I hate to admit it, but I’m getting older. Life changes you and I find myself looking at the world differently. In the last 5 years I have had my world go from flat to round. So much has changed. I’ve changed. I’ve had incredible highs and tragic, gut punching lows. Through it all, through everything... Comic books have been there. I’m never going to abandon what we have. We have a family bond. Comics are my shoulder to cry on, my get away, my quiet place that I can be alone.
But I have to be realistic. Maybe its time for change. Slow things down. Its time to cut back. Make some alternative choices. Explore some more independant titles.
What do I mean? Many of the comics I loved and dated growing up, just aren’t as pretty anymore and have ugly creative weight. One title promised something and have never delivered. Some are too aggressive and have a billions spin-off that I don’t care about. Yet, others just can’t find a purpose or direction. I’m sorry comics, lately I need more. We started out as a torrid, daily love affair. Every night we’d lay in bed and escape. Romantic low light. Hours and hours of fantasy get away. No one understood us and we loved that. It was special. Intimate, 2-3 books, just us. I knew everything about you. All the trivial things and important things. Your creators, your backstory. Everything! There was no internet to interfere, no 52 titles that I had to own, no Invasion or Secret War I had to collect to understand you. Just me and my few titles. I miss that, comics. I miss that specialness.
We knew this was coming. At one point I got every thing you put out. I took it all and paid for it. You were expensive, but I believed you were something unique. I thought it’s only money. But you kept asking for more. More number ones, more events, more crossovers. You are so needy, comics.
Look, this isn’t a break up. I have a lot going on right now. And no, I’m not leaving you for another medium. I think “Movies” are shallow and needy, and Novels are stuck up and pushy. No my heart will always belong to you Comics. You were my first real love and that will never go away. Ever! It’s me though, not you... I have a kid on the way. And I can’t waste time and money on a plot that goes nowhere. Not to mention, you’re taking up all kinds of room. Hell, I can’t keep you in order with all the re-numbering. So I guess it kinda is you, after all. No, Its not over. We can still be more than friends. Best friends, still. I’m thinking the weekly booty call? Not to mention we still have the podcast and the blog. It’ll be like old times. I’ll cut back on you. Just get the stuff I really want and stop reading the junk I’m reading out of habit. No more Teen Titans, Green Lantern Corp, Superboy, Supergirl, Nightwing, to name a few. And I’m putting some of you on warning... All Star Western, You used to be hot, what’s going on? Superman... yes, Superman, Your new creative team...seriously, you better shape up... and Wonder Woman... No worries, You're awesome. We’re good. Keep on, keeping on.
Robb, this made me laugh and feel a little sad at the same time. As you well know brother(due to my whiney periods about comics over the years), I had gone through the same thing. It really is disappointing that a sincere love of the medium (that a lot of us caught flak for at school) has become difficult to maintain due to many of the reasons you listed. You, and friends of mine a lot like you, who have continued to carry on the torch with much more gusto than I, seem to be pulling back from modern superhero books. It's been a steady decline, yes, but I believe the industry has become something other than that what we had fallen head-over-heals for so many years ago. Forgive me if I am making too many assumptions, but I'm pretty sure I know where you're coming from. I will say, I think you are taking the right approach by looking at alternatives though. I have recently been finding much joy in reprints and cheap back issues of Golden Age and Silver Age comics. There's still a LOT of magic in the pages of those back issues.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally: CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!! You're gonna be a cool dad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yer pal,
Shawn Drapal