I’ve often said that I don’t really read many superhero comics these days. I still BUY a lot of spandex adventures… but it’s mostly to admire the work of whichever artist I happen to admire that might be drawing that title. For my reading enjoyment, I mostly stick to alternative and small press books these days… books that sort of break the mold of what’s happening in the ‘mainstream’ these days. However, it’s not like I don’t WANT to read superhero comics. I’m so much older than I was when I first started buying and amazing at the adventures of those colorfully clad heroes I loved so much in my childhood. I still love the superhero genre, though. They might be labeled as Adolescent Power Fantasies… but it’s the drama and struggle– both outer AND inner– that the characters go through… the journey of self… that’s attractive to me. That, and good design. I love well designed costumes and characters… both visually and substantive. That’s what was so attractive to me about the UNCANNY X-MEN comic when I saw my first issue — issue #104– on that news stand rack back when I was 11 years old. That’s what made me grab it up like a starving man with a turkey leg and keep coming back month after month for so very many years afterward, as well as made me go back and buy the beginning of this new incarnation of the characters with GIANT SIZED X-MEN #1 and UNCANNY X-MEN #94. The book was my absolute favorite through all its various permutations over the years and decades…. the changes of costume and personality for the many characters. That fascination lasted up until probably 10 years ago or so. I don’t know what the dividing line– the demarkation– of when my interest began to wane. I’m also unclear as to what the reason was for that change in interest– but I suspect it was the fact that the X-MEN franchise got too huge… too cumbersome in scope and cast. There’s something comforting, I think, for the comic book fan, in knowing that their favorite characters might be put through the wringer and face challenges that might leave indelible marks on them… but at the end of the day, they will remain those same basic fictional ‘folks’ they have come to enjoy so much. I think that the X-MEN characters became rather unrecognizable to me over the years and caused me to lose interest in a group of characters I used to enjoy so very much.

Anyone else have that same sort of experience with a once-favorite comic book?

Michael Ransom Getty recently contacted me on DRAWINGBOARD.ORG to ask if I’d like a scan of a THING sketch I did for him at last year’s MEGACON in Orlando, Florida. Of course, I said ‘YES’– because I like to share them with you folks whenever I can get the opportunity to do so. And so… here you go. Great thanks to Michael for offering this scan– it’s much appreciated.

OK… another week down. Have a great weekend, all.

This is Entry 328.

Mike