Since the rent is too damn high in Byrne X-Men-landia and I can t compete with deep-pocketed Byrne collectors like Rob Liefeld, I downshifted my interests. Thankfully, Byrne s catalog is full of awesomeness, so I was able to recently pick up my first JB original, a half-splash from
Alpha Flight #17. That will happily occupy a place in my collection. I m sure collectors who focus on comics or action figures have to make the same adjustments as certain realities of life come into play.
Credit: Ted Streshinsky/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images
I ve been thinking about this a lot since my recent trip to the SC Comic Con in Greenville, South Carolina. While I m mainly an art collector these days, because I clearly hate having money in my pockets, I still collect comics. I have a modest but well-curated collection of books, some of which are considered key comics, as well as books that hold great nostalgic appeal (like Treasury Comics!). Which is why I spent my time at the Greenville s
The SC Comicon that took place last weekend in Greenville, South Carolina was the first major in-person convention in the area since before the pandemic. When I heard the show was happening, and having already been vaccinated, I flew up to Greenville to see it for myself. The largest con in the state, it s long had a great rep for being a talent-friendly show with a low-key vibe and is also known as a con where you can score some hard-to-find comics.
Robert Young, the organizer of the show, knew the decision to resume the show after canceling it in 2020 would very likely open him up to criticism, and he understood why. Even though vaccinations are rolling out at a rapid clip and more than half of American adults have gotten at least one vaccine shot, there is concern that vaccine hesitancy combined with pandemic fatigue could pose dangers in certain communities. Young knew that, but he also was aware that statistics showed the number of COVID cases in the Greenville area had been
Trial begins for man accused In 2017 Cathedral City bar shooting
City News Service
A reputed gang member fired eight gunshots inside a Cathedral City bar nearly four years ago, severely injuring a man whom he and his friends viewed as an “outsider,” a prosecutor told jurors on Monday, while a defense attorney denied the gang connection but admitted his client opened fire that night, striking the victim accidentally.
Thomas Zaragoza, 39, of Desert Hot Springs is charged with one count each of attempted murder, assault with a gun, assault on a person causing great bodily injury and criminal street gang activity. He also faces several gun- and gang-related sentence-enhancing allegations. He faces a maximum life sentence if convicted as charged.
City News Service
Opening statements are set for Monday for the trial of a reputed gang member accused in a 2017 shooting at a Cathedral City bar that left a man severely injured.
Thomas Zaragoza, 39, of Desert Hot Springs, is accused of opening fire on Mike Avila after an argument that erupted at what was The Block Sports Bar & Grill at Ramon Road and Date Palm Drive on July 26, 2017. The business is now known as Henry s Sports Bar & Grill.
Zaragoza is charged with one count each of attempted murder, assault with a gun, assault on a person causing great bodily injury and criminal street gang activity. He also faces several gun- and gang-related sentence-enhancing allegations. He faces a maximum life sentence if convicted as charged.
I swear this isn t a column pining for the good old days of 40-cent comics and spinner racks. Really, it s not.
I won t lie, though: I sure do miss the time when a buck got you two comics and change. But I get how inflation works and how rising paper costs can t be ignored. I m also quite aware that the higher cover prices of today s market have led to creators being able to make a decent living while entertaining us. That benefits the fans, who get to enjoy the great stories that spring from their imaginations.
However, there does come a point where comic books can simply become too expensive for many fans, forcing readers to drop titles not because they don t like reading them, but because they simply can t afford to anymore.