comics?

Last year I was crazy into comic books. It was part of my weekly routine. I picked up probably at least three books a week. Now I don't think I've been in a comic book shop since this fall.
There are outside reasons for this, like the closure of my favorite store (Double Danger R.I.P.), being in college, having less money and time, but most importantly the things I cared about disappeared.

This mostly has to do with DC comics and the New 52. (I have mail subscriptions for the Marvel titles I love, and am actually happier reading creator owned comics in trade.) Before September I had been reading Birds of Prey, Secret Six, and Batman Inc. New 52 happened and those books stopped, or changed dramatically. A lot of the New 52 titles look really great, especially Batwoman, but I never got in the habit of picking them up. I didn't feel like reinvesting in a universe that was liable to suddenly reinvent itself.

Here is what this comic reader is looking for: consistency. I want to see characters behaving in ways that make sense for them. I want the to develop and grow. I love how comics are long-long-long form serialzed storytelling, but this doesn't matter if the world gets restarted every few years. I don't care if characters get old. I would rather see them deal with their past than have events I care about get erased.

There are other reasons to be annoyed about comics, especially the representation or lack of women, people of color, and queer people, but that isn't why I stopped reading comics. If anything wanting to support good representations is part of what got me following certain comics to begin with. I get invested in characters, but then when they: disappear, get retooled, get ignored, forgotten, dismissed, etc, I have to step back, and keep my money in my pocket.

Comic companies need to realize that getting new readers isn't there only concern, and stop being dicks so they keep people who are already fans.

Absolute Justice

So, last night I watched Smallville, which I never do, because it featured the JSA, and was written by Geoff Johns. (Is his last name supposed to be pronounced frenchly? M thinks so. I dunno. I still read it G-off Jones, so...fail.)
It was pretty entertaining. I had seen the first season, and basicly nothing else. I do not like Superman, and this version is no exception. Their Green Arrow is pretty awesome, but I'm a fan of Ollie to begin with, so... He's got the part of the charming idiot down. And Chloe as watchtower is cool! I always just thought she was a giant Mary Sue, but maybe not.
The JSA story line was pretty cool. We only meet a few members, but they're mostly well done.
I missed the first few minutes (stupid tv), and was really confused because there was a guy with a cosmic rod, and a ordinary person jacket, and there would be no way they'd include Jack Knight. Argh, comics and tv do not match!
Hawkman was cool. Doctor Fate was not. Really not. That show has some pretty terrible special affects. Fate's helemet was superlame.
The villain of the week was a fairly stupid, but pleasingly sparkly ice guy. The ongoing threat of Checkmate and Amanda Waller was neat.
So, it was an enjoyable evening, but I'm not going to start watching this regularly. If there's a Green Arrow spin off I'd be interested. (If there's a Green Arrow anything I'd be interested.)