Why You Love Comics

Hello my friends. So recently, web-based person Film Critic Hulk posted a detailed and somewhat inspiring list called "Why You Love Movies" (see here: http://badassdigest.com/2012/02/05/why-you-love-movies/). Film critic, pop culture afficionado, and all-around inspiration for this blog Bob Chipman posted his own version, "Why You Love Video Games" (see here: http://gameoverthinker.blogspot.com/2012/02/episode-66-why-do-you-love-video-games.html?spref=tw). I have some free time, so I figured, why not post my own about the medium I so love to follow, comic books. So, without further ado and for shits and and giggles, here's Why You Love Comics:

Because we read Spider-Man for Peter Parker.

Because Wolverine is a Canadian samurai.

Because the X-Men are secretly about everything.

Because Earth has four Green Lanterns (five if you count Alan Scott).

Because the Martian Manhunter is stronger than Superman and doesn't need to show it.

Because we know that Aquaman is a badass.

Because two Jews wrote a story about an alien jumping across the Atlantic and stopping World War II.

Because the cover of Captain America #1 is a man wearing the American flag and punching Hitler in the jaw.

Because of the Golden Age and all the Nazi fighting.

Because of the Silver Age and all the Commie fighting.

Because of the Modern Age and all of the Terrorist fighting.

Because Booster Gold's storyline in '52' taught me to do what's right regardless of the recognition.

Because Black Adam's storyline in '52' ended with him killing millions of people, and he's still one of the most compelling villains in the medium.

Because Will Magnus's storyline in '52' is the funniest story you could get about a bipolar super-scientist while still having a heart.

Because of '52' in general.

Because of Gotham City.

Because of Metropolis.

Because of Coast City.

Because of Star City.

Because of Opal City.

Because of Utopia Island.

Because of the Savage Land.

Because of Oa.

Because of Krypton, old and new.

Because every hero and villain in Marvel comics works out of New York and nobody bats an eye.

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Because in a world of robot suits, magic spells, mutant powers and monster men, a bow and arrow is considered legitimate.

Because there are multiple Earths.

Because of Crisis on Infinite Earths.

Because of The Dark Knight Returns.

Because of Blackest Night.

Because of Secret Invasion.

Because of Watchmen.

Because the last scene in Scalped #55 was five years in the making and absolutely delivered.

Because in Scott Pilgrim, the hero doesn't just get the girl, he becomes worthy of her.

Because of the background jokes in Chew.

Because of the moment when Peter Panzerfaust stands in the window.

Because Spider-Man was about hitting puberty.

Because the Hulk was about the atomic age and child abuse.

Because Iron Man was an alcoholic.

Because the Green Arrow's sidekick was a heroin addict, and then a single father.

Because of Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, Bob Kane, Bill Finger, William Moulton Marston, Will Eisner, Joe Simon, Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, John Romita Sr., Alan Moore, Chuck Dixon, Joe Kelly, Brian Michael Bendis, Kurt Busiek, J. Michael Strazynski, Mark Waid, Geoff Johns, Greg Rucka, Grant Morrison, Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction, Brian K. Vaughn, Chris Claremont, Len Wein, Dave Cockrum, Brian Azzarello, Mark Millar, Jason Aaron, Jeff Lemire, Scott Snyder, John Layman, Marv Wolfman, George Perez, Abenett and Lanning, Palmiotti and Grey, Paul Cornell, Jonathan Hickman, Judd Winick, Gail Simone and 80's Frank Miller.

Because of Darwyn Cooke, Amanda Conner, J.H. Williams III, Frances Manapul, Alex Ross, J.G. Jones, Greg Capullo, John Romita Jr., Ivan Reis, Doug Mahnke, Rob Guillory, Daniel Acuna, Jerome Opena, Dale Eaglesham, Jock, Moritat, Nikola Scott, Mike Deodato Jr., Frank Quitely (quite frankly), Chris Bachalo, Nick Bradshaw, R.M Guera, Davide Furno, Bryan Lee O'Malley, Gabriel Hardman, Peter Krause, Stephano Caselli, Leinil Francis Yu, Travel Foreman, Miguel Sepulveda, Yanick Paquette, Adrian Syaf, and any writers or artists I didn't mention.

Because Dwayne McDuffie tried to make comics more diverse.

Because for a while, DC's best book was about six crazy supervillains who alternated between dending on each other for support and trying to kill each other over moral differences.

Because of the Great Wheel from Secret Warriors.

Because Nick Fury has been in at least two wars and still wants to fight the good fight.

Because of Batman.

Because of Jason Todd's death in Batman.

Because of Supergirl's death in Crisis.

Because of Ant-Man's death in Secret Avengers.

Because of Boy Blue's death in Fables.

Because of the tragic laughter at Crusader's death in Avengers: The Initiative.

Because the convoluted storylines that you had to understand to get Sodam Yat's death in Green Lantern Corps.

Because I wanted to cry at the end of Lost at Sea.

Because I did cry at the end of I Kill Giants.

Because the Spirit teamed up with Batman.

Because the JLA teamed up with the Avengers.

Because of Comic Con.

Because of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.

Because of Max Landis's short film, The Death and Return of Superman.

Because the last part of Buffy Season 8 was a convoluted mess, but a fantastic story up until then.

Because Joss Whedon wrote the Runaways.

Because the Runaways exist and Marvel doesn't forget it.

Because Nextwave exists and Marvel won't let anyone trivialize it.

Because Image Comics does things that are different.

Because anyone in this medium CAN do things that are different.

Because Detective Comics #27 is probably worth a million dollars.

Because the moment when Norman Osborn killed the Veranke the Skrull Queen is priceless.

Because Final Crisis was a bunch of good ideas being slammed into a space that couldn't accomodate them all.

Because there is nothing to fear but fear itself, which, according to DC, is a giant yellow space bug.

Because Nicolas Cage named himself after a black man in a disco shirt and a silver tiara.

Because the Court of Owls can give me nightmares.

Because no matter what comes off on the page, I know the writers, artists, and editors behind it are enthusiastic and excited to be working in this medium.

Because I know that no matter what happens in this world, there will still be a place where a righteous man with a great mind, good friends, and wonderful toys can overcome any obstacle.

Because of Cardhaus Games and Dreamstrands Comics.

Because every Wednesday, there's another story waiting to be read.

Thanks, and I'll see you next time.