Lost in collecting- Om's Journal by oldmilwaukee6er

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Thanks for giving the board a well-written journal! I'm really enjoying the content! Keep up the good work!

Thanks for the shout-out! I promise to look at your Spawn list over Thanksgiving and see if I have any 9.8 raw candidates. I read recently that you were recovering from your ACL. I blew mine (ACL/MCL) in late 2001 when we were living in Bozeman, MT. That recover can be a long tough road before you forget about the injury. Perhaps I can supply a small lift during rehab. Best, Om

New slab bags. As the lady once said, ‘so it’s not enough to slab it, now you have to buy a bag to protect the case?’ Yup, pretty much. She ordered 100 bags from Bags Unlimited, a company that I have done good business with in the past. I had one last fresh bag that I used on my JLA #1, fresh back from CGC. Like others, I do not like the standard-issue CGC bag. It is too big, does not seal easily, and does not store cleanly. I like the Bags Unlimited poly bags myself, and my current bags were probably bought around 2004-2006, so it is probably time to swap them out. Plus, I am hopeful the holiday season brings a box from CCS/CGC (84 calendar days and counting). Well ANYways, it was one of those free shipping, transfer from UPS to USPS. UPS handed it off to USPS and the package was supposedly delivered last TUES, by FRI my wife called the company up, it’s gone, and they replaced it right away (thought this time via signature). Well guess what arrived SAT? The first package. Actually my neighbor texted me that a package was out front. Strange. Now I have to decide what to do. The lady had this happen about 2mos ago with a pair of shoes… package lost replacement sent; the original arrives after the fact. We do not get that many packages anymore (the lady and Amazon), but I haven’t been actively collecting back issues for some time. The company was so nice about sending a replacement, I want to do the same and return the merchandise.

So, in keeping with my post last time, I am going to try and sell something every three months. At least one thing a month to start and then perhaps scale it back after I build a little nut. I have been talking about downsizing and specializing for some time and the collection is in need of some curation. I mean, 5-7 copies of some issues!? I already have some 9s and higher for my Zaps and Freak Bros, I mean do I really want to submit a bunch of raw books like I did in Chicago, at great cost… or buy upgrade over time on already graded books? That is a question to ponder over Thanksgiving.

What else is new? Big grading week, with 20+ individual papers at about 30min each, plus additional assignments. I will also be prepping for Mighty Con Milwaukee this upcoming SUN. I have a table and will be bringing out my two sale boxes of Crumb, undergrounds, and modern indies, plus my reader copies of Star Wars, some video games, and my leftovers from the antique shows a year ago. I just have to make my table back and decide what my picking budget will be (and what my want list is these days). I plan on packing light, cheap books, and picking aggressive to start the show. Then I will sit back and show off some underground comix to the good people of Milwaukee.

PS > Did make a cheap eBay purchase ($8 shipped)... I picked up another copy of the Kickpuncher #1 mini comic that was part of the Community Season 1 dvd release (drawn by modern underground artist Jim Mahfood). This is my current copy that I am hoping to upgrade:

It will be fun to re-watch the first season over Thanksgiving break.

The Wednesday One Becomes the Wednesday Five- 11/18/15

It is amazing how if you have enough 1-2 book weeks it can quickly become 5 book weeks. My pulls this week:

Usagi Yojimbo #150- one of the longest independent serialized comic book series in existence.

Jem & the Holograms #9

Tokyo Ghost #3

Star Wars #12

Extraordinary X-Men #2

TUES I got the chance to pick two antique malls- one in Appleton and one in Manitowoc. I was helping a friend complete a Craiglist purchase of a remodeled / retrofitted Peugeot bicycle. Another friend came along and we had about 1.5hrs in delays hitting the road and so I had to shave two more antique malls off the route. It rained pretty hard most of the day, so that was a lot of hard driving for not a lot of good picking. I did purchase a 1991 TMNT Playmates Space Usagi action figure on the card for $27. So that purchase, coupled with Usagi #150 on WED and I have officially fallen back down the rabbit hole.

The purchase did spark my interest in a project that I have been thinking about- trying to modify and paint a custom Usagi action figure. I want to build him in full samurai armor, banner in hand, carrying the decapitated head of his former master. The moment Usagi becomes a ronin. Toward that end, I have picked up a few loose action figures- namely the first Usagi figure, a TMNT Samurai Leonardo, and the armor from a TMNT Panda Kahn.

There are not many color images of Usagi in his full armor. Before the statue came out (depicted above), there was only the image from UY#4. As you can see, I am using Leo's legs, a few accessories, spare armor pieces, and the rest is regular Usagi. I have two friends that paint miniatures and should be able to help me with the project.

Thanksgiving week is definitely the time to catch up with my reading. I now have 2-3 issues of Usagi to flip through, and the lady is restocking my Kindle Fire with my Usagi graphic novels for Thanksgiving weekend! I found my lost copy of Fight Club 2 #5, so I can catch up reading that title and make a decision about whether or not to keep the title. I also went back around these past two weeks and picked up Batman 45-46 so I can stay current on Mr. Bloom’s storyline.

Spider-Gwen/Gwenpool/Gwen Stacy- Marvel’s “It” Girl (An Om & the lady joint)

Has there ever been a character created by a variant cover before? How ‘meta a metaphor’ is Gwenpool for the second coming of the post 1990s boom? This entry will attempt to trace Spider-Gwen’s instantaneous popularity through the lens of the “it girl” in popular culture.

The phrase “it girl” entered the English language sometime around the turn of the century. Originally it was used by British middle class to denote a woman who had confidence, intelligence, and was sexy without being overtly sexual (Etherington-Smith & Pilcher, 1986). Author Rudyard Kipling is often credited with the origin of the term in 1904 due to the following quote “It isn't beauty, so to speak, nor good talk necessarily. It's just 'It'” (Kipling Society, 2014). In the 1920’s the term was revamped by American screenwriter Elinor Glynn to refer to a woman who had achieved celebrity status due to her socialite lifestyle. Since the silent film era the term has been used to denote a woman, usually young, “who receives intense media coverage unrelated or disproportional to her personal achievements” (“It Girl,” 2015).

As most know, Gwenpool first appeared on a variant cover of Deadpool Secret Secret Wars #2, drawn by Bachalo. The variant was part of a Gwen Stacy cover event.

I knew that public opinion was split on Gwen's return and the further dilution of the Spider-Man canon. However, the lady was quick to point out some initial Reddit backlash to Gwenpool, as the initial fan reaction was strongly in favor of Spider-Gwen and not Gwenpool. Fans referred to the announcement of Gwenpool as a “gimmick” which devalued. Others asked that Gwenpool be “killed with fire” (The Daily Dot, 2015). Is this indicative of a larger Deadpool backlash? Or are people tired of Marvel’s ham-fisted attempts to incorporate women into their universe in a meaningful way (now that the mutants are verboten, that is?). Those who were optimistic were so only because of the fact that she is a female superhero.

