Maturity and Comic Books

[kybearfuzz]

When I was a kid and my parents would take me to the local comic book shop, it was a thrill for me. My parents didn't have a lot of patience, so I couldn't browse for very long. So I'd get what I could for whatever money I had, buying back issues was tricky so most were new, and race to get back to the car and head home. As soon as I got home, I'd take them to my room, flop on the bed, and gorge myself on the stories and artwork. I often would not get back up until they were all read. Then I would re-read them over the week.

I miss that rush of excitement that I used to get in buying new comics. Maybe it's maturity sneaking in when I wasn't prepared, but when I come home from the comic book shop now, I usually just sit them down and do other things. That urgency to catch up with the heroes and stories just isn't there anymore. I still enjoy the comics, but I'm not as enamored with them as I was. I went to the shop today, bought about $30 of comics, and they sit downstairs unread still as of this evening.

Part of it is me, but I will also say that part of it is the comics themselves. While I'm familiar with the characters, most comic books have gone into such divergent reboots and storylines that I couldn't keep up with them anymore.

As much as I LOVED "Crisis on Infinite Earths" in terms of story and artwork, I think it wrecked the DC universe in that a lot of history was lost, history that I loved and was engrossed in. Marvel has done similar reboots and ended up with the same effect.

I'll still read comics, but I have to admit that the shine has largely worn off for me for both DC and Marvel. I just keep hoping for something to rekindle my excitement.

Comments

[dendren]

Interesting thoughts. I agree, I don't get the YAY new comics excitement I used to as often. There are a few times/events/storylines that I get a little excited about but not near as much as I used to. I have actually completely stopped buying hard copy Marvel books altogether, and am just reading them here an there through the Marvel Unlimited app. I'm finding the books I'm enjoying I am enjoying a LOT, and I'm much quicker to not bother with the ones that I just purchased month after month out of habit and the need to keep my collection "complete".

I wish DC would go the unlimited digital route also, even following the Marvel 6 months old route I'd be very happy to go all digital.

I am pretty thrilled with some of the changes DC has made the last year or two, dumping much of the New 52 continuity, but I did love those old pre-crisis days too!

[kybearfuzz]

I follow a FB group called "Old Guys Who Love Old Comics," and one of the members posted recently that he's contemplating not collecting new comics. Instead, he's thinking of just concentrating on comics from the 80's and before and trades.

It's something to think about. I've been reading a lot of independent comics lately.

[dendren]

oooooh, how do I get in this old guys comics group? That sounds cool, and me! LOL

I have such a huge collection of books that I could spend a lifetime re-reading them but I'm not totally ready to drop reading the current books. I'm finding I don't mind waiting 6 months after they are released (for the Marvel books on their online platform). DC... I suspect I will continue to buy the hard copies of the core DCU for a while.

[kybearfuzz]

I sent a membership request for the page for you. I think the page is pretty fun to read.

I'm still holding on to buying them, but I'm loosing ground on my enjoyment.