The Geeks were WRONG

I love comic books. I'm not afraid to admit the fact. It began as one of those throw-away hobbies that we all had when we were young (Remember your crippling Lite Brite addiction? How about that never-ending Beanie Babies collection?) , but unlike those passing "fads," my passion for comics--for better or worse--never stopped. My reading choices evolved as I became a bit more discerning in my tastes...once you hit adolescence, seeing Spider-Man fight the Vulture for the 20th time just doesn't seem as appealing as the complex tales of 300 Spartans fighting for survival in the battle of Thermopylae or the adventures of a demon from Hell who is raised by paranormal investigators. It didn't matter what was going on in my life, I just kept finding something new and different that made it hard for me to stop reading comics. Eventually, I came to terms with the fact that my hobby had became a part of my life and realized that the comic book medium offered me a beautiful middle ground between the larger-than-life worlds in film & television and the real human emotions described in novels...so that all lead to the question I've always asked myself: why aren’t comics books as popular as the rest of them?

Well, after a lot of thought, I think I've managed to solve that mystery. First of all, it’s become clear to me that the hardcore “fanboys” (see left for a generally accurate portrayal) have pushed away the casual “newbies” who watch the cartoons, go see the movies or browse the section at Border’s in hopes of delving deeper into those worlds. These are the people curious about dabbling in the source material, but not really sure of where to start. Considering the sheer volume of comic books out there, how could anyone possibly know which ones are worth picking up? And that's where we fans have failed. The comic stores that try so hard to get people to enter seem like dungeons to most. The countless websites and blogs dedicated to comics are essentially dens of rabid fans waiting to pounce on the fresh meat who wander into their domain. Not only do we make it hard for some one to find their way “in,” but we automatically expect everyone to know and love every aspect of comics as deeply as we do—a highly flawed approach, if you ask me.

So I've taken upon myself to fix this glaring problem—I’m taking my knowledge about the subject and attempting to impart it on those eager to learn. Hopefully, that's why you're here. I’m aiming to help you the same way I've helped my “normal” friends after they ask me what they should read after seeing a comic book movie or reading an article online. My goal is to get "regular" people excited about comics, not confused by them. I'm not one of those “holier-than thou” geeks (look familiar?-->) who doesn't want to waste his time explaining everything to you. Don't get me wrong, I AM a geek, but I DO want to waste my time explaining everything. I will do so gladly if it helps get people interested in the literary art-form (I will work hard to convince you that's what it is) that I have been in love with since I was 6 years old…because as I’ve heard said, “With Great Power [or knowledge], Comes Great Responsibility [to pass it on].”

So with that in mind, keep checking this blog, because I'll regularly be posting comic book news and recommendations based on current movies/TV shows/press articles...anything that may lay the seed for you "civilians" to be interested and willing to learn about the two-dimensional world. My goal is to make sure that anyone and everyone with an even remote interest in comics and graphic novels knows exactly where to find a book that they'll enjoy. Just think of this blog as a massive review sheet to the world of comics and I'll be your "professor" of sorts. So get ready to learn about comics. Class is in session!