Very few women characters escape the weird contortions that the Escher Girls continually point out ( http://eschergirls.tumblr.com/ ). Even fewer escape hypersexualized costumes and behaviors (j'accuse Monsieur Cho Spider-Gwen outrage! ). Spider-Gwen manages to evade most of this. She is already an insanely popular cosplayer costume and she manages to be confident without playing the sexuality card (Nader, 2015). The summer 2015 con season saw Gwenpool’s popularity increase with some smartly done cosplay depictions as well ( https://www.google.com/search?q=gwenpool+cosplay&espv=2&biw=1600&bih=775&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAmoVChMIss7Xn5-VyQIVyNQeCh3hpQSQ ). Moreover, Marvel is listening. Starting last week, Gwenpool is running as a backup in three issues of Howard the Duck and made another variant cover appearance (Lim).

But back to Spider-Gwen, Earth 65’s Gwen Stacy, a surprise hit for Marvel. Originally, she was supposed to have a minor appearance in Edge of the Spider-Verse #2 before going full bore into the Spider-Verse. Instead, fans clamored for more of Spider-Gwen (Suiter, 2015). Spider-Gwen #1 was the third best-selling Marvel title during its launch and had over 200,000 pre-order sales (Canty, 2015). Ultimately, Marvel decided to give her a monthly title, and problems like Spider-Man, e.g. complicated parental problems and a burgeoning reputation as an outlaw. Spider-Gwen is becoming a favorite amongst hardcore fans (Pulliam-Moore, 2015). June 2015 featured a Gwen Stacy crossover event where she was depicted as other Marvel characters on 20 different titles, for example the X-Men, She Hulk, the Avengers, Wolverine, Dr. Strange, and the aforementioned Deadpool. (Images: https://www.google.com/search?q=gwen+stacy+variant+covers&es_sm=93&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAmoVChMItICuzKGVyQIVRigeCh1yXgZI&biw=1600&bih=775)

Since then, Gwenpool’s rise has been likewise fast-tracked- from variant cover to, backup feature, to one-shot issue. Yes, this Christmas will see her in a Christmas one-shot titled Gwenpool Special #1 (Kamala Khan and Kate Bishop also have stories)

This begs the question: Is Gwenpool / Spider-Gwen’s popular on her own or is this a bit of bleed over from the Amazing Spider-Man movies and the popularity of Emma Stone? One could argue that Stone is herself an “it” girl. Her movies are fun but it is not as though she has achieved Jennifer Lawrence levels of success. Birdman (92%) Easy A (89%), and Zombieland (85%) are her highest rated movies at Rotten Tomatoes (I left out Super Bad since it is not her vehicle). Her movie average is 53.5% (Rotten Tomatoes, 2015). Truly, she seems more popular for her stylish fashion choices, keen sound bites, and her relationship with Spider-Man Andrew Garfield. Birdman has easily been her most critically successful movie earning her an Oscar nomination, a Golden Globe nomination, and a BAFTA nomination (IMDB, 2015). All the said, there is no denying that Stone’s Gwen Stacy was awesome. She was smart, savvy, and generally more pleasant than the earlier Mary Jane.

However, Stacy is tragic; she has to be. Her death is a defining moment not just for Spider-Man, but for fans as well. As a comic reader, one gets used to characters being killed off and then miraculously reappearing (X-Men, I am looking at you). Gwen was different. Gwen stayed dead in the major continuity. Was she a plot point? Sure. She was a damn good plot point, however. The everyman, Spider-Man, messes up and hurts someone he loves. It is part of his relatability. By bringing Gwen back, even as Spider-Gwen, a bit of that is lost. Spider-Gwen’s existence is tied to her fans. One fan campaigned Marvel with a homemade movie made of Stone’s scenes from Amazing Spider-Man spliced with her other movies (Canty, 2015). Even still, fans want a Spider-Gwen movie and they want Emma Stone to play her.

Which brings me back to my earlier point: Is Spider-Gwen popular on her own merit or is this the result of newer fans who were unfamiliar with the Gwen Stacy storyline demanding that Gwen/Emma is brought back?

In light of this… Gwenpool is meme, Spider-Gwen is “it,” and Gwen Stacy is legit.

Mighty Con Report- 11/22/15

We received 5 inches of snow FRI night and SAT day. The perfect weather to grade all day- me putting in 8-10 solid hours, but meeting all deadlines with time to spare. Slipped down to the corner spot for a light meal and drinks before turning in early in preparation for the SUN show. After the snow, I was feeling a little lazy and went “show light” with two short boxes, a rubbermaid bin, and a glass case (and my wheel cart / dolly). In addition to underground comix, I brought modern specs and indy books; a variety of pricing from $1-300 (X-Men #2).

We arrived just a tad after 9am, about an hour before early birds. There was some confusion with the booth and the lady stayed with the dolly (lift) for 10-15min while they sorted out where they were going to place the underground comix guy (by the bathroom / toward the bar).

I used this time to pick 2 dealers' 50c to $1 books. I did not find anything to buy, twice scanning the room for my booth and checking back with the lady. I saw a fair amount of $2 books and $5 books throughout the room; strong Chicagoland presence. It appeared that the weather did scare 2-3 retailers away.

I was content to sit back and observe this show; work my booth; and otherwise chill and pick a few good books. I forgot the keys to my glass case (rookie) and so I put it under the table and went with my two short boxes and some undergrounds and Crumb on the table, along with modern spec books, and my X-Men #2. I also brought the top only comic book spinner rack that I have, with excellent tin litho ($150). I generally did not set up until 20min before early birds, instead used the time to scout the room. Mostly for me it is better if I pick first and sell to the public versus other dealers. I saw my Harley crossover book for sale at two places for $15-20. I saw We Stand on Guard #1 for $5. I did not see any Paper Girls or much Tokyo Ghost, however I did not cover 100% at that time. Moderns rule this show, I saw one dealer with a CGC BA12 for $950, a nice CGC 9.6 Malibu Sun (Spawn) for $450… one good TPBs dealer, one dealer specializing in signed and foreign books, and the usual array of local dealers.

I sold the following undergrounds- People’s Comics #nn $25 (death of Fritz the Cat); Skull #1 $10; Tijuana bible group $12; modern Crumb group $15 (Mystic, Self-Loathing); $5 in magnets (that I make); $5 Star Wars Dixie cups $5. Plus other miscellaneous sales. All told I netted $130 after expenses, which is a pretty good show for me. I also discovered my formula for these shows- blow out my reader copies & sell 1-2 spec books and I can cover my table and have fun.

