I've never written, drawn, inked, colored or edited a comic book. I've read a ton of 'em though. And even reviewed a couple of them for a defunct website. I guess I can talk about my love of comics in this space.

My first real memory of a comic book is from the third grade. Secret Wars was going on and my teacher had confiscated a copy from one of the students in class. The end of the year we had a class auction complete with monopoly money. I won the copy of Secret Wars. I can't remember which issue. It's the one where the good guys were trapped under the mountain with The Thing(I think?...could be The Hulk) holding it up while Reed fiddles with Iron Man's suit to make big boom. It was a quality issue. I read it damn near fifty times. I didn't get any other copies of Secret Wars at that time. Just that one. I knew it forwards and backwards. I could tell you that Magneto made a hair brush for The Wasp(Rogue?...too many years)...all sorts of random crap.

Few years later I got back into comics. Since my first comic book love was Marvel and I had bought some of the Secret Wars action figures I stayed with Marvel. Classic X-Men had just started up and a friend of mine gave me two copies. It was easy for me to buy the missing issues and complete the run up to that point. I was in awe of the Claremont/Byrne/Cockrum stuff.

I started to branch out. Punisher, older Avengers(late 70s/early 80s), Dr. Strange, Thor, FF, Daredevil, West Coast Avengers, Captain America, Iron Man, Excalibur, Uncanny X-Men, and Spider-Man. Sense a trend? The only DC book I bought was Detective. I bought comics off and on for about three or four years.

Then came the dark times. The Image times. I left comics. I didn't like how there were fifteen different covers for each issue. I didn't like how there were new books all the time. I didn't like the new X-Men series. I REALLY didn't like the new Spider-Man series that McFarlane put out. Oy the McFarlane.

I tried to get back into comics every now and then. Once when I tried to get back in I saw this new Superman costume...He was like a lightning bolt. That kept me out for a few more years. Heroes Reborn kept me out for a few years as well.

Then there was a birthday a few years back. My wife bought me an autographed copy of Uncanny #275. She rues the day now. Because it was so lonely that I had to buy more books. And I discovered how good comics have become again. Especially the indy books that I had never given the chance.

After buying a lot of comics and discovering the wonderful world of comics on the internets, I became involved in the much raking world of comic "journalism." That lasted until the webmaster of the site pulled the plug and I decided that I wasn't going to host my own site. I wish I had made that decision prior to the purchase of hosting, but at least I only bought a years worth of hosting as opposed to the three years that was initially offered.

I did meet some really cool people in my brief time in the world o' comic "journalism", so I don't regret it too much. Just the stink that I have left on me from the mud slinging.

I guess I should list the comics I like so we can feel a special bond. I can also list the comics I don't like so we can feel a special hatred.

Like: Conan(old but I also like the new ones), Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina, Runaways, Avengers(70s and 80s lineup but I think Bendis is hitting his stride now...I'm looking forward to Cho's take on the team), Uncanny X-Men(especially Claremont/Byrne/Cockrum, but I am pleased greatly by Ed Brubaker), Captain America, Iron Man, Green Lantern, Dr. Strange, Green Arrow(Denny O'Neil, Neal Adams stuff...I think that's correct spelling), Preacher, Transmetropolitan, Boys, Midnighter, Killer, Daredevil(Frank Miller, Bendis and Brubaker), Batman in all his forms, Ultimates, Ultimate X-Men(early run), Watchmen...you get the idea.

What I don't like: Late comic books. For example: Event comic books that are months late and push back an entire line of books. Fill in artist perhaps? Then the comic book company is forced to come out with a line of bs about how artists can't be expected to make deadlines? C'mon...John Romita Jr. seems to make deadlines. On two books even. Give him every event comic. Or split them with Mark Bagley.

I'm also not a fan of giant company wide crossovers. Just keep them self contained. Like that'll happen.

Not a fan of variant covers but they don't really come into play with me so it's not like I'll eliminate them when I become ruler of the world.

Not enough all ages books. I was able to read just about every comic book on the stand when I was 10. I'd like to be able to give the kids at my work every book on the stand. I can't. I understand the average buyer is something like 28 with disposable income, but how about growing the industry? Not that I know how to do that. I'm just kvetching. Less sex and on panel violence. More solid writing.

There...those are my complaints for now. I'll wait for you to make me EIC of one of the big two.

Because I like comics.

Oh...and someone give Jordi Bernet more jobs. Same thing with Sergio Aragones.

So I like comics. A lot. 'nuff said.