte, NC is where I always visit on FCBD. I think I've missed one year making the pilgrimage north. This year was a fairly disappointing year both in terms of the titles offered and how Heroes had actually set up the store. Of the titles offered, I really enjoyed the Love & Rockets book. It's nice to see L&R jump into the FCBD foray. The rest of the titles offered were pretty bland. Heroes had the titles spread out all over the store on the shelves next to the regular titles. That's good for them to get exposure of the regular books, but bad for fans who had to fight the crowds to get to the free books. Also, their enforcement was lax. I personally saw one guy who was pilfering seven or so copies of each title as he moseyed around the store. It doesn't take the detective skills of Batman to know where those books wound up. Can anyone say "Buy it now?" However, I did pick up the first three volumes of X-Men Essentials for less than $20. That was awesome. Newsarama had a good recap story of the fun had by all at Heroes, if you're interested.

That afternoon, I went to Heroes & Dragons in Columbia, SC. While the only free book they had left was Blackest Night, they had a phenomenal sale going on in their store. I have visited this store in the past when they have had their "sales" going on and wasn't too impressed. I walked in thinking I would walk out with very little. Wrong! Their sale was absolutely fantastic! Nearly everything in the store was on sale, if not at least 50% off. I managed to pick up quite a healthy stack of Justice League Europe issues, more than thirty in all, for around $23. Not bad. Not bad, at all.

Punishing Eminem
Reading about the Punisher/Eminem team-up this past week has depressed me a bit. Sweet Jesus, I thought we had moved past the era where we had to have ridiculous crossovers involving Frank. I guess not. Though Frank has teamed up with lots of folks ranging from Wolverine to Archie, this one most definitely takes the cake for the "WTF" award. I think Punisher would put a bullet between the little prick's eyes just for the principle of the matter irregardless for his misogyny. If you're interested, XXL has the first part and should be on sale for your reading pleasure. Marvel will probably release a collected edition of the story... which means I may buy it.

I know, I know. Damn me to hell for being a Punisher completest. In a bit of positive Punisher news from Robot 6, it appears as if Jason Aaron ad Steve Dillon might be the new creative team on Punisher Max. Cool. I'm down with that so long as it's 100% Eminem free.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine = Meh
Already seen Wolverine? I did last weekend. It was mindless fun at best. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. I think there were lots of cool snippets and scenes throughout the film, but I kept feeling like there was something missing. Perhaps it was a cohesive threatening villain? I never really felt any suspense throughout the film because Stryker and Sabertooth were going to live and Deadpool was pretty much a no-show until the final, over-the-top action scene. It was cool to see Gambit, but he could have been used a bit more. In fact, my biggest complaint about the entire film was the usage of too many mutants. It was cool to see them all on the big screen, but if they had just stuck with a couple core characters, it would would have been much more effective. I could have given a shit when Bolt was killed if they had taken the time to build him up. I could have given a shit that Xavier showed up beyond a "hey, that's neat" knee-jerk reaction if they had built that yup a bit more. Instead, we get a Cliff Notes version of each character at best; quantity over quality.

The film probably falls somewhere between X-3 and X-1 for me, with X-2 still being the best. maybe they will choose to move the story further in the next film rather than diddling around in the past. I feel like the above complaints make it seem like I hated the film. It was enjoyable and action packed, what you would expect from a Wolverine film. I think the cast could have been cut by at least half in order to provide a little breathing room rather than providing the obligation to spend a little time with a lot of characters. The general consensus amongst critics and fans is that the filmmakers should have let this one cook a little bit more. Let's hope they get off to a better start with the next film.

Making the Trek
Wolverine can kiss his spot at the top of the box office for good this weekend. Star Trek comes out today. I saw it earlier and it is wonderful. Very seldom does a hyped film live up to its hype, let alone even surpass it. Star Trek does. J.J. Abrams somehow manages to breathe life back into the barely limping franchise with this movie. Hardcore Trek fans will find much to complain about, but as a casual Trek fan, this was just an awesome film watching experience. Each actor must have been carefully vetted by the creative team behind this movie because they all nailed their roles perfectly. The mix of action, sharp banter, and the promise of a new day for Trek fans is overwhelming, but in a good way. I won't spoil anything for you, my fine readers. Just go see the film.