I brought some of my modern spec books- Scooby Doo Team Up 12, Paper Girls 1, Tokyo Ghost 1, Harley Annual 1 (marijuana version), and a Walking Dead #1 WW Chi variant. I priced them generally 3-4 times what I had into them. I sold the following 2 modern spec books for a small profit- $10ea Paper Girls #1 & Scooby Doo Team Up (Gotham Girls xover). LOTS of kids commented on the Scooby Doo book as they walked by and a few girls looked at it closer, as it had Harley (priced at $15). But it was one 6-8yr old girl that bought it. She and her dad were looking at books, she appeared to have some comics, and she pointed to it. And he said “is that the one you want?” and pulled out his wallet. I said, “is this for you?” to the girl and said $10. I tried quickly to explain to the dad why that was a good book but they were off and the lady had this whole theory about how it was ‘his weekend with her’ and so he didn’t even think twice about her buying a $10 comic. Then I thought about how formative comics could be for that little girl right now in her life and I hoped that she remembers that book in 15-20 years fondly when it is a $100 book all day long. The Paper Girls went to another young lady of 19-20. She was very excited to see it, was in Los Angeles when it came out, and could not find it there. I said $10. In thinking about it now, in both instances I could have gotten $15 for the book, people were already ready to pay when I discounted, but I had a chance to foster the hobby in a minor way for two burgeoning collectors.

In sitting back and observing more (versus hard-core dollar box grinding), I can really see that there is a lot of fresh blood in the hobby right now. A lot of families, lots of young kids, more minorities and women in the room than ever before. At one point, early into the public entry… a young lady cosplaying Deadpool stopped in front of the table to adjust her katanas / backpack. I complimented her costume (I was wearing a Deadpool hat) and she said that the Con was her first and that this was a present from her father. I asked if she was going to see the movie, if she thought her dad would take her? She stated, ‘I’m 12’ and ‘my dad said he would watch it first and he may take me.’ When my friend ‘the picker extraordinaire’ (and he truly is; friend from Wisconsin Antique and Advertising Club) arrived about 100pm or so, he noted that the doorman’s notes stated at least 475 paid entries, while the Facebook event notes 1300 people as having attended. A FAR CRY from the ole Burnham Bowl show or one of Alan’s airport dirtcons! With all the new faces entering the hobby as a result of the Geek-Era-Con-Television boom, now is the time to recall our own pitfalls in the comic hobby and work to ethically educate this next generation. Now is the time for ethical fandom.

After chatting with my friend and working the table a little, I had a chance to go around the room about 330-400pm. Moderns rule, as I said before, and I continue to find some good books in dollar boxes- Cerebus, Y the Last Man, Saga, Wolverine, & Spawn. There is a strong visual response to Spawn from younger kids, I was wearing my airbrushed shirt and lots of people commented. In fact, the airbrush guy splitting a table with an artist started (but did not finish) a Spawn shirt as well. However, this fondness for the images, or the cries for another Spawn movie, or the love for the cartoons has not yet translated to the back issues (still reasonably priced).

As my final pick, I noticed that Hauser brought out some more of his rotated $2 stock and I was able to pull three nice early Usagi Yojimbos for $5 total.

There was some movement by other dealers to begin packing up after 330pm, my booth packs easy, so I waited until all the booths were packing and we were out of there by 420pm. Peace, Om

Sweet cover image of Usagi in full samurai armor from Critters #38. Totally forgot about this as a Usagi book. Nice copy for $2.

The Lady Speaks. . . Mighty Con, November Edition

Since my quarter finally ended Saturday, November 21, I decided to help my husband setup and sell wares at the November Mighty Con. Once again the location was the American Serb Hall. They were promising it to be larger than ever. This was causing some concern in the buildup to the show as the July Might Con was incredibly packed. There was no parking, barely any room to move, and they had people crammed into every available hallway/room with the exception of the auction room which was where they were doing a blood drive. To curb crowds somewhat, I think, this time Mighty Con raised its door price from 3$ to 5$. One other concern leading up to the actual day of the show was that someone pretending to be the company that hosts Mighty Con was taking money from vendors. I know this because a warning was posted to the Mighty Con Facebook page.

And a last concern was that Milwaukee was due for its first snowfall of the year Friday night into Saturday afternoon. The predicted 7-10” ended up closer to 5” so the weather was really a bit of a nonissue, although the parking lot at Serb Hall had black ice in patches and it was the coldest day of the year at a balmy 23 degrees at 9am when we arrived to unload. By 4pm, the end of the show, it was a scorching 27 degrees. The temperature plays into the story later on, trust me.

Upon arriving we learned that we hadn’t been assigned a table, yet. So I waited while they figured out where they were going to put us. Om did some early bird scouting. The wait didn’t take long, maybe 10+ minutes and we were assigned a table in the hallway off the main hallway. We were the last table on that end and the location was pretty prime. We were near the restrooms and the bar, two massive perks at a con! Because of the proximity to those two locations, just about everyone who entered the con, but not the main hall, had to go by our table. The major drawbacks: 1) it was freezing in the hallway from the doors opening and 2) there was no escaping the Christmas tunes they played over the PA system until football started at noon.

As the table was set up, I did a few cursory trips through the main convention area and the smaller secondary room. At 1030am or so I noticed there were a lot of empty tables. Most of those filled up by 11am, but not all of them. Chatter from the floor revealed several happy vendors who had lucked into an extra table or extra space because of a no-show. Despite the open spaces, the floor felt more crowded than ever. The aisles appeared to be smaller or maybe vendors had pushed out farther, I’m not sure.

A minor quibble for me, but certainly not for the vendors affected was the fact that the free comic book advertised meant a series of long boxes right at the entrance. Unfortunately, some back issue dealer was also situated right by the door which resulted in him having to chase free comic book seekers away throughout the door. I can only imagine how annoying and time wasting that must have been.

In terms of vendors, I was disappointed. It felt like there was less variety this time than in the past. Definitely comic back issue, toy vendors, and artists ruled the day. I just felt like there was a dearth of handmade wares available. There was only one trade paperback setup and while the prices were great, the selection has been whittled down over the various cons (I’ve seen this vendor at the Milwaukee Fantasticon, the various Mighty Cons, and I think even Wizard World Madison so I can only imagine how many other cons in the area he sets up at). Usually at a con the more times I traverse the floor I find something new that catches my eye and I end up making late-in-the-day purchases. That simply didn’t happen this time. Perhaps I’m burned out on cons, as since 2014 we attended Wizard World Chicago twice, WW Madison, Fantasticon several Burnham Bowls, and three Mighty Cons, plus the Sci-Fi/Pop Culture Con that is held each year on my campus. Or maybe vendors are running low on wares, which doesn’t make sense since this is the last Mighty Con before Christmas.

