-mk-
08-09-2007, 08:08 PM
(lengthy, but hope you'll indulge... -MK)
You've never seen me before, for good reason. I'm a 27 year-old male who's had nothing to do with comics his entire life. Blame it on music, sports, Nintendo (or "Nofriendo," as we called it), baseball cards, Garbage Pail Kids, television, I don't really have the perfect answer. Sure comics were around growing up...everyone I knew had GI-Joe and He-Man out the arse, and I loved the characters too, but I was limited to t-shirts and an occasional action figure (used expressly as a "tub-buddy" or plastic dart target practice), but before last week I could count on one hand the number of comics I'd even opened, let alone read. It's not that I ever "disliked" comics, I just never liked them enough to be all that interested. I enjoyed Saturday morning cartoons based on comics, and I've always understood the OCD/collector-side of it all (as I had some of these feelings towards the cards I collected), I just wasn't ever all that enthused with the books...
Until about three weeks ago.
We were packing for an Alaskan cruise (AWESOME experience, by the way - I totally recommend it) and I was well into the "travel entertainment" phase of the packing process. Headphones (check), iPod (check), digital camera (check), book (...crickets and frogs...) hmm - what to read? Well, I was into Sci-Fi a bit and thought I'd Google around for a list of good novels and choose one I hadn't read. I came across Time Magazine's All-Time 100 Novels and browsed. Nothing much sparking my interest that I hadn't read until I got to the W section. Watchmen...hmm:
Told with ruthless psychological realism, in fugal, overlapping plotlines and gorgeous, cinematic panels rich with repeating motifs, Watchmen is a heart-pounding, heartbreaking read and a watershed in the evolution of a young medium.
A comic book that draws this kind of praise, very interesting. I did some more searches about Watchmen and found similar thoughts on other websites (by comic fans and literature fans alike). On a whim, I checked the local library branch across the street from where I work and there was a well-worn copy of the trade paperback sitting right there on the shelf. Score - that'll be my plane-ride reading.
That idea lasted one night...I cracked it open on the bus ride home and I was blown. the. hell. away. I LOVED the concept of collecting the single issues of the comics in one paperback (I know, I know...welcome to last century, idiot). How in the world did I miss out on this TWENTY years ago?!? I took the red pill when I got back from the cruise (last week) and consulted IGN Comics and iFanboy for some more recommendations. and I shuffled off to purchase the start of my collection. The new Borders 10 mins. away was a gold mine...I went down my little list
Batman: Year One (check)
Batman: Dark Knight Returns (check)
Identity Crisis (check)
...and of course...
Watchmen (you always remember your first the most, right?)
BUT HOLD THE FRACKIN' PHONES!!!
<big sound of record needle scratching across vinyl>
What in the helen of troy is this big, huge, leather-bound, oversized black book on the top shelf that says "ABSOLUTE WATCHMEN" with that familiar killer smiley on it?!? And why in the hell was it $75.00 when the little paperback I read before was $15.00??? I payed for my 3 paperbacks and took the Absolute Watchmen to the counter to ask about it. Of course, the girl behind the counter had no clue of what the difference was other than it was an obvious collector's edition of the book (I thought "coffee table" version, or something). I had her hold it for me and went back to Google at home.
After a bit of research time, I learned about the overall incredible treatment that the Absolute DC books receive and heard nothing apart from things like "badass," and "the best version of the best graphic novel out there," so I bit the bullet (also found a 20% off coupon for a Borders purchase - WOOT!) and am the proud owner of my first Absolute edition of the most incredible piece of work I've read in a long time. I'm also seeing that it's rather hard to find online now, so I feel good about finding it for $60 like I did (which could be sheepish...I dunno).