Flunking out of the Multiversity
I think DC hates bringing in new fans. I really do. I've been on a reeducation journey with DC, picking up books that I enjoyed from my youth and books that I missed out on that are supposedly classic. With such an emphasis on old DC, I must admit that my curiosity about what's going on in the modern DCU is piqued. Well, it is until I read an interview or story like this; Multiversity. What the hell, DC? Do you enjoy confusing people that much? Do you need to mire all of that talent under your publishing house in all of that useless continuity and multiple universe junk? I would have thought the fan backlash from Final Crisis would have taught DC a lesson. Instead, it seems that they are getting trapped in Grant Morrison's endless cycle of ideas. I love many things Grant Morrison has written. he's one of my favorite creators. However, he seems to be throwing a lot of big ideas on the wall with very little thoughtful execution to shore them up with. I think DC needs a Dr. Phil style intervention. I would pay big money to see Dan Didio sitting across from Dr. Phil as he starts into one of his "Dan, what's your problem?" rants. Maybe that very event is occurring in the multiverse right now. Who knows?
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Panelology

by Brandon

"More ranting and raving on comic book collecting?" you ask. Yes! I can deliver on that. It's free and a renewable resource. Just don't abuse my cantankerous attitude for your own benefit. My targets this week include Kingdom Come, Ultimatum, Back Issues, and The Spirit movie. Enter all who dare.

Give DC a Chance, pt. II
I talked about wanting to try out some Dc titles in my last article. This promise did not come from a lack of knowledge of DC, just a lack of appreciation. I think DC is largely boring. Could an old, tried and true, corn-fed Marvel zombie like myself actually enjoy an iconic DC title like Kingdom Come? Could I actually appreciate a book from a company I have little love for? Could I overcome my personal bias against these boring characters that are about as lifeless and uninteresting as Superman or Flash? Actually, no. I could not like.

I loved it.

While I may sound a bit like a teenage school girl when I say that, I really did love it. I thought it was entertaining and thoughtful. The commentary on the short-term gains of the 1990s superhero excesses. My love is born out of a certain ignorance of the DC universe. Mark Waid's scripting and Alex Ross' art were perfectly conjoined. Thanks to all who suggested it to me. Who knows what I will read next, but I will definitely poke my head around the rest of the DC universe.

Back (issues) to the Future
The economic situation sucks. That's not real news or anything earth-shattering. At least I hope that isn't real news to you. Comic fans are bemoaning the fact that some titles are edging closer and closer to $3.99. Now that really sucks. It seems like more and more, some comic fans are looking to trim their comic book diets in order to tighten their belts up some.

Might I offer you an alternative? Of course I can. Try back issues. I have been buying more and more back issues. I can get around 40 issues for $50-$60, roughly equivalent to the purchase of around twenty books on the shelves now. That is assuming that the books are all $2.99, which, again, they are not. I've enjoyed going back to check out all the titles I may have missed over the years at dirt-cheap prices. Earth-X, Grendel, Ghost Rider volume 2, Savage Dragon, Grim Jack, Jon Sable, Justice League, Dakota North, Azrael, Elementals volume 2, Rising Stars, and Queen & Country are just a few of the titles I've been able to indulge in on the cheap. Not bad.

How does this help the economic situation in a struggling economy? Well, it doesn't help Marvel, DC, or any other comic book company for that matter. However, it does help out the small businesses I buy these back issue books from. And to be honest with you, I would rather line their pockets with money than the pockets of Marvel and DC. Maybe I'm wrong. I probably am, but I like having lots of great books that don't cost four bucks each.

Ultimate Suckage
Um, do you think Ultimatum sucks? Me too. Do you think the new plans for the Ultimate Universe are kind of dumb? Ditto. Aside from killing off practically everyone in the Ultimate Universe, Ultimatum has been a sputtering turd of a comic, the epitome of the slide in quality for this line of titles. The plans for the future of the line coming out of New York a couple of weeks ago were also yawn inducing. Why do the Ultimate title need their own imprint? Maybe I'm reading too much in Brian Michael Bendis' reaction to the change, but I don't get the impression is terribly impressed with this retooling of his baby.


The Spirit Sucked Too
I watched the Spirit movie last week at a $2-theater. Yeah... that was awful. It was quite possibly the worst comic book adaptation ever committed to film. What the hell was Frank Miller thinking? I know a lot of people have asked this lately, but seriously, does anyone have an answer? The acting and story was so over the top that it completely removed me from the experience within the first five minutes. I'm not a huge fan of the golden age, but The Spirit happens to be one of the few titles that I enjoyed. If Eisner's stories weren't so damn good, Frank Miller may have ruined the character for me.
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Panelology - Random Thoughts

by Brandon

My first column of this year focuses on some random thoughts I have about comic book collecting. I figured that might be a good place to start. My brain is going all over the place. I’m swimming in thoughts of DC, killing off Batman, Barack Obama, comic book storage issues, LCS pseudo-sales, and even the smell of comic books. Step on inside to take a gander at the thoughts bouncing around my head.


Give DC a Chance
Many people who have read my column know that I’m not exactly fond of DC. I make no bones about how uninterested I am in anything resembling the Infinite/Finite/Final/Indefinite/Uninspired Crises that DC has been constantly churning out for the better part of eight-hundred years. There’s a bit of hyperbole involved there, but the nugget of truth that is there is that DC is awash in hefty continuity. One hand often does not know what the other is doing. Modern DC just looks like this behemoth that has gotten to high on its own history. I don’t want to touch a DC book that has been published in the past few years with a ten-foot long box. However, I am on a personal quest during this New Year; I want to read some good DC. Mind you, I don’t want recent DC, but good DC. Stand alone DC. I actually do want to be sold on DC. I plan on starting with Kingdom Come and The New Frontier. From there, God knows where I’m going. I’m open to suggestions. Have any?