There were virtually no PS3 games, but PS2 games as far as the eye could see. Don’t expect to find anything newer there, either. However, there were a ton of Atari games.

I have no way of knowing if the crowd was larger than ever (a friend who arrived around 130pm overheard them say 475 had already been through the door). It was definitely steady with those who bought early bird accessing showing up between 10 and 11am and the general public arriving at 11am. Once again the demographic skewed toward families with young children. Unlike the July show or the one before that, the children were well-behaved. There were a large number of teenagers, as well. The teens were buying art and posters mostly. I do know that when they announced over the PA that hot dogs, brats, and tacos were available in the bowling alley it was like being trapped in a zombie migration. I know how a salmon swimming upstream feels.

Continuing with a trend I love, there were more cosplayers than ever at this Mighty Con. Steampunkish costumes and Spider-Man (red and blue as well as black and white) were probably the most common costumes. There were two great Harley Quinns and two Power Rangers that were fully committed. Deadpool garb was still really popular, but I repeatedly overheard/saw Deadpool garbed individuals asking vendors for Batman and Harley Quinn materials. Marvel may win the boxoffice and the overall merchandising, but DC wins with fans looking to spend dough. Things also feel to be at a 'Star Wars saturation level.' This means that every single booth, no matter what it was hawking, in some way incorporated Star Wars. It feels disingenuous and nothing feels original or special anymore. It’s all mass-marketed.

That being said, I did buy one handmade Star Wars purse for $20 and a Star Wars cigar box purse for $10. My addiction to R2D2 really knows no bounds and any rational attempt to reign it in results in near-psychotic breaks of R2D2-related spending. Additionally, I bought two prints from Jeff Balke for $6 (and that’s after lecturing him on the horrible misogynistic drawings of Alice in Wonderland as a sexually available harlot. Oddly enough, he was cool saying he’d quit working for Zenescope Comics. Honestly, I’m sure he’s heard it before and was pretty rehearsed in directing people in other ways.). I also bought two Essential X-Men (volumes 4 & 5) for $5/each (now I have 2, 4, 5, 6, and 8). I bought $10 in additional prints from a local artist.

All in all, I guess it was a success. I was looking to drop a lot more on a wider variety of objects and felt a bit slighted. Perhaps if I’d updated or brushed off my back issue list I would have felt satisfied. Then again, I hate digging through long boxes so probably not.

Your journal is one of my favorites. Thanks for all your efforts with posting!

The Wednesday One – 11/25/15

There really was no Wednesday One this week for me, this week’s new comic book day sorta snuck up on me with the Thanksgiving holiday. The lady and I have been off since TUES, though I am still teaching an online class. TUES we partied pretty hard, not gonna lie. Every other TUES we are playing bar trivia with 2 friends, one of which is ‘the chef.’ The first night we played trivia we were 6pts off the money, but the bar does $2 Corona / Modelo & $2 pork tacos. We skip a week because of the chef’s gaming night and we were on for this week. We scored 38/50 and finished 5th of 13 teams. Balls. After trivia on Brady Street we walked back over to the corner spot to close out the night. Locals night, all sorts of regulars (WED of Thanksgiving is one of the biggest bar nights, TUES was not too shabby)… we shut ‘er down about 2am. Yup. So new comic day was more than a little hangover day. Whew.

I had this dream that I used my little Mighty Con nut to pick all the dollar boxes in Milwaukee on new comic day- Vortex, Collector’s Edge, Nostalgia World, Turning Page, & Lost World. Cover some ground; burn some go juice. HOWEVER, the fog of my hangover only lifted around 2pm. We hit the pet store (CRAzy busy) and then the main Collector’s Edge on Kinnickinnick in Bay View. We bought the new Spawn, Fight Club 2 #7, and Munchkin #11 and pulled Terry Moore’s Paradise Too TPB for $5. I felt a little bad for skipping my little east side chain in favor of the flagship, so I put in a good word for my LCS manager with the big boss. He said “I raised him from a seed.”

Since then I have been chilling in the apartment. I did not have to travel for family, with renovations (oldest sister’s), downsizing (oldest brother’s), and health (father) the family was scattered to the wind. The lady, being from Montana, can cook a mean bird and so RELISHED the chance to “cook and watch football in my pj’s” and not have to travel for family on a major holiday (a rare treat). SPOILED. She started cooking at 830am and I was eating a plate of turkey, mashed potatoes, cornbread stuffing w/ pork sausage, and green bean casserole for the Liverpool v Bordeaux match on the Watch ESPN app.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! We will not be shopping tomorrow, but the lady has been intently watching the PS4 gaming system sales / doorbusters and I believe she is working on some text about it. More to come there. I have been slowly reading through Fight Club 2 and taking notes.

Peace, Om

Great report, you writing style is very enjoyable.

The Lady Speaks. . . About Waiting on the PS4

The heinous holiday season is upon us. I’m not a shopper. At least, not a physical space shopper (outside of cons and festivals that is). I do shop quite a bit online, as my grossly overdeveloped pop culture-themed t-shirt collection can attest to. However, it’s the holidays which means wants bubble up uninvited to coincide with “deals” that aren’t really deals but just discounts applied to massive pre-sale markups. Still, I am human and my want right now is a PS4.

I want a PS4. I want Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate. I want Fallout 4. But I’ m not sure I’m ready for the jump. “Why? Why would you, 'the lady,' wait any longer?” The simple answer is: I’m not done with my PS3 games. I have several I haven’t played all the way through yet (Darksiders, Devil May Cry 4, Borderlands 2, Fallout New Vegas, Fallout 3, L.A. Noir), I have some I want to replay (Dishonered, AC Brotherhood, AC Revelation, Hard Rain, Arkham Asylum), and I have some that I want to complete in totality (AC Black Flag, Skyrim, Dragon Ages: Origin). These are pipe dreams.

That’s a lot of hours of gameplay, as I teach. Nine months out of the year I’m lucky if I play an hour a week. When summer rolls around, well, there are a myriad of other things to do outside. I’ve spent the last three years buying used games and experimenting with genres I normally don’t gravitate toward (such as first person shooter FPS). It’s been a ton of fun. Plus, the Playstation Store has allowed me to download on the cheap games such as Abe’s Oddysee and Herc’s Adventures, both PS1 games. Yes, I do own Herc’s Adventures on disc and I still own both my PS1 and PS2 but it’s so much more convenient to have digitally on the PS3.

