Well today the web lit up with the news that long time geek magazine, Wizard, was closing publication immediately. Some website state that sister magazine, Toyfare, will still be around while other rumors swirl that Toyfare will suffer the same fate as Wizard. Personally, I took this as pretty damn depressing news since I've been reading both publications since the fourth grade, but I'm also surprised that Wizard has lasted as long as it has seeing how the ever growing internet had definitely weakened the magazine, seeing how we all have plenty of websites to go to for our toy and comic news.
I think it's safe to say that I wouldn't be the fan that I am today without Wizard Magazine. As a kid, I had a small interest in comics but really lived for action figures and had built up a pretty massive collection of any superhero toy I could find. Then one day my dad brought home an issue of Toyfare, figuring an action figure fanatic like me would like it. I haven't missed an issue since.
Soon I found out that Toyfare had an sister mag called Wizard, and I soon picked up an issue of that. As a kid, Wizard didn't interest me as much because it didn't have the sweet toys like Toyfare, but as I got older and my interest in toys faded, I started liking Wizard more and more.
I had a few comic books but didn't even begin to know how to collect them, which ones to read, what monthly series were the best, etc. Wizard gave me a great jumping off point by introducing me to creators like Frank Miller, Jeph Loeb, Chris Claremont, etc. If Wizard praised a certain graphic novel or storyline I would immediately run out and read it. In no time I had built up a massive store of geek knowledge, I became a sort of go to guy for my friends if they needed any geek knowledge. I could always count on Wizard to recommend what series to check out and for the latest news on my real love: comic book movies.
I ended up graduating high school and went off to college and sadly didn't have the time or money to keep with with comics, so Wizard became my life line into what was happening in DC or Marvel. It kept me a fan during a very busy and hectic four years and I could always depend on it for a good scoop or a good laugh. Now as I look back, I can see how much Wizard evolved, from a publication dedicated to strictly comics to a magazine dedicated to all facets of geek culture. In whatever form, I always looked forward to picking it up every month to see what was happening in the world of comics
But as Captain Kirk said in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan,"But it should be noted that this death takes place in the shadow of new life".
All is not lost as Wizard will continue as a online publication, and as we all know, death in comic books never lasts. Perhaps one day, we will see Wizard make a surprise comeback on comic book shelves everywhere.