Project Wonderful

Monday, June 16, 2008

Why I Buy What I Buy

Boy I'm behind on blogging but I still have things to write about one being the question of why do you buy the comics that you buy?

So everyone out there has reasons for why they started collecting comics and why they collect what they collect I'd love to hear responses from people out there on why they do what they do but for now I'll tell you about my comics buying process.

1st and foremost the characters are the main thing for me and I will rarely drop a title because I don't like the writing or artwork. The worst Moon Knight comic is better than no moon Knight at all (this could cause the title to keep being bad though). Spider-Man, Hawkeye, X-Men, Batman, Wolverine (on a team) are longtime favorites and comics featuring them get huge runs.

2nd is title loyalty. I am loyal to certain titles for pretty much the long hall and will always buy it no matter what is going on or who the creative team is. Amazing Spider-Man & Uncanny X-Men are the biggest comics in my collection but not the only comics I will never drop unless the comic is cancelled. Currently these are the comics I have no intention of ever dropping even if I'm years behind in reading some of them The Amazing Spider-Man, The Uncanny X-Men, Batman, Detective Comics, New Avengers, X-Factor, New X-Men/X-Men Legacy, Ms. Marvel, Justice League of America, Justice Society of America, Terry Moore's Echo & Thor. These titles are my favorites and will stay with them as long as I can pay for them. Some of these are titles that I just started collecting with the current series but I have so much interest in the character that I am committed for the long haul these are JLA, JSA, Ms. Marvel, Thor, and Echo.

3rd would be art and artist. The art is very important to me I love comic book art from every era and every style. I will often try a title because of the artist or even the cover art. If the art grabs me I will buy it almost evrytime (I avoid looking at stuff in the store because of this sometimes) I have a list of favorites that isn't yet on this blog but really its incomplete because sometimes I don't remember the name of the artist and even though I absolutely love their artwork I'll be posting that at some point so you all can see who I like (for the most part).

4th writer...to be honest up until Brian Michael Bendis started on Sam and Twitch I really didn't buy comics based on who wrote them and often didn't even know or care as long as I got my favorite heroes. This has changed a lot and I often spend time at the bookstore or comic shop looking for writer's in trade paperbacks (especially indie comics). I should come up with a list for these guys as well.

Lastly what have I heard was good. Many reviews on podcast or magazines put ideas in my head and when I'm at the bookstore I often sit there for an hour or two mulling over the titles trying to find a trade paperback that is new to me or I just have been dying to read. This has started a trade only titles for me too. Some I have a few trades some I just have the first one with the intention to get the rest. Titles include DMZ, Invinceable, The Walking Dead (hardcovers), The Exterminators, Fables, Strangers In Paradise and Ex Machina.

So Thats about it for this blog,
Kevin P. Johnson
Copyright © 2008 Kevin P. Johnson

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