Here’s the breakdown, though. The best deals for this holiday season that I’ve seen thus far involves the 500GB PS4 with the Uncharted collection for $299 (Best Buy & Game Stop). That’s not a bad deal for a console and the equivalent of three games (I do not play multi-player online , so a single player campaign counts as a full game for me). However, it’s not what I want. I already own and have beaten the first of the Uncharted games and I never got around to the other two because I found Assassin’s Creed, and well, that’s a love that can’t be trifled with.

I really wanted Playstation to put out an AC Syndicate bundle, but that doesn’t seem to be a real thing in the US. I did find one place in the UK doing that bundle but I’m not about to go that route. Also, if I go PS4 wouldn’t I want to go 1TB? Well, the only bundle at that memory point is the new Call of Duty. I don’t like Call of Duty and I have no interest in playing Call of Duty. Plus, that price point is $349 which is still a deal (the console alone still retails for $349) which is more than I want to pay because I am going to buy other games. However, I also don’t like to pay full price for games and will wait months to find a game I really want second hand or on deep sale on Amazon.

The "XBone" (X Box One) is not an option. First, it’s misnamed. It’s the third generation of Xbox and to name it X Box One is inaccurate. This is a gripe I have with Assassin’s Creed, too, if you recall. At the heart of it all, however, I am a PS gal. I bought my PS1 in 1997, I still own it, it still works, and I’ve never veered from that course. I bought my PS2 in 2007, I still own it, it still works, and I’ve never been tempted to switch to Xbox or 360. As a matter of fact, if you own a PS2 this is the golden era of used games. You can find PS2 games everywhere at the moment, probably because Sony just stopped offering support for the consol earlier this year. But still, so many games are available right now on the cheap.

XBone means Microsoft, too. I use Microsoft on a daily basis for work. Heck, I’m writing this right now on Word. I know the bugs and issues inherent in Microsoft software. There really is nothing attractive to me about XBone. Except, a savvy shopper might point out, the price. Yes, XBone has better holiday deals with bundles at the $349 price point but offering better games and 1TB memory (believe me, I’ve lingered long over the Fallout 4 bundle).

The current plan is to just wait. I’ve got time. PS4 isn’t going to disappear between now and spring. Assassin’s Creed Syndicate and Fallout 4 aren’t going to run out by spring. I’m just a little irritated because I have the money to spend now. By waiting I am testing my resolve.

Will I squander my funds on other fun things between now and when I actually decide to buy?

Will I just sit on my nut and wait for the opportune moment (after Captain Jack Sparrow)?

Or, will I pop on Cyber Monday because I’m horribly impatient and I have the money now?

Only time will tell.

You don’t buy it, you rent it

Soundtrack:

Just one of 130M+ Americans back to work this week and it is time to sober up after the intoxicating holiday weekend. I read that the Guardian is reporting a 10% decline in Black Friday sales, yet it still brought in excess of $151M. However… will the lady pop on a cyber Monday PS4 (so far she has not)? Even I do not know.

Often when I work online, I like to listen to music or movies. I particularly like to listen to Rounders and Glengarry Glen Ross (sometimes Fletch). There are many good quotes in Glengarry Glen Ross, but I enjoy the following by Al Pacino’s character:

“You know, they say you don’t buy it, you rent it.

The thing.

You really, ah… what do you keep?

I mean, you don’t keep anything

Security.

Things. Things. You know?

It’s just… you strive to stave off insecurity.

You can’t do it…

Stocks, bonds, objects of art, real estate, what are they?

An opportunity. To what?

To make money? Perhaps.

To lose money? Perhaps.

To indulge and to learn about ourselves? Perhaps.

So SPOONing what, what is it? They’re an opportunity.

That’s all they are.

They’re an event.”

~Ricky Roma, Glengarry Glen Ross

Can’t. Stop. Listening.

A> I cannot stop listening to Sylvan Esso. OMG. The darling band of 2014 and now I know why. Amelia Meath crush! I will not even link to it on Youtube. I also heart Mountain Man- and WILL link to Sewee

The lady knows this about me- I have a bias with my music and rarely like female vocals. The exceptions are always skilled vocalists with odd voices- like Lily Allen, Kate Bush, Nina Simone, or Regina Spektor. IRL I am attracted to women with really odd, quirky voices, usually very high pitched- like Joey Lauren Adams in a Kevin Smith movie or even Jennifer Tilly.

B> Beside scouring more Amelia, I also found the following Electro swing mixes; great for your 1.2hr productivity jags

For further listening, I recommend mixes #1, #3 (esp. 28min+; Will.i.am Bang Bang), & #5; skip 2 and 4.

This bad boy changed hands over the holiday weekend- CGC 6.0 Zap Comix #0 1st, one of only a handful untrimmed copies and from the collection of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's Graham Nash.

Oh yeah, comics! Well, over Thanksgiving I sold a handful of underground comix offline. I am have been corresponding with a collector seeking out high grade Freak Bros (prefers raw right now). So I dug through my four boxes and pulled out and scanned my best high grade raws. Later issue raw Freaks are still suppressed in the Fogel 15 Guide, $15 for NM copies … so the big sale was the aforementioned- Zap Comix #0 (freshly removed from the Registry) for $500. It was a good deal all told, quick payment and I do not anticipate any problems. This is nice(!), as breaking my gridlock selling comix online, coupled with my recent Mighty Con experience has given me a little momentum. I really think I am ready to cull the herd a little. It is just that selling is so much work, it takes a little risk, and there are fees at every step (not to mention capital gains taxes, should you be so kind). However, it is part of the curation process and thus important. And I am trying to adhere to this new goal of periodically selling.

