Thankful

Last year for Thanksgiving I threw up a list of comics-related stuff I was thankful for. That's a fine and fun sort of exercise, but I wanted to do something a little more focused for the holiday this year, yet at the same time a bit broader. Instead of talking about one or even several specific things in the world of comicbooks that fill me with gratitude, I'd like to express my thankfulness for comicbooks in general.

Because even after all this time, and in spite of all the negatives in the industry and all the shitty titles out there and the million other reasons to be discouraged, I still find myself as enchanted with this medium as ever. Maybe more than ever, if only for the very fact that comics maintain their shimmer and appeal in the face of all the nonsense.

Right now, the number of titles that excite and challenge me is a little stunning. And there's some awesome-looking stuff on the horizon, too. In addition to putting out a few of the best superhero comics currently on the shelves, Marvel has made some extra-enticing announcements lately, from Ms. Marvel to Silver Surfer and everything in between. Image continues to be the jam (especially when it comes to sci-fi), the reborn Valiant has proven itself a reliable source of good material, and Dark Horse and BOOM! each produced one of the single best series of 2013 (Dream Thief and Six-Gun Gorilla, respectively). My point is, there's awesome coming from all sides, with even the mostly disappointing DC making several solid contributions from their Vertigo imprint and out-of-continuity Batman books. Things are good, and they seem to be getting better.

And I'm thankful for that. As someone who spends so much time and energy thinking and writing about comicbooks, I'm endlessly grateful for the vast variety of grade-A titles available these days.

When they're at their best, comics are gorgeous art packaged with interesting stories, so that the words and pictures can be revisited repeatedly, together or individually, without running out of new things to offer. I'm seeing a lot of that lately, issues and entire runs that I'm eager to dive into a second time, or third or fourth or whatever it is. It's almost overwhelming, because new great shit comes out constantly, but the old great shit stays great forever, and begs to be reread, newly appreciated, explored and understood more deeply. Having too much to read is the best kind of problem, though. So thank you, comicbooks, for overfilling my life with quality.

Let's eat.