R.I.P., Batman
I don’t read Batman regularly, but this whole killing off Batman thing just sounds dumb. Bruce Wayne is Batman. This story just smacks of idiocy. Add a dash of “been there, done that,” and we have the makings of a story that will be overturned so fast that most fans will be embarrassed by it in a few years.


Barack Obama is MINE!
Do you know that Barack Obama has been inaugurated as our 44th President? Do you know that he has been on approximately one zillion magazine covers? Do you know that he has also appeared in comic books? Like Santa Claus, Barack Obama is everywhere, even in the comic book world. A little controversy was sparked by this when Marvel decided to put Mr. Obama in the pages of Spider-Man. Erik Larsen took offense to this because apparently his usage of Barack Obama was better than Marvel’s usage of America’s savior. I understand Larsen has been a longtime supporter of Obama and his character Savage Dragon has used Chicago as a base of operations. The Obama connection makes sense. What doesn’t make sense is his supposed outrage at Marvel. With all due respect to Mr. Larsen, I love his comics, but his ire over the use of Obama is pretty stupid. The outrage runs counter to what Barack Obama believes and embodies, don’t you think? It’s time to get over it.

…And those have to go as well.
I’m getting married in June. With nearly five months to go, the home planning and improvements are now in full swing. Jenn is definitely in nesting mode and I’m pretty much stuck in the usual male temperament of being a bachelor. Having thousands of comic books is cool, until you get married. The closer we get to the date, the more ruefully Jenn looks at my comic book collection. I feel like a paranoid schizophrenic, but I think she may have it out for part of my collection. The times, they are a’changing. Planning for the future together is awesome. Planning where all these freaking comic books go is not.

LCS Psuedo-Sales
I went to a comic shop somewhere in South Carolina this past weekend. I want name names because this shop officially pissed my inner and outer el cheapo off. Imagine my surprise and excitement when I drove up to the store to see huge sale signs on all the windows. Jenn can ell you I was literally giddy with excitement, like it was Christmas morning and I knew I was going to get some ridiculously awe-inspiring present. Got it? Now, imagine my disappointment when there was no sale going on at all. The store had opened what they called their “vault.” I wouldn’t have called it that. I would have called it a “roomful of expensive ass comics.” While I’m sure collectors who have that kind of money were thrilled, I am definitely the bargain bin variety of collector. Nothing else was on sale. No deals on their trades. No special bargains for their back issues. No discounts on their titles on the shelf. Nada. Nothing. Zip. Zero. They only wanted to discount your wallet with their fine collection of idiotic variants and Little Lulu back issues. When a comic shop says “Sale,” I expect just that. And yes, I’m still pissed.

Comic Books Stink
Am I the only person on earth who smells their comic books? Please tell me I’m not the only freak! 99.9% of the time it is the first thing I do when I get a comic, or any book for that matter. I smell it. I can’t explain it, but there is something alluring about smelling comic books. And not just from any age or era. Comic books from the mid-1980s smell the best to me. They don’t even smell good or pleasant. It’s just a comforting smell. I don’t get weird about smelling comic books or anything like that. I don’t wear leather things and spank my own ass as I read through a back issue of Uncanny X-Men. I just smell them. That’s all.


Ultimate Ultimatum
Do any of you really think that the Ultimate Universe is gone? Between reading two or three issues of each Ultimate title last week and the recently solicited “Final” issues of all the Ultimate titles, it sure looks like the Ultimate universe is coming to a close. But why? You would think in these poor economic times that Marvel would want to keep some of their solid performers around. Instead, the Ultimatum body count is ever increasing and the books appear to be gone according to the solicitations. I can understand the nay-saying argument that the Ultimate Universe makes the regular Marvel Universe less special. Yet, the Ultimate titles have been entertaining at the very least, and when they are on their “A” game, they are solid. The talent on the Ultimate line has also been topnotch for the most part. With its power creators and rock-solid stories, I bet these titles and this universe won’t be gone for good, but one has to wonder if there will be much of the Ultimate Universe left to come back to. I would hope so.
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Panelology - Fanenomics

by Brandon

Yes, this is yet another depressing article on the economy. The economy has fallen like the sales of a new Quasar series. The economy hasn’t just affected those on Wall Street. Comic book fans are keenly aware of the impact a slow-moving economy has on their pastime. As the price for gas, food, and other cost of living items increase, our ability to support our favorite hobby decreases, or it is hampered at best. Try as they might, I haven’t heard Barack Obama or John McCain’s outline a plan for helping out the struggling comic book fan. Obama did mention Superman last weekend and McCain is more and more acting like a piss-poor Spider-Man villain plotting his petty revenge, but that does little for our ability to purchase funny books. So, fans are stuck in limbo, forced to choose between continuing to pick up Title A or Title B because their tightening budget won’t allow for both.