The lady is back to work in full and has an exciting schedule through spring (with a research project culminating with a conference in New Orleans in June). That lady will run to New Orleans every chance she gets, and this conference is the fourth NOLA trip back since our relocation to Milwaukee in 2008. Neither of us have been writing too much since Thanksgiving, and it may take a few days to ramp up again. I am going to take the next two days or so to catch up with grading, while the lady has a week or two before assignments starts pouring in. We did end up buying some new shoes from Sierra Trading Post on Cyber Monday, but nothing else (I got some sweet Puma suede kicks for $21). I am not totally cynical on Thanksgiving weekend shopping, but I have not participated in years. Let us just say I enjoyed this Cracked video (haha):

So, after the holiday weekend, the other thing that was working for us is that our greenback stack was getting a little slack- with $100 to last us until FRI, and a few minor expenses coming up (small, staple grocery run). As far as new comics, just from a reader perspective there were several of interest to me- including Star Wars #13, Art Ops #2, Extraordinary X-Men #3, and possibly Plutona #3 as well. ALSO, I have been digging on Paper Girls, so I was excited for #3 (love those elegant covers). And that was before I even looked at a possible spec book; since money was tight I was not looking. So, I had to skip new comics Wednesday knowing full well that Paper Girls would sell out (it did; my store allotted 1 copy for the shelf as people keep adding it to their pull lists) and that everything else would be there for me. WED passed. THURS passed, with me catching up on grading (whoOp). And then pay day came and so I burned some go-juice out to Lost World of Wonders and scooped up Paper Girls #3 (a popular title in Milwaukee to be sure), a bagged Harley’s Little Black Book, and a $1 Image Firsts B^tch Planet #1 (this book would never make it to my LCS, not enough profit). Zipped back into downtown before FRI traffic gnarled up and walked over to my little LCS to give him the business on my reader copies. I stayed and talked bomics for a while with the LCS manager. I was feeling flush, so I even popped another polybagged Harley’s Little Black Book, and we unbagged it right there, calling it a $5 lottery ticket (sucker that I am for a Harley one-shot).

A little retail therapy

Whew. New comic day caught me by surprise this week. I had a falling out with an ‘acquaintance’ of about five years and so was feeling pretty blue this week. WED I had a work lunch that was nice and then got an unfortunate text that sent me into a bit of a funk. The lady and I rallied for a small walk, a long talk, and a nice 1.0L at a great German bar. WED AM I also interviewed for a position in sustainable clothing. It would be a great 1-year project to work on, but I felt less confident about this interview than ones past. I joked all day that this would probably be the position I was offered. I expect to hear something soon; however, as the previous project manager resigned ¼ of the way through the project and they are in a pinch to be sure. I presented myself as a problem-solver and someone who could execute measurable results within months, but feel I may have come across a little arrogant. Ah well, another interview, another chance to improve. I am writing about it now so I can put it out of my mind for the upcoming weekend.

So WED early evening I slipped down to the LCS (local comic store). I almost skipped it. I was feeling a little beat down and it was not on my mind. Also, I saw that Assassin’s Creed #3 was out this week and given that my LCS under orders this title from Titan (UK publisher), I figured it would require a trip over to the OTHER store- the amazeballs Lost World of Wonders. But it, l thought, I am not letting others get me down- I give people too much space in my head as it is- and I was not going to let new comic Wednesday slip by without even a gander at the LCS. So slide on down I did.

Nice week! I opted for the following, fresh off the rack:

We Stand on Guard #6. My LCS guy says this book is on hiatus now, possibly akin to Saga (and a chance for artist Skroce to catch up).

Batman #47. Great freaking read. I consumed it, as I am enjoying the Bloom thread. I bought the Harley’s Little Black Book version and got the Ross sketch cover… with 5, count em 5, noncolor breaking creases buried in that polybag. Plus, an Alex Ross sketch is NOTHING compared to an Alex Ross painting. I was quite disappointed. I think I will re-buy a regular copy that at least has a shot at 9.6+.

Gwenpool Holiday Special. I hemmed and hawed over the Rodriguez variant cover ($8), but stayed the course on the regular Gwenpool mistletoe cover. The lady consumed it, and may put some text down on it, while I myself plucked the digital download and will be reading it soon.

Munchkin- Deck the Dungeons #1 (holiday special). This book is the lady’s happy place. She loved the take on Dicken’s Christmas Carol. Every time I bring this book home, I see her at 9 years old; laughs and then runs off to read the comic. We do enjoy Munchkin the game, thought we do not play it enough.

Twilight Children #3. Honestly, I have some catching up to do on this title, so it was destined for a bag and a board.

Assassin’s Creed #3. WOW! Two copies to choose from at my wee LCS. I guess I beat the guy that had been scooping up both copies through issue #3! I choose the white Charlotte cover, which was the cover for the Titan preview comic.

Star Wars preview comic. The Star Wars fatigue is starting a little for me… it is starting for you? The preview comic is really just a reminder of the recently released trade paperbacks (TPB). I like Star Wars, and I enjoyed Shattered Empire, but Vader Down is just plain boring. I did not start on the Vader series and so yes, I am biased. Vader is soooo 1980s. I am more interested in where we are going versus where we have been, and so (for me) Vader comics just do not hold my interest. I refuse to buy Vader, or Kanaan, Lando, or Leia… and I refuse to participate in Vader Down beyond the normal SW issues. Pass.

Nice pulls, in the end. And happy I kept to my rhythm.

THURS we had the cleaners come through, which meant ‘cleaning before the cleaners.’ First world problems, I know. However, this is specifically WHY we have a semi-regular appointment with cleaners- cleaning before them. We do not clean. We have. We can. But, given the choice, we do not. Oddly, the lady has a slightly higher tolerance for clutter than I do (remember, I fancy myself a minimalist <--- joke), so during the school year we can get pretty ‘gurvy’ (grrvee), as we say. So THURS morning was cleaning together, sipping coffee, and listening to Tame Impala’s Pandora. I watched part of Liverpool v Scion, before ‘ubering’ the lady down to work for a meeting and then trying to figure out how to kill a few hours before reconnecting with her. Where to? Why… the comic store of course! I scooted over to Lost World of Wonders to grind the 50c - $1 boxes and kill some time. And grind I did, and rewarded I was.

I plucked $17 worth of books from those boxes, some minor readers (e.g. reprints of Massive #1 or Manifest Destiny #1) and some KILLER $1 Usagi Yojimbos (all Vol. 3). Super excited to land those. In fact, I plucked so many; I will have to re-do my want list! After grinding long boxes, I tended to the holiday season.

I found 12 of my grandmother’s knit doily snowflake ornaments while cleaning, which are keepsakes I have had since she relocated to Florida when I was in high school. I have used them through the years, moved them to Montana-Louisiana-Wisconsin and then stashed them away and they came up as a topic of conversation with my sisters. I am going to try and frame them on black velvet for my family members- sisters, sisters’ in law, & nieces. So I slipped over to JoAnne Fabrics and spent $14 on some black velvet and a new pair of real Fiskars shears. We shall see if I can bring this project to completion.

