I was listening to the Comic Geek Speak podcast recently and one of the hosts mentioned something about collecting comics in the days before the internet, and how there seemed to be few surprises for comics readers these days. He had a good point. Between solicitations in Previews and information from the various comic book news sites such as Newsarama and Comic Book Resources (my two personal favorite stops for comic news) it is pretty hard to not have key plot points or guest appearances spoiled months ahead of time.
It made me think back to those days gone by, myself. I started reading comic books in the 1970s. I got my comics mostly from two places: the grocery store or 7-11. My mom would go grocery shopping every Friday and, of course, I would tag along. She would give me $1.00 to buy comics which would net me 4 books in those days of a .25 cent cover price. I was getting 12 titles a month, which is a far cry more than I get now.
There was no internet. There was no Previews catalog. There were no comic book-related podcasts or websites. The only indication I had of what might be coming next in a given comic was the "Next Issue" blurb at the end of each issue. That was it. If there was a change in the creative team, you didn’t know it until you opened the next issue. That little blurb was your only hint at what was to come. And, it was great.
There was a sense of anticipation and excitement that I think is missing from today’s comic reading experience. Just like a trailer that shows too much from an upcoming film, I think we (we being the online comic news site reading fans) find out too much, too soon, about upcoming storylines. Part of me loves that, but a growing part of me is starting to strongly dislike that.
Back in the 1980s there was an awesome comics publication called Amazing Heroes. It was published by Fantagraphics Press. It featured interviews and news about comics, creators and the industry. It was fantastic. The intereviews were lengthy and insightful. The news was interesting and relevant. Man, it put Wizard to shame (even though Wizard debuted after AH ended). And, twice a year there were special Amazing Heroes Preview issues that gave some insights into upcoming storylines for all the major comic titles being published at the time.
It was like the perfect meal. Not too little. Not too much. Just enough to keep you informed, but still in the dark enough that there was room for surprises.
Amazing Heroes ceased publication in 1992. And, I still miss it.
I hate knowing too much of anything I am trying to enjoy as entertainment! That’s why I don’t go to those two excellent comic website you mentioned. And I remember those 7-11 days too, the newsstands and the first comic shop I ever went to — Grant’s on Hertel Ave in Buffalo, NY. You see, getting comics from the newsstands and 7-11 might mean missing an issue here and there for me. So I had missed an issue of the Avengers after Ultron took down the whole team at the mansion and I was really bummed about it. I usually took missed issues in stride, but not this time. I was probably 8 or 9 and my father took me to Grant’s, which was up the street from an OTB/Newsstand combo my dad & I frequented. How we found it, I don’t know, but we went in, I told the owner which issue I was missing and he took me into the back where there were boxes and boxes of comics. He dug in and pulled out that missing issue of The Avengers! On that day, I discovered the wonderful world of back issues (another lost comic tradition, with TPBs and illegal internet copies). I got off on a tangent there, but those were the fun days, walking into the store or shop, seeing the latest issue of Spider-Man, Batman, The Avengers, The Flash and knowing that was the next issue only because you saw that cover as a blurb on the last page of the previous comic… before the letter column! And for 25-35 cents a book too!
i prefer not knowing what is going on in the story ahead of time for like the surprise and twists. unless its a storyline i do not have any interest in. then if amazing heroes still existed would have proably looked through the issue thus making it so i would not have to pick up that issue that time.
I remember buying comics at a local store newsstand back in 1974-1975. I stopped buying comics and did not start collecting them again until 1984. I also remember AMAZING HEROES. I bought issues as they came out and some if they had a feature on an artist or character that I liked. The PREVIEW issues of AMAZING HEROES were a must buy for me as were the AMAZING HEROES Annual Swimsuit Issues which had great and often humorous drawings of Superheroes in swimwear by many of the favorite comic books artists.
Ah but who remembers the COMIC READER? A smaller magazine with blurbs about upcoming books, and a few interviews or articles about a comic series. It started Black and White, but eventually added color covers and a page or tow of color interiors I believe. I still have my collection of these and Amazing Heroes. Andy Mangels was the source back then for all things movie related on comics.
I DO!
Man, I miss AH as well. Each time a pick up an issue of Wizard It makes me miss it more…