What can a struggling fan do? I offer up a few suggestions this week on how to handle hard economic times as a fan. The advice is free. Trust me, you won't find a better price anywhere!


Cut the Fat
Let’s face it; many of us collect some books out of a misguided sense of loyalty to a character, group of characters, concept, or creative team. While loyalty is one of the most admirable qualities of comic book fans, it doesn’t make sense from an economic perspective. Think about how much time and money is wasted in our hobby on titles people just don’t simply enjoy. Read any comic book message board and you will see misguided fans bemoaning the latest disappointing issue of a title they once, long ago, truly loved and admired.

It’s hard to dump a title you’ve been with for a while. Breaking up is hard to do, even if you don’t really like the title in question. For instance, take my long struggle with Jack of Fables,. Jack and I haven’t really spoken for a year now. The last issue I read of the title was back in New York in November of 2007. Ever since then, our relationship has grown cold. We barely even look at one another, let alone speak. Monthly, I glance his way and quickly stow him in a poly bag, moving onto another without a care as to his feelings. I love Fables, don’t get me wrong, but jack of Fables just seems to be hollow. I’ve read online that many people see something different in Jack that I don’t see, some even claim to love him. Maybe they do. I can’t be sure.

Two weeks ago, as I stared at my monthly order form for Mail Order Comics, I decided it was time to let Jack go. I dropped him from my pull list. As a collector, it’s tough to look at that empty spot in the long box where future issues would go. However, your wallet will thank you.

Quality *AND* Quantity
Quality of the books deeply impacts enjoyment, but so can the actual amount of books you buy monthly. The law of comic book quality states that the more books you buy in a month, the greater the chance is that you won’t enjoy some of them. If you’re like me, finding time to squeeze in all your reading is tough. I’ve learned the hard way that there is just no way to red as many books as I want in a month’s time.

Being choosy can be good for fans. Limiting the number of comic books you purchase in a month makes good monetary and quality control sense. If you tell yourself that you are only going to buy ten comic books a month, it tends to force you into selecting those books you want to have in your read pile as opposed to those you are buying out of habit. Each person has to decide on their limit and stick to it.


Go Team, Go!
When the going gets tough, the team books get going. Team books are an excellent way to enjoy a wide variety of superheroes for a minimum entry price. Superhero teams, especially long established ones, are populated by a broad range of characters, many of them staring in solo books or appearing as supporting cast members for other A-list team members. These books offer lots of character. Think about it as buying superhero books in bulk.

I watched a special feature recently on some comic book themed dvd (one of those animated Avengers features, perhaps) where Mark Millar offered up this reasoning as why he enjoyed the Avengers as a child. He was kid who didn’t have a lot of cash, so team books helped him get his fix. Team books could provide an opportunity to get your, say, Wolverine fix for the month without buying the two monthly Wolverine comics. Plus, you get to read far more interesting characters than the largely one-dimensional Wolverine in a team book. See? That’s got to be a positive for you.

Discounts Rock
This doesn’t just come down to me being cheap. It’s just practicality. Most shops do offer some type of discount for customers with established pull lists. Seeking out these shops can help soften the blow when they ring up all eighty-five monthly X-books you buy. Most online vendors also offer discounts. Some obviously offer better discounts than others, but I’ve found that online shops offer better discounts than actual local comic shops.

There is a hippie-dippy downside to shopping online as opposed to going to a local comic shop. By going to your local comic shop, you are helping out the local economy. Those shop owners are operating in the same sluggish economy you are. Times are tough everywhere and it comes down to the ethics of the customer as to whether or not they would rather save a nickel or support a local shop. Me? My local shop caters to the CCG crowd more than comic books fans. I don’t feel so bad about going online. However, you might have wonderful shops in your area that need and depend on your business.

Comic Fans Need a Bailout
Ultimately, as I talked about a few weeks ago in my Declaration of Independence from Event Comics, I think comic book publishers will start to slow on these admittedly splurge titles. I think we will begin to see a decrease in these events over the next year as the economy tries to balance itself out. The ability to buy tons of books with millions of tie-in issues is diminished now for most fans. Companies will naturally become more conservative with their titles, slinging less towards the wall to see what sticks.

This could be good in theory. With the fanbase less likely to overindulge in their purchasing, publishers may be forced to think in more qualitative terms rather than quantitative. We could see an increase in the quality of some products. And for our hard earned and well spent dollar, they better be good! If most fans are like me, fans have to carefully invest their hobby money now.

