I discovered an passion for comics late in life. Well, late compared to most.

Sure, like most, I’d read and loved Calvin and Hobbes, Far Side, and Peanuts as a kid. I’d also read most of the others, like Hagar the Horrible, Beetle Baily, and Bloom County.

I often forget that I did a very awful comic in my High School’s newspaper called “Hype”. It was about a metal head who hated hippies and hung out with a giant bunny. Basically the metal head was an idealized version of myself, complete with long, spiky hair, big wrap-around sunglasses, and a matching bad attitude. It was pretty messed up, but then, so was I. By then I was hip deep in playing bass guitar in all manner of bands, which occupied most of my creative time for the next 10 years.

When I was going to college in Portland, OR, I discovered Life is Hell, and loved it’s bold iconoclasm. Comic strips could be cool.

Shannon Potratz reintroduced me to comic books in the early 90’s, after a long hiatus since childhood. I’d read a few, but I never considered myself “into” comics. I had D&D to contend with.

I digress.

Shannon turned me onto Mike Mignola just before he launched Hellboy, and it turned my head around. I’d never seen anything so cinematic and graphic; Mike kicked my ass, and continues to do so everytime I reread one of his books. Mignola lead to Miller, Geof Darrow, and other comics of semi-superhero status or less.

Chris Ware was discovered not long after this, and his work continues to capture my imagination. The draftsmanship, somber storytelling, and fabulous color and design make the Acme Novelty Library some of my favorite books of alltime. I get drawn in about every time I pick one up.

Today, I read comics haphazardly. I don’t hit the comic store weekly or anything like that, but I do always have comics around to read. Indie folks are always handing me their comics, and I read most of them. Sometimes I trade with folks that I like or admire, and yes, I do got to the store from time to time and pick up graphic novels. I’m into stories, not soap operas, so collections are what I like the most.

Some of my favorite webcomics are WE THE ROBOTS, ScaryBear, HER, Kawaii Not, Kiskaloo, Kukuburi, the F Chords, PVP, and so on. I’m discovering new ones all of the time, since I’m behind everyone else. (I’ve been busy!)

It’s an exciting time for comics, even though traditional book sales are supposedly falling. There are far more independent books being produced today than any other time, and that’s besides the fact that there are tens of thousands of comics being made right now on the interwebs. Comic sales may be down, but there is a LOT of creativity and consumption going on out there.

It’s not dead.

It’s a crazy time, but I’m really glad to see comics shared with someone other than gigantic publishers.

I can’t wait to join the noise with my little comic wreck.

- Daniel