So it's Wednesday and I'm on my way (8-9 minute drive) to my local comic shop. I know what's in my stack because I checked this week's listing Monday.
The red traffic lights delay my arrival , and just adds to my general aggravation from another day's work. I notice about 20 yards ahead this idiot who is about to cross over three lanes from a gas station to my right and cut off everybody heading north bound, almost causing an accident.
"What a surprise-!" , I shout sarcastically at my windshield, "It's just never ends."
That's the world for ya- the real world, but in about 2 minutes I'll be able to leave that ALL behind!
I ease into the parking lot and find a close spot- WIN!
Getting out of my car, I walk towards the strip mall's center store with the large, bright yellow letter's reading: COMICS.
Poster's of CB heroes are taped to the large store windows- a familiar site- as I reach out to grab the glass double doors and enter. The clerk , whom I've known for years, gives me a big "Hello, what's up!", and I immediately feel welcome. Other customer's look over at me , so I give em' the old upward head toss as the clerk digs into the alphabetically ordered file for my subscription stack. After handing me my stack , I head for 'The Wall', where all the new comics are displayed (always got to check to see if there's something cool I didn't order)
As I make my way up, I walk past life size replica's of Gollum, Yoda and Spider-man which seem to almost greet me as a regular- one of "the guys".
Looking up at the second floor balcony , I see it is occupied by the X-men, Fantastic Four, Star Wars character's and many other iconic figures interesting to fanboy's - all in card board stand-up forms.
Shelves loaded with toys , Japanese candy and strange novelty items you'd only see in a place like this are for sale on neatly arranged fixtures. "Maybe I'll finally buy that 'Godzilla' statue", I think to myself as I pass.
Arriving at "The Wall" , I slowly check all the new releases and flip though a few of them. Next to me is a regular , so we start talking about Johnny Storm's return and how cool it was, and how the new 52 'Batman' isn't bad...but could be better.
"Oh crap", I whisper to myself, "look at the size of those boobs on the 'Lady Death' cover". I discreetly page though to see a little more.
By now, I'm gone. Yes gone into a fanboy oasis where the stupid, irritating real world has disappeared! I've totally forgotten about the 'A-hole' who cut me off, my annoying co-worker's and the responsibilities of life.
It's just me and 'Conan', 'Red Sonja', 'Fantomex' and 'Terry McGuiness'.
Me and my stupid , little escape from all the non-sense of daily life.
For some, it may be a pain in the a** wife, or a 'wanker' boss ( for you Brits) that you have to put up with. Maybe it's the pressure of paying bills and keeping ahead of debt. It's possible there are those who have a physical condition where visiting the local comic shop helps you forget about it for a while.
It's escapism into a fake world that has paradoxically taken a corporeal form: comics, CBM's, TV shows, DVD's and RPG board games, video games as well as on-line MMORPG's. The fanboy's fantasy world becomes 'real' in these various forms and are all represented in one form or another here.
Although activities involving these genre's of entertainment are generally enjoyed OUTSIDE of the comic shop, the local comic shop is the 'church', where refuge is assured non- the -less.
Ah well, it's time to pay for my stack. I'm starting to feel the spell wearing off as I approach the check-out counter festooned with board game pieces, rare DVD's, anime stuff and other ridiculous things from all over the world.
There's a group of guy's around the counter talking about how 'un-sexy' Hathaway is as 'Catwoman'...but I can't join in the conversation today because rush hour's in a half hour from now- need to get going...back into the real world.