Let’s hope we all make it through this. Except for Jack of Fables. He can go.
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Panelology - Where We Buy Comics

by Brandon


Where do you buy comics? This week, I am running under the assumption that you, my dear readers, actually buy comics and that you are not one of those commies who steals via the Internet. There has been quite a evolution over the last few years with comic books with the "where" question. It seems that comic books are both readily available and far out of reach all at once. Today, I'll be looking at some of the more popular ways and places to buy comics today.

God I hope this doesn't turn out to be one of those "I remember the good ol' days" articles, but I have a feeling it will shortly. I remember the good ol' days when I could walk into the local yokel Circle K convenience store and buy comic books. One of the most memorable issues was of the first issue of the Nomad miniseries. That's right. Don't laugh. He had a gun , dude. On the cover. And Captain America was in it. He was on the cover too. It was kind of like my patriotic duty to buy the comic. I flipped through the issue and had the classic moment of the clerk saying it wasn't a library. I paid for my Thirst Buster and comic, walking out the door to go read it in quiet solidarity. Ah, those were the good ol' days.

It seemed like comics were sold everywhere back then, but now the market is fairly limited. I can't even recall the last time I saw a comic on the shelf outside of a bookstore, comic shop, convention, or online venue. It makes me sad. Well, not really. I have a pretty healthy dose of apathy, but today's comic book market is very different than it was twenty years ago.

So... Where do we buy comics?

Local Comic Shops
I talked about comic shops in an early edition of Panelology, and probably in not such a rosy manner. I won't go into that amount of gruesome detail, but comic shops are the norm for most individuals. Comic shops are a mixed bag in terms of quantity and quality of the merchandise, but the weekly pilgrimage to the shop is a time-honored tradition for fans everywhere. Most shops offer a pull or save system for reader where shop owners will hold the most recent issue for you of your favorite titles. Some places have limits, some don't. Some require you to fill out a previews sheet monthly, so don't. Some shops even have pretty anal policies about pull lists like having only seven days to come get your books before they are thrown on the shelf. Many shops today offer some type of discount, which is good for el cheapo's like myself. The big advantage to comic shops is the social networking aspect to it. I'm not really talking about the gamers (pictured to the right) here either. I loathe those demons. Comic shops can be like Cheers for fans. We may look more like Norm Peterson than Sam Malone, but Norm always had much more fun anyway.

Bookstores
Bookstores have move more into the graphic novel segment of comic books recently, but even then they have taken a backseat to Manga. The local Borders and Books-a-Million had rather large graphic novel sections about five years ago, but now they have puttered down to two shelves, where as Manga may take up an aisle at least. Many of the larger bookstore chains have websites where you can buy graphic novels. Amazon has a great used section where I buy 99.9% of my trades because I am a cheap bastard. many of the larger chains do offer discounts for joining their discount rewards program, but that's generally only about a 10%-15% discount. It's better than nothing.

eBay
It's time for my hourly eBay rant. eBay's slogan of late should be "It's not rape when you buy something from a seller, it's consensual buggery!" I can't find solid deals on eBay to save my life. A few years ago, eBay was the place for deal, but that has sort of dwindled away. There are deals to be had out there on eBay. Maybe I don't have the patience to bid and re-bid. Some collectors really love shopping here. I have found shipping prices to be outrageously inflated on eBay. For collectors, buying single issues on here is like taking a digital crap shoot. The seller can say mint, but that could really mean that it has melted mints all over the book. It can be a good place for a deal, but it is only for the patient, mentally ill, or Guardians of the Galaxy fans.

Conventions
Comic book conventions are like the United Nations, there is a lot of hustle and bustle going on, but you ultimately feel like nothing much meaningful is getting accomplished. That may or may not be an accurate statement for some, but comic book conventions can be huge. Sometimes too huge! I despise looking through long box after long box that is not alphabetical order and is filled with more shitty issues of Submariner or Green Lantern than you could shake a black-bagged Superman's Death at. However, for those who persevere and overcome the hardships of endless sifting, you too can find that issue of Spider-Man 2099 #14 you have sought for all of your life. Now that your life is complete, you may leave the convention floor, champion of the long box! ... But seriously, there can be good deals to be found here, but for my dollar it probably isn't worth going through thousands of boxes where someone's 1990's backstock has thrown up in.


Online Comic Stores
The growth of monthly online comic book stores and backstock stores has been a great boon for the industry. Being an online shopper myself, I have to admit a certain degree of bias. I love my monthly online store, Mail Order Comics. The discount is right, they have good shipping options, and they have never messed up an order of mine. It sucks that I am perpetually a month behind on comics, but I'm cool with that. Being behind is the cool thing for many comic companies, so why not their fans? I do sort of miss going to a store weekly, but I think I buy less now, which is a good thing. My wallet thanks me. Most online stores that sell back issues run regular sales. That is typically when I get comics from these venues. Often times, if they aren't on sale, I feel the prices are bit inflated. They are a nifty place to find comics and are generally easy to navigate. I see these as being "online conventions" because their prices are sometimes comparable to what you might pay at the convention without having to see forty copies of the first issue of Mutant Agenda. Many of these sites offer e-mail subscriptions where you can receive store updates, coupons, secret promotions, and porn. Well, maybe you won't receive any porn. There are websites devoted to that too. There are some very cool sites out there. Both for porn and comics. In terms of comic shops, My Comic Shop, Comic Book Supermarket, and Mile High Comics are three that I have had good transactions with.