After JoAnne Fabrics, I HAD TO stop by DJ’s Antiques, a great little antique and consignment place (you know, one of those places where the longer the item sits, the cheaper it gets). I have plucked all manner of cool mess from this little store, when I am able to visit, including a voodoo doll for the lady, lots of Nemadji pottery, the odd hippy item- and this time a working 4-button, woody Atari CX2600A console ($27)! Now, I already have a working 6-button, woody Atari CX2600 as of this writing, but I just could not pass this up for the money. It came with- one joystick (after disassembly it does not work), one double-paddle (works, but , a good paddle is tough to find), a Breakout* cartridge, and a small stack of paperwork- CX2600A manual, 3 game catalogs, VG Atari Force #2 mini comic, and several manuals for other games (Indiana Jones, Ms. Pacman, Frogger, Adventure & several more). Most all of the manuals can be married with games that I already have. The system was in sore need of a cleaning, but I connected it straight away and it worked (!), so I dissembled it and cleaned it up. I LOVE these old systems! Such simple, rock-solid electronics. I blew out the dust, scrubbed down the plastic case (front / back) in the sink, and then cleaned and tested the other components on my 6-button woody (less luck). The lady was chuckling the whole time “you got a new toy,” she said.

Nothing like a little retail therapy.

*Did you know that Breakout was one of the first pre-Apple collaborations between Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak? It would soon be ported to Atari 2600.

So, I have to back up a little and share a bit of news from TUES evening. Early TUES, over a cup of tea (‘cuppa’ after Sherlock on Netflix), the lady brought up the topic of my pending CGC submission. To date, I had received 1 of my 23 books submitted (I really should pay attention a little more). She was asking if, considering we are closing in on the holidays and my submission was during WW Chicago, I was expecting more soon. I explained the concept of a free membership here (versus a paid one, where one could check submissions online), I explained how I hardly think of it at this point in the submission, and as such I did not check or follow-up on my invoices. I talked about how long the turnaround times (TAT) are for the average Joe Sixpack, and how I tried not to think about it too much. Then we double-checked the charges on the AMEX (recall that I paid $600 cash down at WW Chicago, which covered a majority of the charges, but not all), and noted that a small $90+ charge hit in mid-November (my FF48). Well, at work THAT SAME DAY she texted me that the following arrived:

CGC Fantastic Four #48

So 2 down and some 21 to go… On the one hand, it was reaffirming to get the blue label. I would have been crushed to see another PLOD sent back. On the other hand, this book is a GREAT presenting 6.0. I shopped this book around a few local cons and several seasoned (albeit local) dealers and the consensus was 6.5 with an outside shot at 7.0. After pressing with CCS, I would have thought this a solid 6.5. All I can think is that the misswrap “_arvel” factored into the grade (something I would have thought allowable at 6.5).

What this does affirm to me personally based on experience, and generally based on observation, is that CGC is in a STRICT period. Ala the old labels. And I would be remiss if I did not speculate that this is the result of both the onslaught of Joe Sixpack on-site convention submissions, as well as the introduction of SERIOUS competition in the marketplace (that which cannot be named). Be strict, and reestablish oneself as the industry leader. While I can appreciate the overall strictness, the timing of the reemergence of the strictness does leave a bad taste in my mouth. It is though we are back in 2002 and CGC is still trying to prove itself.

So, my concern is building for the remainder of my on-site submissions- all underground comix coming back, several of which were previously certified by P G X, and most are Don Donahue / Apex Novelties copies, (which have been certified by other ‘more connected’ CGC collectors as File Copies). And my books are being pressed through one of the best companies available, right (CCS)? So why am I worrying? Why should any Joe Sixpack worry . . . ?

Alright, so enough of that, because it is oft said that worry is interest paid on debt that has not yet come due.

So, the OTHER fun thing that happened is that late THURS we scooted north to the mall to pick up a small birthday gift for a Steampunk friend. We went to the Board Game Barrister, the lady’s first visit to the ‘all things board game store.’ Such fun. We actively play Munchkin with each other (and friends, far too infrequently though), and we also enjoy the simple card game Poo or the dice game Farkle. The lady was overwhelmed by the possibilities, immediately lost to a $50 Bioshock Infinite board game, and yet has the ability to zero in on the good stuff while I was lost studying and ogling Star Wars X-Wing miniatures and game accessories (the chef plays this actively, I admit it looks fascinating). In the end, we popped on two small “Ha Ha Moustache” card games for our Steampunk friend, and the new Munchkin ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ for our friend down in Houston.

PS> Late FRI I landed a 2nd interview for the sustainable clothing position. I should have a better idea where I stand by TUES / WED of next week.

On the other hand, this book is a GREAT presenting 6.0. I shopped this book around a few local cons and several seasoned (albeit local) dealers and the consensus was 6.5 with an outside shot at 7.0. After pressing with CCS, I would have thought this a solid 6.5. All I can think is that the misswrap “_arvel” factored into the grade (something I would have thought allowable at 6.5).

 

Sorry to hear of the disappointment with the FF 48.

The book looks good without seeing the spine. There wouldn't be any downgrading for the miswrap.

It's a bit of a gamble in the 6.0 to 7.0 range as I have seen a number of questionable 7.0s and harsh 6.0s. However it might be that with such an important book that rose coloured glasses may have missed some interior tearing, staining, toning or rust and/or looseness at a staple.

Of course, CGC may simply have been off on their opinion on grading day. Still a mighty fine issue to own.

Here's one I thought was a beautiful 8.0 when I bought it -- good edges, flat, shinny, really good whites and with just a bit of fuzziness along the spine. I must have owned it for at least a couple of months before seeing the obvious defect.

Toward a definition of “bomics”

There is a new term that is entering the board lexicon the last 12+ months, and it is a great one- BOMICS. This entry will try to synthesize what little information exists on bomics, as well as build a formal definition for the term.

(After boardie Treco)

So where did the term bomics come from? Well, the term first appears as a remnant trademark brand, then on a University of Bologna blog, and finally infiltrates into the CGC community.

In December 1990, a U.S. federal trademark registration was filed for bomics by the Landis & Gyr Building Control Ag company as a “device for controlling entry access by persons and for gauging working time” (LegalForce, n.d.). The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office gave bomics the trademark serial number of 74119948, in the category of Computer & Software Products & Electrical & Scientific Products. The current federal status of this trademark filing, since 1992, is ABANDONED-FAILURE TO RESPOND OR LATE RESPONSE (LegalForce, n.d.).

(After boardie iceman399)

The next appearance of the word appears as part of a Wordpress blog titled “Bomics- Economics at Unibo” (Unibo = University of Bologna) c. 2008. The “About Bomics” section of the blog outlines its intent: “This is a very sketchy and preliminary version of the blog. It shall represent a first attempt to improve the communication inside and outside the department of Economics (DSE), University of Bologna” (“About bomics,” 2008).

(After boardie DiceX)

Finally, we have the appearance of the term bomics on the CGC Message Boards, which started as a simple typo on the part of CGC boardie Columbia Comics in the thread HERE (c. 2014).

