Jack Black, High Fidelity moments...

I had four teenagers in yesterday, three who weren't interested at all in comics, and one who was sort of semi-interested (I diagnosed immediately that there was a 60% chance he was all talk, a 40% chance that he might actually buy something.)

The store was busy, so I got called away to the counter.

I heard my friend and long-time customer Paul shouting to the teenagers -- "Whatever you do, don't buy that! It sucks!"

I sort of winced, and watched the four teenagers leave.

Now, I wasn't that alarmed. I figured out in talking to the kid that he was more or less showing off to his friends. I also had to warn him against being so rough with the books. There's a sort of passive-aggressive tone the under-20's have, toward being a nerd -- half defiant, half embarrassed.

I've learned to ignore the strong opinions of youth -- "All these comics are bad....all these are good."

Maybe because I came to comics as an adult, I've never been judgmental about people's comic choices. If they like a comic, who am I to say nay?

(I do have strong opinions about S.F., which I try to subdue. S.F. readers seems to come in two camps, and if I ask them what they're reading, I can tell within a few authors which camp they belong. If they read the stuff I don't read, I say, "Have fun looking." Because if I carry on the conversation, they'll inevitably find out I hate what they like, which isn't helpful. If they like some of the same authors I like, I can get into a pretty good conversation.)

Anyway, Paul comes up to the counter and I sort of say, "Hey, Paul. I usually don't try to actually talk someone out of buying something."

To his credit, Paul saw that he had been a bit out of line. But he compounds it by saying, "Well, you don't read comics anyway!"

I'm standing at the counter feeling naked while everyone stares at me. What I should have said was, "Hey, Paul. I read more comics than YOU do; I know because I know how many comics you buy!"

Instead, I sort of sputtered, "I read comics...."

Anyway, really there is a time-honored tradition to vociferous opinions about comics. It's almost to be expected that the fan-boys will tell the other fan-boys they are idiots for liking something.

Another customer was amazed that I actually liked the Wolverine movie. We started arguing about it, until he mentioned a plot element I didn't remember.

"Wait. Deadpool with laser eyes? I don't remember that." (Actually I do, now. But my mistake brought out the following admission....)

"Well, I didn't actually see it. But my friend...."

"You didn't see it? You're arguing with me over a movie you didn't see!"

After which I teased him mercilessly.

Turns out, he had seen the pirated version.

Jack Black in High Fidelity was really funny, especially since he was unknown to me at the time. ("Do you even KNOW your daughter?!") but he also kind of made me squirm a little. I've been known to do that. I've even had customers come up to the counter after one of my little tirades, and say, "I enjoyed the High Fidelity moment..."

But I really try to not do it.

The mild phrase I use is, "It's not helpful to business."

I also think that it's just wrong. Let's say that guy Black put down was into something else, like -- oh, horseshoes. And let's say Black has a Uncle into horseshoes and he goes into a horseshoe business and asks a really stupid, uninformed question. ("Do you even KNOW your Uncle?)

The way I put it, there are little sub-cultures everywhere.

In my own case, I often think people should read more, should read more kinds of stuff, and should be open to the graphics.

But I'm sure music-philes would think I'm hopelessly out of touch.

Foodies would disdain my food choices.

And so on.

So....I try to avoid imitating Jack Black.

Instead, whenever someone asks a really stupid question, I think to myself. "Forgive them. They have a brain tumor."

***********

Paul's critique that I don't read comics stung a little. I haven't had time to do much reading of any sort, which is a huge life-style change for me. Due to the working everyday, pretty much. Too tired to concentrate.

I've always said, it's actually easier for me to concentrate on a book than a comic.

But I had free time yesterday, so went on a comic binge.

BATMAN AND ROBIN #1: New Batman comic, by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. I loved their All Star Superman so had high expectations. Pretty much a set-up issue, which was kind of quirky. For those who don't know, Batman is M.I.A., so Dick Grayson has taken on the Cowl, and Bruce Wayne's incorrigible son is Robin.

PUNISHER WAR ZONE: 6-issue mini-series by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon. I seem to always read Ennis first. He's pretty outrageous and amusing. I've noticed, overall, that I seem to be gravitating toward very bloody comics -- way more bloody, actually, than you'll actually find in the movies.

I'm worried about my bloodlust.

PUNISHER ONE-SHOT: by someone other than Ennis. Hard to top Ennis, so this really goes for the extreme. At the end, the Punisher and the enforced sex-slaves he has saved are trapped in a tower, so he strings the dead bodies of the mobsters as a rope so they can get down.

See what I mean?

KICK-ASS: 6 - issues so far. A teenager puts on a superhero costume and becomes a media sensation. Then he meets a little girl and a dad who are the real deal. Very bloody. Very fun.

BACK TO BROOKLYN: 5 - issue mini-series. A gangster turns himself in to the police, because he finds that his brother is a molester. He has to go back into Brooklyn to save his wife and son.

This is Ennis again, so there is a huge body count as he basically kills everyone. He even throws his mother under a truck.

GREATEST HITS: 6 - issue mini-series. I caught up on the last two issues. A super-hero group as the Beatles. Really liked it, though the conclusion was a little soft. Loved the parallels though.