Sadly, I can't add Circle K here, but the above list gives you an idea of where comics can be bought today. Who knows? Maybe in ten years the list will look completely different. Collectors should really try lots of places out to find where they can get the best deals and quality product for their taste. If you can think of some great places to buy comics, be sure to respond to this article.

Panelology will take a one-week hiatus, but I will be back at that appointed time to deliver my final article on the essentials of comic books. It will deal with the Trades vs. Single-issues debate. Until then, you can catch my two X-Files articles next week. I'll start the week off with a look at the series and end it with a look at the new movie. See you then.

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A Night At The Comic Shop

by Rory, the Bad Genious Raconteur

It’s Friday, it’s 10:30, it’s time for... a visit to the comic store? Yes, New York City has many unique and exciting places to spend your Friday night, but did you know they have comic stores open until midnight? We’ve all been drunk, watching Blade 2 on TBS, and thought “Goddamn, I wish a comic store was still open.” Well, in the city that never sleeps, your desires can be fulfilled instantly! In this article, I’ll explore what transpires in the drinking hours at one store: Forbidden Planet in Union Square.

Phase 1: Preparation

OK, so I go through the whole “going out” ritual. Shower, shave, get dressed, brush teeth, mess up hair to achieve the desired “slacker” look – the whole shebang. Time right now: 8:38PM. Still too early to head out. So, to kill the time, I turn on the bitchy shitshow that the Celtics-Pistons series has devolved into and down a Red Bull mixed with something that is illegal in 13 states (including New York). Hey, I’m going to a comic store late on a Friday night – I need to be in the right frame of mind to get the most out of the experience.

To be honest, if I didn’t know what was coming next, this would be a pretty good start to a Friday night. Red Bull, grain alcohol, and the NBA playoffs? Throw in some Queen music and I’d be all set! Unfortunately, I’m heading towards a comic store visit and the commercials for the Bill Engvall show are sucking my will to live.

Phase 2: Travel

At 9:46PM, I hit the road. By this time, I’m feeling warm and fuzzy, like a slightly-buzzed teddy bear.

(Just a side story: I pass the psychic on my block. I've got a little thing for her - she's got this sexy gypsy look. But, every time I pass her storefront, she gives me this weird look. I'm betting she really IS psychic, and knows all the dirty things I'm thinking and is freaked out. And yes, these are the things I think about, and YES, I do have too much free time on my hands.)

In order to get to this store, I’ll have to take the chariot of the masses:

Ah, the NQRW – the thinking man’s ACE (yes, a little inside, I know). It is just a mere 3 subway stops, so hopefully I’ll be able to get a seat…

Err….that was easy. Not much to report on the ride, although I did see the winner of the 2007 Patrick Gaffney look-a-like contest (who was not too keen on having his picture taken). I arrive at Union Square, which is buzzing with excitement as usual, and make my way to the comic store. When something took me by an even greater surprise than a comic store opened late at night…

Yep, that’s right. People are selling comics on the streets, as well! I had no idea that the Friday night in Union Square was such a comic book love festival! And, the topper – this was right across the street from the comic store I was about to visit! Some direct competition! I’m... speechless…really, there are too many sarcastic jokes to make at this point, so it’d be better for everyone if we just move on into the store.

Phase 3: Arrival

OK, so this is the moment you’ve all been waiting for... actually being inside the store! I swing the door open at 10:07PM EST….

This photo is of the crowd at the Marvel/DC aisle. Basically, I was shocked by how normal everything was. It seemed like a Wednesday afternoon at any other shop: people flipping through books, making jokes, having arguments with their friends. It was basically the blue-print for your typical comic store visit. Although the aisle selling independent comics was not seeing quite the same traffic:

And, it wasn’t just browsers and drunken idiot bloggers at this time of night. They were still raking in the dough, with two people running the register.

Phase 4: Departure

Well, it's been about 15 minutes, and that's all I can really take. To be honest, I wrote this under a false pretense - I do have to meet up with my friend at 10:30, and the comic store was only about two avenues away from him. But, I have to say, I was very impressed by Forbidden Planet. Usually, the store is very crowded and busy. But, at night, the atmosphere was a lot better. The customers were slowly perusing the store, making jokes and talking "comic talk" with their friends. The salespeople were friendly, making chit-chat with all the customers. Despite my cynicism, I think it was worth the trip. Unfortunately, I don't buy that many comics anymore (blogging doesn't pay the bills like it used to), so my trips to comic stores are few and far between. But the next time I need to get a quick jolt of geekiness before my night on the town, I know where I'm stopping.

