Comic Book Resources

Random Comic Thoughts From Someone Who Went to a Comic Shop for the first time in a long time yesterday

Because being an intern can be really boring. 

At first I thought the cover for that return of Captain Marvel (or, as he's known by certain folks around these parts, that dumb jerk who isn't Captain Marvel but calls himself that, and sucks because he was written by Jim Starlin at one point anyway) comic, which I can't find with a quick Google search, was undeniable proof that Marvel isn't trying anymore. It's a blank white cover! There's no art on it! But then one of the shopowners pointed out that Captain Marvel's logo was faintly visible, and I decided it looked like someone's pet had urinated on the thing. Either way, it's a lame cover. I'm sure Cronin already covered that (no pun intended), but I think it's still worth mentioning.

The new shop in town has a novel way of dealing with back issues (well, to me); they hang them on the wall. The other shop in town does this with some books, but it's usally only the really expensive ones, and like everything else they do, it's half assed. I am going to feel weird about picking old X-Men comics I sort of want to read off the wall, but given their space, it's a nice alternative to the graveyard of cardboard boxes in every other shop I've ever been in. Of course, as they accumulate comics, they'll probably have to spring for some boxes anyway, but the place still looks nice now. They're new, though, so they still have things like basic personal hygiene for employees, good lighting, and willingness to order anything without a deposit, which makes them the best shop ever for my town, really. I hope it lasts.

JMS is writing a Spider-Ham comic. He made me laugh occasionally during his Amazing Spider-Man run (which I lost interest in way before seeing Norman Osborn's O-Face became a major plot development), but that seems like a weird choice of writer for a superhero farce comic. Like that What The? one shot from a few years back, I may get it just because I like the idea that Marvel can still laugh at themslves (What The? also had a great Identity Crisis parody and a ton of Jim Mahfood art in its favor), but I'm not expecting much. In a perfect world, Evan Dorkin would write all humor comics (or at least consult on them). But I kind of doubt writing Spider-Ham is big on his list of career goals. All because of Original Sin. Stupid Eve, costing us decent Spider-Man parodies!

On a somewhat related note, if I ever write New Avengers with the Bendis cast, I'm totally writing a story where Wolverine kills and eats Spider-Ham and scares the crap out of Spider-Man in the process. Sample dialogue: "Logan, that's me as a pig!" "You taste delicious, bub."

I like the Spirit #2 even more in retrospect. I'm okay with the whole "P'Gell kills a dude" thing. The rest of the issue being awesome pretty much cancels that out. I still think #1 was a huge let down, though. Really, I'd buy a comic written by a brain addled ape if Darywn Cooke was drawing it, so any criticism I have is kind of moot, since I probably wouldn't stop buying his comics even if he included personal attacks directed at me in the dialogue. Hell, I'd kinda be honored.

I should probably stop thinking so much about comics during work. I should think of more important things, like global warming, the Iraq War, and how Adult Swim caused a bomb scare. But not work.