Confessions of a Comic Nerd

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Confessions of a Comic Nerd

09/30/2010 1:26pm

Dark Horse's Aaron Colter has a dark, dark secret - he's a comic book nerd! Read his harrowing story and find out what all those crazy black & white photos are all about.

Brothers and sisters, I want to talk to you today about something very near and dear to my cold, black heart - comics. Yes, comics. I love them. And chances are, you love them too.

No doubt you've seen the black and white photos people from all over the world have been sending in, with the bright red text, 'I Love Comics!', sprawled across the front. The pictures act as an online photo album, showcasing the diversity of comic fans, and a way to share the common experience of loving something that, despite mainstream movies, is still a subculture in modern America.

I remember my first comic book, purchased at Bigg's Supermarket, Wolverine #71. In that issue, Wolverine literally climbs his way out of a volcano by sinking his claws into a flood of dinosaurs stampeding over the edge of the cliff, including a T. Rex that chomps down on his mid-section. It. Was. So. Bad. Ass.

I was hooked. And ever since then, I became the kid hanging out at Mile High Comics, reading all hyper-violent stuff I could find: Lobo, Sin City, Bloodshot, AvP. Growing up to be one of the loner, high school nerds, sneaking behind a strip mall shop in the 'burbs of Indiana to burn stolen booster seats from Burger King and smoke cigarettes in between readings of Preacher and Spy Boy. Then graduating up to college, where I got to manage a small store, dealing with Diamond orders, pullboxes, and wondering when the hell giant crossovers would curl up and die because, holy crap, if my customers have to buy four issues of Spiderman, X-Men, the Avengers, and a spin-off series just to get caught up on a story - something is going to crack.

And finally, landing a dream job in Portland, OR at a publisher I respected so damn much that I thought I'd rip clean out of my skin when I found out I'd be getting free Goon comics.

Almost every person here at Dark Horse has a similar story. If we weren't working here, you can bet your ass we'd be in line with you every Wednesday, eagerly awaiting the next issue of B.P.R.D..

The idea of the WLC2 (We Love Comics Too) campaign started over a year ago when Mike Richardson came up with a statement he believed reflected our company and our relationship with our readers. "We love comics. You love comics, too."

That simple sentence encapsulated why we work in the industry, and why the industry continues to exist. No one here at Dark Horse works simply for the paycheck, believe you me. If your goal is to make large sums of cash, and to leave your work at the office, only thinking about your job from 9 to 5, then baby - this ain't your game.

Likewise, our readers, by and large, aren't fair-weather fans who pick up a comic here and there; their purchases aren't something born out of boredom while standing at the check-out-line with an extra couple bucks, only occasionally reading the traditional Cape & Tights story between another task. No, our comics readers are passionate, dedicated individuals. They flock to stores built specifically for catering and nurturing a very specific medium. They read plots that span eight years, carefully categorizing each character's actions at such-and-such date and such-and-such time.

We're into comics for the same reason you're into comics, because we love them. And as we approach the 25th Anniversary of Dark Horse Comics, we want to maintain our connection to fans. Emerging online tools have made the process infinitely easier. Through Facebook and Twitter we can foster discussions about changes in the industry at large, and focus on listening to what you want, what you hope to see from us in the future.

Know that we're listening, as best we can. If you're excited about something, let us know. If you're upset about something, let us know then as well. As a reader, you keep us in business. Comics are a cycle that shouldn't be broken. We create based on quality standards, based on what we know you'll want to purchase, and your purchases give us the stability to continue to create.

The $1,000 prize was also Mike Richarson's idea. After a rather tumultuous economic year, he wanted to give a lucky fan something they could use - money. It's been tough out there, for us as well. But because of sales, we've been able to stay in business and avoid massive lay-offs. We're growing our business and our reach. We know this isn't the finish-line, it's just another landmark along the way.

So, thank you. Thank you for loving comics as much as we do. We wouldn't be here without you.

If you haven't already, vote now in our We Love Comics, Too Contest. And keep an eye out in 2011 for all the great projects we'll continue to bring to your local comic shop, each and every week.

Aaron Colter is the social media dude at Dark Horse Comics. He loves talking to fans on the Internet about all things pop-culture; so be a nice person and say hi on Twitter or Facebook. It'd be super if you did. He doesn't have many real friends.

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Confessions of a Comic Nerd

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