People who are into comics are usually familiar with the many misconceptions about them. For instance, ever heard that ? It’s such a prevalent stereotype that many are surprised to find out it’s far from true.
Many of the are anything but geeks, and they want you to avoid several other misconceptions about comic books.
Comic Book Heroes Live Forever
Some new to the comic book world might wonder, “How can Superman look so young and trim forever?” The truth is for a comic to remain popular over the years, there need to be some adjustments to reality within the story.
Some comic book characters do pass away or retire eventually. However, comic book studios use a few techniques to continue the story. One popular method is to use an alternate reality or another universe to keep the main characters vibrant and fresh for many years.
For instance, in The Dark Knight Returns, the main character was indeed retired. However, while Bruce Wayne did retire, he came back for a night to defeat all of the villains in Gotham City.
You MUST Own Every Issue!
It sounds SO critical – any serious collector must own every last issue of a particular series, or you aren’t, ahem, a serious collector. Oh, cmon!
There is nothing wrong with having every issue in a series, of course. But not everyone has time to read every one. And having every edition doesn’t necessarily mean your collection will be worth any more in 30 years.
Spider-Man Shoots Webs From His Wrist
Many of us may remember seeing what we thought were in comics and movies.
But, comic enthusiasts note that a review of Spider-Man history reveals that his webs were always made from a homemade device that shoots them. Spider-Man uses this device and fills it with various fluids to produce all the webbing he needs.
Number #1 Issues Are Always Worth The Most
Many comic book shop owners recoil in horror when they hear people take a new issue and say it will be worth a lot because it’s a #1.
However, there are only two things that make a comic valuable. First, the comic may be worth big bucks eventually if the introduced character becomes hugely popular. Deadpool is the perfect example.
The second is when the book itself is simply rare. For example, many of the paper-copy comic books from the 1970s are worth a lot today because there are few. Most were tossed out or damaged, so they bring a hefty price.
So, the #1 in your hand that came out on Tuesday probably won’t be worth a lot in 20 years, sorry!
You Can’t Start Reading Comics – There’s Too Much History!
Superman has been around for decades in the comics, so how can you start reading now without being utterly lost? Don’t worry: Veteran comic readers say the problem isn’t as bad as you think.
It’s true you could be confused when you first read a comic because you don’t know the characters or plot. But it’s okay not to follow everything immediately. As you read subsequent issues, you’ll find that you will pick up more information and get into the swing of things.
Plus, there are ample resources at hand for novice comic readers to get their bearings. For example, DC and Marvel maintain wiki pages that offer a quick history of every character, their quirks and issues, and more.
Plus, remember that while there might be 50 years of history, not all of it was particularly interesting. You don’t need to know every in and out of the comic’s history to enjoy it today.
There are many other myths and misconceptions about comics, but these are the most pervasive and easy to debunk. Getting into comics is exciting, and there’s so much fun to be had, so give it a try!