Grade: A-
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Panelology: Message in a Mylar

by Brandon
To bag or not to bag? That is the question for this week’s Panelology. Bagging and boarding is a seemingly necessary albatross hanging gingerly around our necks. There is seemingly no way to avoid this unyielding practice. Or is there?

I remember the first time I was introduced into the Secret Society of Comic Fandom. Having just bought some of my first comic books, I made my way to my cousin Heath’s house. He was a few years older than I was and he had a massive comic book collection. At least it seemed massive at the time. His eight long boxes represented the apex of what I wanted to be. Heath seemed like a major player on the comic book scene. Probably most of us had a similar initiation, and probably one with perhaps less homoerotic undertones. Here’s how it went down (no euphemism involved).

I bought a comic just like Heath! I was a big boy now. I proudly made my way down to his dungeon with my copy of Detective Comics #604. He lived in the basement of his parents’ house, any fanboy’s dream. Right? I wanted to show off this no doubt priceless comic book, the book that would put my kids through college. I actually didn’t think of it that way; I just wanted to read the issue. I hadn’t given a thought to actually keeping the issue for posterity’s sake.

Much to Heath’s dismay, I hadn’t bought some bags to keep my comics in. It was in this moment that Heath passed on to me the anal-retentive, yet necessary, practice of bagging comic books. Heath initiated me into the practice of collecting comic books by explaining why we need to bag and board our comics. While unimpressed with my issue of Detective Comics featuring the Mud Pack (and a free poster), he gave me a few bags and told me to go on in peace. One man’s crap is another man’s treasure, and even if the issue wasn’t deemed to be cool, Heath deemed it to be worth saving from inevitable deterioration. All of Stan Lee’s children are equal in his eyes and should be saved.

He patiently explained to me the basics of comic book collecting, the three key essential rules of comic book care. Store comic books in a cool, dark place. Keep comic books out of direct sunlight. Store comic books in bags. These Three Commandments form the foundation of our collecting hobby. Of course, there are probably more Commandments that could and should be added, but these three structure the groundwork of comic book collecting.

This is the curse: Comic books, like all printed media, will bleach and depreciate over time. The chemical composition of the inks and materials used in the books contribute to this yellowing degeneration. The cardboard boxes in which we commonly store our comics usually contain acid. Even the boards we place oh so carefully behind the books can contain acid. The comic collector is constantly fighting the enemy of time. But is this a necessary battle?

A few weeks ago, I pondered the possibilities of a Green comic book industry. One of the things I wondered about was the environmental impact of creating these Mylar bags. The conversation that followed got me thinking about the necessity of bagging comics. Could I draw myself away from bagging my comics in order to help the environment? Ouch. I honestly don’t know. Can a Fundamental Southern Baptist change his stripes? I remember seeing an interview Kevin Smith several years ago where he related a story about bagging. He said Dave Lapham told him to not worry about bagging books. Just slap them in a box unbagged and be free from hauling this polyethylene cross around our hobby. The idea sounded thoroughly liberating, attractive even. No more bags and boards? Sign me up, posthaste! Right?

Wrong.

After much careful thought, I have almost decided that I just can’t do it. Heath did too good of a job indoctrinating me into the blight of comics. Years of operant condition thereafter with other fans, comic shops, and trade shows solidified this unquestioning dogmatic practice in my head. I think about not bagging my monthly box of comics and my blood pressure rises, I begin stuttering, and my eyes twitch. Despite my loathing of the time consuming bagging and boarding process, I just can’t let it go. God help me. I’m an addict.

But there could be an alternative. I keep my Star Wars figures in clear plastic storage boxes. These plastic boxes are acid free and keep the figures in a cool, moisture free environment. These boxes can easily be stacked and stored. These boxes are comparable in price to comic boxes, and can sometimes even be cheaper than the premium acid free boxes, especially if you exploit the plight of poor Chinese workers by shopping at Wal-Mart. Maybe the Smith-Lapham method of comic storage could work with these types of boxes. It would at least work better than throwing them empty-bagged into a cardboard box.

The drawback of course is the plastic itself, or more accurately, the petroleum it takes to create such a product. Ultimately, cutting back on Mylar bags by simply replacing it with yet another large plastic product doesn’t make much sense on the Go-Green surface. For the time being, I think I will stick with my bagging practices. I am fielding the idea of doing away with the boards. My eyes don’t twitch as much when I think about doing away with the boards as they do with the bags.

