Stand back, citizens! I’m about to prove that you can write about comic books without saying “biff,” “pow,” or “not just for kids anymore.” Well, not in the headline, anyway.
Aren’t we past that yet? Have we seen enough huge articles in Newsweek and Time and Playboy about comic books’ place in literature that we can finally let this stereotype die? Twenty years ago when Frank Miller wrote about an aging, somewhat psychopathic Batman and Alan Moore gave us heroes with human frailties, we got articles. When Neil Gaiman won the World Fantasy Award with a Sandman comic and Art Spiegelman’s Maus won a Pulitzer, we got articles. When Hollywood discovered comics were a goldmine (when made properly), we got articles. And they were always the same.
Reporter who hasn’t looked at comics since 1979 goes to comics store. Reporter is amazed at the number and variety of comics available. Reporter is amazed at the ages of the shoppers (i.e. there are apparently sane grownups here) and their genders (i.e. there are women here). Reporter lists the same groundbreaking comics and graphic novels: Dark Knight, Sandman, Watchmen, Contract With God, Persepolis, Sin City, Jimmy Corrigan, Ghost World, etc. Reporter briefly talks about the way graphic novels are treated elsewhere in the world, and finally closes with a wrap up that makes you think no one will ever take comics for granted again. Until the next article, that is.
By this point I think the only people who still take comics for granted are reporters. But in the off chance that you still think of comics as four-color bits of literary fluff, now’s your chance to see what’s out there and it won’t cost you a dime.
This Saturday is Free Comic Book Day. 1,850 comic book shops around the world will be giving away comic books absolutely free to anyone who walks in, no purchase required, no secret geek password. Not just any comics, mind you, don’t start snagging them off the shelves, but 28 different books from publishers both major and independent. Justice League, Star Wars, Wolverine, Archie, and plenty more.
And why should you bother? Here are 20 reasons why you should.
1. Everyone else is. Comics are getting noticed these days, and peer pressure is as good a reason as any.
2. Supergirl is back and her skirt is even shorter these days.
3. There are some big name writers working in comics these days. Stephen King, Brad Meltzer, Joss Whedon, Kevin Smith, Orson Scott Card, Douglas Rushkoff.
4. You can get a jump on what next year’s summer movies will be.
5. Comic creators actually pay attention to reality now, with events causing repercussions down the road.
6. Superhero women still have basketballs in their shirts, though. No sense letting reality ruin everything.
7. Lovers of character-based stories will love Strangers in Paradise, Teenagers From Mars, Y the Last Man, Astonishing X-Men, and many more.
8. DC just finished their latest massive, multipart, entire-DC-universe-is-affected, nothing-will-be-the-same-again series (“Infinite Crisis”) so you shouldn’t have to worry about another one for a few more years.
9. Marvel just finished their latest massive, multipart, entire-Marvel-universe-is-affected, nothing-will-be-the-same-again series (“The House of M”) but they’re starting another one right away (“Civil War”) so if you like big, sweeping, attention-getting changes, you’re in luck.
10. Archie Comics will never have a massive, multipart entire-town-of-Riverdale-is-affected, nothing-will-ever-be-the-same-again series. Although there was a cross-over with the Punisher once. Really.
11. If you haven’t checked in a while, Cerebus finally ended so now you can read the whole thing start to finish. You’ll need a week or so. Bring food.
12. Your favorite TV show canceled? You might be in luck. There are comics versions of X-Files, Star Trek, CSI, 24, The Shield, Alias, and more. You can find out what happened after Angel’s series finale, and new series of Buffy and Serenity comics have been announced that will be part of official canon.
13. Spider-Man’s got some kind of weird extra arms in his back and extending arm spikes and this new flexible armor costume going on; it’ll be fun seeing how long it lasts before Marvel caves and puts him back in the old suit.
14. There are more erotic comics available than ever before, and a few of them are actually good.
15. Like noir? You gotta try Powers and Sin City and Hellblazer and Fallen Angel and about half of everything Warren Ellis writes.
16. The artwork will blow you away. Comics haven’t looked like the Superfriends cartoon for a long time. Now comics are beautifully rendered with digital coloring techniques, or painted in stunning realism by world-class artists. Except for the ones that look like the Superfriends cartoons, of course.
17. Like comics that force superheros into the “real” world? Check out Miracleman and The Watchmen and Kingdom Come and the other half of everything Warren Ellis writes.
18. Superman’s powerless at the moment, again, and enjoying life as plain old Clark Kent; it’ll be fun seeing how long it lasts before DC caves and gives him his powers back.
19. Brian Michael Bendis is writing half of Marvel’s line these days, and when he’s not doing team books that all use the same five heroes he’s brilliant.
20. Did you see the part where they’re free?
And of course comic books fans are already massing at my Inbox, ready to point out the incredible book I forgot to mention. That’s the best reason of all; there’s so much stuff out there you’re sure to find one you like. It’s like cable. The TV thing, not the comic, that was pretty lame.
Cloak and Dagger Comics on Granada Boulevard in Ormond Beach is one of the many stores participating, and you can find more comic shops by going to www.freecomicbookday.com and using their locator. See you Saturday!
Biff! Po. . . sorry. Coudn’t resist.