Anyhow, I can't express how excited I am about my new obsession over graphic novels. I'm also stoked that I'm just now getting into them at a time when I'm old enough to truly appreciate everything they offer: amazing art, writing, character/plot development, production, fan community, etc. I'm a little intimidated by all of the back-stories I've missed, but I feel that the trade paperback collections will be my saving grace here. Here's to new beginnings and broken wallets! Can't wait to see what else and who else is out there - nice to meet you all. :D
MK (new iFanboy)
P.S. Absolute Kingdom Come is on the way from Amazon. Had a $25.00 reward certificate burning a hole...you know how it is. ;) :p
You've never seen me before, for good reason. I'm a 27 year-old male who's had nothing to do with comics his entire life. Blame it on music, sports, Nintendo (or "Nofriendo," as we called it), baseball cards, Garbage Pail Kids, television, I don't really have the perfect answer. Sure comics were around growing up...everyone I knew had GI-Joe and He-Man out the arse, and I loved the characters too, but I was limited to t-shirts and an occasional action figure (used expressly as a "tub-buddy" or plastic dart target practice), but before last week I could count on one hand the number of comics I'd even opened, let alone read. It's not that I ever "disliked" comics, I just never liked them enough to be all that interested. I enjoyed Saturday morning cartoons based on comics, and I've always understood the OCD/collector-side of it all (as I had some of these feelings towards the cards I collected), I just wasn't ever all that enthused with the books...
Until about three weeks ago.
We were packing for an Alaskan cruise (AWESOME experience, by the way - I totally recommend it) and I was well into the "travel entertainment" phase of the packing process. Headphones (check), iPod (check), digital camera (check), book (...crickets and frogs...) hmm - what to read? Well, I was into Sci-Fi a bit and thought I'd Google around for a list of good novels and choose one I hadn't read. I came across Time Magazine's All-Time 100 Novels and browsed. Nothing much sparking my interest that I hadn't read until I got to the W section. Watchmen...hmm:
Told with ruthless psychological realism, in fugal, overlapping plotlines and gorgeous, cinematic panels rich with repeating motifs, Watchmen is a heart-pounding, heartbreaking read and a watershed in the evolution of a young medium.
A comic book that draws this kind of praise, very interesting. I did some more searches about Watchmen and found similar thoughts on other websites (by comic fans and literature fans alike). On a whim, I checked the local library branch across the street from where I work and there was a well-worn copy of the trade paperback sitting right there on the shelf. Score - that'll be my plane-ride reading.
That idea lasted one night...I cracked it open on the bus ride home and I was blown. the. hell. away. I LOVED the concept of collecting the single issues of the comics in one paperback (I know, I know...welcome to last century, idiot). How in the world did I miss out on this TWENTY years ago?!? I took the red pill when I got back from the cruise (last week) and consulted IGN Comics and iFanboy for some more recommendations. and I shuffled off to purchase the start of my collection. The new Borders 10 mins. away was a gold mine...I went down my little list
Batman: Year One (check)
Batman: Dark Knight Returns (check)
Identity Crisis (check)
...and of course...
Watchmen (you always remember your first the most, right?)
BUT HOLD THE FRACKIN' PHONES!!!
<big sound of record needle scratching across vinyl>
What in the helen of troy is this big, huge, leather-bound, oversized black book on the top shelf that says "ABSOLUTE WATCHMEN" with that familiar killer smiley on it?!? And why in the hell was it $75.00 when the little paperback I read before was $15.00??? I payed for my 3 paperbacks and took the Absolute Watchmen to the counter to ask about it. Of course, the girl behind the counter had no clue of what the difference was other than it was an obvious collector's edition of the book (I thought "coffee table" version, or something). I had her hold it for me and went back to Google at home.
After a bit of research time, I learned about the overall incredible treatment that the Absolute DC books receive and heard nothing apart from things like "badass," and "the best version of the best graphic novel out there," so I bit the bullet (also found a 20% off coupon for a Borders purchase - WOOT!) and am the proud owner of my first Absolute edition of the most incredible piece of work I've read in a long time. I'm also seeing that it's rather hard to find online now, so I feel good about finding it for $60 like I did (which could be sheepish...I dunno).
Anyhow, I can't express how excited I am about my new obsession over graphic novels. I'm also stoked that I'm just now getting into them at a time when I'm old enough to truly appreciate everything they offer: amazing art, writing, character/plot development, production, fan community, etc. I'm a little intimidated by all of the back-stories I've missed, but I feel that the trade paperback collections will be my saving grace here. Here's to new beginnings and broken wallets! Can't wait to see what else and who else is out there - nice to meet you all. :D
MK (new iFanboy)
P.S. Absolute Kingdom Come is on the way from Amazon. Had a $25.00 reward certificate burning a hole...you know how it is. ;) :p