I would edit it...but nah, bomics are so much better!

As you can see, CC was sharing news of an Alabama collection of approximately 16,000 comics from the 1990s and the discussion quickly descends to meme (albeit pretty funny IMHO). This was the thread that has me thinking about the term bomics and just how apt the term is in the Zeitgeist-Geek-Con-Era-Boom.

So wtf SHOULD bomics mean? Well, when I see the word, I see the following:

Boom

Bomb

Comics

When we consider the origin of the word over time on the ‘Net, we observe:

Control

Access

Gauge

Economics

Comics

Therefore, I propose the following definition:

Bomic /Bämic/ noun (informal).

A magazine containing sequences of comic strips or stories told in pictures (AKA a comic book), that is economically appreciating faster than current price guides or references can capture, thus limiting average collector access.

“Did you hear the latest bomic from Black Mask Studios is already going to a second printing?”

“ is a bomic that is currently selling for 3x price guide.”

A comic book that is appreciating (or depreciating) so fast as to make it difficult, unpleasant, or risky to deal with.

“I am passing on because it is a bomic at new market highs.”

“I do not want to be the last one caught holding THAT bomic.”

Synonyms: hot potato, pitfall comic, risky comic, escalating comic, appreciating comic

References

About bomics [Web log post]. (2008). Bomics- Economics at Unibo. Retrieved from https://bomics.wordpress.com/

LegalForce, Inc. (n.d.). Bomics. Retrieved from http://www.trademarkia.com/bomics-74119948.html

However, it might be that with such an important book that rose coloured glasses may have missed some interior tearing, staining, toning or rust and/or looseness at a staple.

Thanks for the response! Yes, that very much could be the truth. I was discussing something similar with my LCS guy last week when I showed the book to him. I do have a tendency to grade books slightly higher upon receipt than upon sale. I demonstrate an opposite pattern in my grading- grading harder at the start versus toward the end of a grading jag (grading fatigue).

PS> I saw the crease right away on my ‘puter (not visible on my phone), but after two days the lady said, “I don’t see the obvious error!?” And I told her how a crease that big would (generally) not be allowable at VF 8.0.

The Lady Speaks. . . Gwenpool Marvel Holiday Special

ATTN there will be spoilers so if you haven’t read the issue but think you will, you might not want to read any further.

This was a disappointing issue. Partly because I care for none of the characters, but also because Gwenpool was less-than-advertised. Before I get into her pretty lame appearance, I want to dissect the first two stories in the issue.

The first follows She-Hulk as she gets ready to host her annual holiday party. Her landlord lets it slip that she’s selling the building at the first of the year. It becomes clear that the business people who want the building are some sort of weird mind controlling alien/bug things that can only be fought with positivity and having a good time. This is a recurring theme throughout the issue, but it’s never really in question that the landlord will not sell the building. While the new Ms. Marvel, Kamala is interesting (this was my first time reading a story involving her) and I enjoyed her struggle with her religion and acclimating to a Christmas onslaught, the rest of the story is not that interesting.

The second is a Deadpool story, sort of. Long story short, Deadpool is banned from She-Hulk’s Christmas party but he is kept company by the two Hawkeyes who are with him. It’s probably the best of the three stories but also the least action-packed. Despite this being a holiday special clearly aimed at a younger audience, it is still clear that Deadpool is a not a good guy and even kept separate from the rest of the Marvel heroes because of his gray ethical area.

The third story is the 'reason for the season,' judging by the front cover. This is Gwenpool’s story. Unfortunately, Gwenpool is not a female Deadpool, she’s basically Marvel’s second rate answer to Harley Quinn. She’s twee, a stereotypical Millennial. When being hired for by a client to kill a baddie, she ignores the client while looking up “swords” on the phone. She trains using YouTube videos but due to buffering issues, she doesn’t finish the lesson.

It’s not clear why she’s badass. It’s not clear why the other characters, let alone the audience, should even care about or like her. She lacks Harley’s violent insanity (even when Harley is saving abused animals or helping a father discipline his daughter like in last year’s Harley Holiday Special, it’s clear she’s unbalanced and always on the verge of busting out some serious pain) and really comes across as an obnoxious teenager. This is highlighted by her costume, especially the ridiculous mask. She’s wearing an adorable pink ensemble that more closely resembles a ski bunny outfit than anything else.

Actually, she resembles a wingless Arthur from “The Tick” the most.

I suppose the teenager thing makes sense given that Marvel has decided that the Spider-verse is going to be populated with teenage Spider-people in perpetuity. But if she’s a teenager then it’s somewhat disturbing that they want her to be a female Deadpool which really seems like a more mature character, not a girl who will IM her friends about sales at Hot Topic.

In this story Gwenpool is hired to fight some dude who uses two swords who in actuality turns out to a hideous snake monster. Gwenpool is clearly outmatched but she still wins because we get a flashback of her googling “how to make a bomb” and she blows the guy up. Later in the story we’re led to believe by Ms. Marvel’s reaction is that this was cheating, which casts Gwenpool in murky ethical territory. That’s about ALL the parallels you get to Deadpool.

There is one moment where we should feel sorry for Gwenpool because all her family lives in another universe but this moment of gravity is immediately wiped away when she’s invited to She-Hulk’s party. And of course she’s the life of the party, singing karaoke, and buddying up with Ms. Marvel. Gwenpool has absolutely nothing to do with the resolution of the alien bug things and She-Hulk's landlord.

I don’t get Gwenpool. My dislike of her isn’t due to any perceived sexism or hyper-sexualization of the character. There isn’t really any of that outside of the fact that her entire costume is a onesie and some soccer shin guard. I expected a foul-mouthed morally ambiguous assassin like Deadpool, but with a female twist. The twist seems to be that Gwenpool is a twee teen, a manic-pixie-dream-girl who is capable of violence but isn’t fully developed enough as a character to make these two extremes mesh into a believable anti-hero. It’s clear she’s supposed to be Harley Quinn-esque as well, but Marvel seems unwilling to push her any farther than a 'quirky chick who kills.' That is evidenced on the cover where she’s holding a sprig of mistletoe over her head and a large sword behind her back.

Please love me. . .

Gwenpool apparently fills a void that doesn’t exist in the Marvel universe (much to Ladypool's lament) and is a crass attempt to capitalize on the popularity of two secondary Marvel characters, Spider-Gwen and Deadpool.

I really enjoy the posts from you two. Please keep them coming!

I really enjoy the posts from you two. Please keep them coming!

Hey thanks for the kind words, Vorpal. I will be sure to lean on the lady over Christmas break to queue up a few postings! I too appreciate that she writes.

She is a good foil to my own ramblings.