We’ll see how it turns out in the end, but until then I will just have to equally bless and lament the day I ever walked down to Heath’s room and became a disciple of bagging. However, I don’t regret the times he let me watch the Adult Network on his satellite, but that is another tale.
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Panelology: Comic Shop of Horror

by Brandon
In what is becoming a trend of sorts, here is yet another one of those regular-irregular columns here at BG. I’ll be talking about the ins and outs of collecting and reading comic books in this column. This week, I offer some humble suggestions to comic shop owners for winning the hearts and minds of fans. Want to get more foot traffic through the LCS front door?


I want you to close your eyes for a moment. I want you to close your eyes and think about your local-yokel comic shop. Yes, even you, the too-cool-for-school reader who thinks that they don’t need to do this. Believe me - you need to do this like Obama needs to be rid of Reverend Wright! Close your eyes and let your imagination take you away to your local comic shop…

What’s right with this picture? What’s wrong with this picture? Do you see areas for improvement? Do you think you could do a better job of creating a more welcoming environment for the shop? Did you notice the guy standing behind you with a knife? He’s getting closer, run! RUN!

Now open your eyes. What did you come up with, faithful reader? Chances are you came up with more negative impressions than positive ones. Maybe you didn’t; you are one of the lucky ones. Outside of Shangri-La, most of us experience a less than aesthetically pleasing comic shop experience. Far from it. Of the four comic shops in my area, only one could be described as inviting to the common man (or the occasional common woman), and even then this shop is the only one that caters to the comic book aficionado. The rest of the shops in the area are dingy places that cater to prepubescent Pokemon whores and pock-marked teenagers looking to throw down on their d20’s. Oh, and comic books in these stores? You will have to pick the pizza boxes and Cheetos bags off the long boxes to even have a prayer of finding a book. Mind the layer of grease and hormones on the top, though.

What’s a comic fan to do with these conditions? Here are three small things comic shop owners could do to spruce it for their long time, yet long suffering, comic book fans.

1. Comic Shops Should Place an Emphasis on Comic Books. Having comic books at the center of your comic shop is a key ingredient in getting people back into the hobby. Duh, right? It’s probably a foolish economic move to just have comics as your only avenue of business. Diversification of products and services provided by any store, not only just comic shops, is Business 101 common sense. However, never forget that if you have “comic shop” on the moniker out front, you really should be focusing on comics.

How many shops have we all been into where baseball cards, collectible card/miniature games, video games, and/or toys far outweigh shelf space for comic books? You can put your hands down now because we all can see you. If your comic shops are like the shops I frequent, then comic books are pushed to the far extremes while other items take their place. Comic shops should be a place where comic books thrive. They are not places where comics should be given second-class citizenship.

2. Sponsor Comic Book Related Events. Many of the local shops around my area have several events at their store. Whenever they have these events, tons of people crowd in to participate and buy goodies. It’s too bad 99.9% of these events deal with things other than comic books. Pokemon, Yu Gi Oh, role playing games, and even video game tournaments are common in this area, and they all draw in a crowd of people. Why can’t shop owners do this for comic books? One easy-cheesy way is to sponsor a trivia contest.

Why not? I mean, most comic book fans are the holders of so much arcane and useless knowledge about fictional realities that it is almost embarrassing the amount of storage space this ineffectual minutia takes up. Put that wasted potential to good use! Grab that socially awkward guy who still wears his “Fire Bill Jemas” shirt to the shop every week and get him to write some questions for you. Don’t be afraid to delegate this out to others! I know many stores in large cities do this and are able to pull it off with great success, but I think it could work in suburban and rural settings too. Sponsoring a tournament is a cheap and easy way to get people off of their duffs and into a comic shop!

3. Reevaluate Pricing Techniques. I must admit that I don’t go to shops regularly now. I use mail order services because I know that if I order a book I’ll more often than not get it. The discounts speak to the el cheapo inside of me too. However, there are times when I will forget to order something and need to swing by a shop to pick up that odd random issue. The downside is that I know I will be faced with sticker shop almost immediately upon entering the door.


There is a local shop that is truly deplorable when it comes to current issue pricing. A new issue will hit the streets and the owner will immediately slap a sticker on the issue proclaiming the price to be well above cover price. I know that owners should charge what they feel like they can charge, but I know high prices can turn people away in the short and long term. No, I don’t want to pay $12 for X-Force #1 just two hours after its nationwide release because the book is going to be “hot.” This type of price gouging smacks of 1990’s collectivism and that was truly a dark time. People will walk away from a store to find a cheaper alternative online or elsewhere, or they will just wait for the trade. I am not suggesting that stores should not make a profit, but some owners don’t have to make us out to be chumps either with their hefty pricing. Unlike the early 90’s, the sometimes cheaper alternative of the internet is widely available.

Of course, these are only suggestions. And there are bound to be shops that are far and away exceptions to the rule. But I think we fans should demand better attention from our comic shops. I am an optimist. I think things could get better. They could also get worse. If comic book shops don’t do more to keep us in the stores, the business model could definitely be on its way towards extinction, if not the comic book medium as it currently exists.

Homework: What are your thoughts on improvements?
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