I needed to get an X-Ray of my hand so I called the doctor’s office and asked for an X-Ray form because, frankly, I don’t have the co-pay and I know where this is going. I got a call back and was told I needed to come into the office and see the PA. I show up at my scheduled time and I’m told there’s a delay due to a number of “emergencies” throughout the day. One co-pay and two hours later I got my two minutes. I mean that. Just two minutes. I was asked why in the world I would try to get an appointment the day after a holiday and I told them I didn’t call for an appointment. I just wanted the form for an X-Ray, which they gave me. I also got another appointment to discuss the results. She also told me my blood pressure’s high. Of course it is. I just spent half of all of the money I have in the world so I could sit in your waiting room for two hours and I still have to go get my X-Ray.
Somebody tried to explain to me that it’s a legal thing that a doctor can’t provide for me without seeing me. All I know is checking in and paying the co-pay involves the insurance; the doctor can now charge the insurance for one more office visit today. I pay for insurance because I’m a father of young kids. I don’t necessarily think I’m old but I’m not a younger man who may not need the coverage. Insurance in America is a For Profit institution and I think it’s reprehensible that law says we have to give our money to someone else’s profit. That’s a whole different rant that will just set me off in ways you don’t care to see.
I sure felt like I wasted that money today and it made me think that as expensive as comics are becoming, as tight as the budget is becoming, it sucks to read something that makes me feel like I’ve wasted my money. That’s essentially the purpose of this column. I was never asked to share my thoughts, of course I haven’t been asked to ‘shut up’, either, I was asked to quickly go over the list of books that are shipping any particular week and give attention to the items that deserved it. I’ve worked on all kinds of lists from strictly non mainstream, to stuff I wouldn’t read if you gave it to me for free, to strictly multiply printed books, to my own favorites. In most cases, it’s my opinion. At some point though, my opinion shares the floor with ‘majority rules’ as some series I highlight are the popular series, even if like Walking Dead, I personally have no use for them. Fables doesn’t sell as well as I think it should but of everyone who’s read that I’ve talked to, I’ve never heard a single complaint. When new readers ask if it’s worth checking out and I say “Yes”, I’ve never heard anything other than “Thank you. That was great!” or “Can I still get the rest of them?” I love Quantum and Woody but that also is tied as my very best seller with Justice League, and I’m not talking about ordering to stock shelves for customers, I’m talking about pre ordered, out-the-door-sales. My Valiant dollars are a percentage of Marvel and DC’s, but if you were to pare down the Big Two to their six bestselling books, we’re now talking about a neck and neck race. Justice League used to be my second best book behind Amazing Spider-man. Thanks to Superior, I now sell only ten percent of what I used to. Some of those fans left comics and some found other books to spend their money on.
The problem is that the disposable dollar isn’t what it used to be and it’s continuing to get harder and harder. So I do wonder what will happen when Peter eventually comes back. At the end of the day though, these are all still just my opinion and I’m going to also continue to work hard to try to see that you don’t waste your money the way I did this afternoon. I didn’t even write about the 3D Motion covers that start shipping this week and that deserves its own whole dialogue. This week I think you might feel OK spending your hard earned money on Star Wars #1 (of 8), $3.99, written by J. W.Rinzler and art by Mike Mayhew. This is the authorized adaptation of George Lucas’ original screenplay featuring Annikin Starkiller published by Dark Horse Comics. I’m keeping my thoughts on the idea that this had to be redrafted a number of times before it became the story that we’re all so familiar with and I’m very excited to read it for just that reason. Me personally, though, I’ll be waiting for the sure to be released hardcover treatment to read it all in one sitting at my leisure…
The 3D Motion covers from DC Comics are coming! First out of the gate (simply for alphabetical reasons) is Action Comics 23.1 Cyborg Superman, $3.99, by Michael Alan Nelson and Mike Hawthorne. Here’s the story of the Cyborg Superman in the New 52. For those who just want to read the story and don’t care about the very cool looking cover gimmicks there are also standard art editions available at the same time for $2.99 each. DC’s really got to be loving that their entire month’s run was sold out before it ever shipped…
The complete list of 3D Motion covers this week is; Batman #23.1 Joker, $3.99, Batman and Robin #23.1 Two Face, $3.99, Batman The Dark Knight #23.1 Ventriloquist, $3.99, Detective Comics #23.1 Poison Ivy, $3.99, Earth 2 #15.1 Desaad, $3.99, Flash 23.1 Grodd, $3.99, Forever Evil #1, $3.99 (limited to one per store), Green Arrow #23.1 Count Vertigo, $3.99, Green Lantern #23.1 Relic, $3.99, Justice League 23.1 Darkseid, $3.99, Justice League Dark #23.1 Creeper, $3.99, Justice League of America #7.1 Deadshot, $3.99, Superman #23.1 Bizarro, $3.99, and if you can find any of those on the stands… Good for you! They’re already on ebay for about $10.00 each…
Green Lantern hardcover Rise of the Third Army, $29.99, is a book I’ve been looking forward to for a long while now. That’s all on me because I don’t read the monthly books here even though I thoroughly enjoy what Geoff Johns has been doing with them. This collects Green Lantern #13 - 16, Green Lantern Corps #13 - 16, Green Lantern Corps Annual #1, Red Lanterns #13 - 16, and Green Lantern New Guardians #13-16 and tells the epic tale by all in one fabulous printing…
Marvel Comics answer is the Age of Ultron hardcover, $75.00, with no credits. This collects Age of Ultron #1 - 10 and #10AI, Avengers Assemble #14AU - 15AU, Fantastic Four (2012) #5AU, Fearless Defenders #4AU, Superior Spider-man #6AU, Ultron #1AU, Uncanny Avengers #8AU, and Wolverine & the X-Men #27AU. I probably won’t even care about some of those stories and I’m sure I’ll get my blood pressure up when I see the $25 dollar version of just AoU #1 – 10, but it’s nice to see all of the story in one collection…
Quantum and Woody #3, $3.99, by James Asmus and Tom Fowler doesn’t sport a 3D Motion cover but the good thing about this Valiant Entertainment book is that when you decide to give it a try and find out that it is that good there’s only two back issues you need to go find…
Shadowman #10, $3.99, by Justin Jordan, Diego Bernard, and Roberto De La Torre continues the origin of all of the Shadomen, past, present, and future from Shadowman #0…
And there are plenty more that are not listed. For a more complete list, feel free to visit your local comic store or favorite site. If you’re interested in more of what I think, follow me on Twitter at Mycomicstore001 or like my Facebook page.
Michael R. Murray is a full time Letter Carrier for the United States Postal Service who is not as pissy as his wife will be when she sees the freaking bill for the 3D Motion covers he bought on ebay while writing this damn column!