COMICS CULTURE SHRAPNEL from CBEM 296
We are approaching the last week of the year, and depending on who you talk to, the millenium. This is the time when critics make their best of year lists. I am not a critic, nor have I read enough to even make any distinctions. It's also a time for everyone to make resolutions, I've made a few. Nothing too big, just little things in my sleep and study habits. And I've promised to be nicer to people.
No, not you. I need to be mean to someone. But I promise I'll hold off on all nastiness until next year. This is the spirit of giving. So finish your shopping, bake your scrumpious treats, sing carols, light your candles, pray to your gods. And wish people happy holidays.
It's not all about gift-giving and consumerism (despite what this week's South Park says). Sure it's nice to get stuff... and giving stuff is pretty cool. I've bought almost all the gifts I was planning to get, just need to wrap them up. But giving pretty boxes isn't all I've done this season, I seem to be in a general good and productive mood.
This Friday I will go back to my high school to hang out with some old friends. I'll bring my video camera too, memorializing the moment. We're going to the movies to see "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." I'm so sure I'll like this movie I pre-recommend it. Recommendations are totally within the holiday spirit, so feel free to do so this week. Share something you really like - and this is where the comics come in here (finally). Lend stuff out to people, maybe just for the twelve days of Christmas. Or Kwanzaa. Chanukah too. Granted, this isn't true gift-giving, but for those reluctant to share their cherished comics collections, it's a big step. Like I've said before, there's gotta be a reason you read comics, let people know about it.
Also extend good will out to your local comic shop. If they give you good service, show them how much you appreciate it. Buy something small for the owner, tip the cashier. It's your call. This year my store is getting burned copies of Ookla the Mok CD's because I know the clerks there will appreciate them. For those unfamilar with Ookla, they're a filk-rock band who happens to sing a lot of songs about superheroes. They're quite good, and they have a new album coming out soon. You can check out their website at http://www.otmfan.com. True, burned copies of the CD's aren't as nice as the real thing, but one of the CD's is out of print anyway. I also hope that having the store play the songs will help promote the band (and maybe even bring their first album back into print).
Anyone who's on vacation may find this is a good time to either take up a hobby or do some mid-winter cleaning. And both could be applied toward the spirit of giving within the comics community. Consider yourself a big fan of a particular title? Know about something in it that others don't? Start a web page, join a mailing list or newsgroup. Share your opinions with fellow fans, and share your knowledge with everyone. Information and promotion are two things we always seem to crave in this industry.
The cleaning applies to your collection. Get rid of stuff. I'm sure there are titles you don't read, or already own the trades for. Give them to other people. Friends, family. Kids in the hospital. In many cases, if it was good enough for you to buy, it's good enough to provide someone else with a small measure of entertainment. And if it doesn't - it's just that bad, then recycle the damn thing. Let it do something useful for the environment at least, hopefully that bad story will be reincarnated as a newspaper, or stationary, or dear god, toilet paper. Just put those unread comics to work.
The holiday season is meant to be a time when people are active. So go do something with yourself. And make it count.