The Fanboy Strikes Back

I went to the Smithsonian yesterday to hear Frank Miller, among others, talk about comics, specifically the graphic novel, which has become very vogue lately. Personally, I think it's weird that regular people are getting into comics, you know, the way that suddenly "underground" comics are cool. I think it's just a morbid fascination with us Homo-sapiens-fanboys (more commonly called by our sub-species fanboys) that causes critics in reputable magazines like Time to write about comics seriously and not as the medium of choice for youngsters and socially inept adults like me.

Actually I kid. While the comics world has its fair share of weirdos, the majority of its population is normal, socially-functioning people, like in Chasing Amy.

Anyway, you can't possibly imagine how excited I was to see Frank. I mean, come on! FrankfuckingMiller! YEAH! You see, Frank Miller is one of my heroes. I was so happy just thinking about hearing him talk. I was about to add him to my list of heroes I've seen in person, up there with Bob Dylan and Lou Reed. If you think I'm kind of overdoing it for a mere comics dude then you most certainly haven't read The Dark Knight Returns, and you should.

So I get there, and I see this leaflet:

"THE GRAPHIC NOVEL
Sunday, March 13, 2 p.m.
Meyer Auditorium

"We want you to be aware that because of a sudden illness Frank Miller is unable to join us today. We are pleased that the program is proceeding with Terry Nantier, Paul Pope and Calvin Reid..."

GRAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!! HULK SMASH!!!!!! NO FRANK??? NO FRANK!!! Frank! FRANK!! FRAAAANK!!!

But then I was there already. It took me a while to get there, and to have just gone home empty handed would've been even more unfulfilling. Besides, even though Frank wasn't there, I thought it might still be interesting. There were a number of very interesting parts but I have to admit I was yawning a lot. And just to add, Paul Pope's stuff looks good and I plan on checking it out in the near future. Terry Nantier is owns NBM Publishing, and they are the American publishers of a lot of really cool European stuff that I really like. Calvin Reid is a critic for Publisher's Weekly. Chatty fellow, that Reid.

I was a little pissed of that they hardly showed any pictures, though. Come on guys, we're talking about comics here. If we didn't want pictures, we'd read a real book.