Back in 2006, Marvel Comics began its Civil War story arc, the results of which would change the Marvel Universe forever. Well, maybe not forever, but at least until Marvel decides to write a different story arc that would change it back or change it in a completely different way…forever. That is until they decide…well, you get the picture.
The point is that the Civil War was an awesome story that impacted every important marvel character in one way or another. The events leading to, during, and after the Civil War left no character you care about untouched.
But in 2006, I still had kids wearing diapers (one of them, anyway) who couldn’t be left unattended in my home for too long, lest the contents of said diapers find its way onto my floor (and walls and bed and…sigh…it’s a long story I’d rather not think about right now). Thus, I had little time for reading comic books or most of the hobbies that I participate in now. Occasionally, I wrote, but with nowhere near the frequency required to even think of doing something like running a blog, especially not one of this caliber (too cocky?). I had no idea that this story line was happening.
Then, in the Spring of 2007, I began seeing trailers for the second Fantastic Four movie. I was so excited by the appearance of the Silver Surfer that I began talking more with my coworkers about comic books and how awesome they were. We discussed, at length, the origins of the Silver Surfer. I couldn’t remember all the details, but remembered he had sacrificed himself and become the herald of Gallactus in order to save his home planet. I also recalled his simultaneous disgust and pity for the humans of Earth. I was eager to fill in the gaps in my memory. This led to much Google and You Tube time and to my initial in depth exploration of the Marvel website.
While there, researching the Silver Surfer, I confirmed the Surfer was once known as Norrin Radd on his home planet of Zenn-La. As I regaled my coworkers gathered around the computer with these gloriously geeky tidbits of comic history, I felt reconnected with the Marvel Universe and decided to check in on current events. Upon doing so, I read something that nearly stopped my heart: Captain America had been assassinated.
GASP!
From this point on, I began backtracking. How could this have happened? Surely, I must find out all the details post haste. We must learn from this mistake so that nothing of the like ever happens again.
I immediately procured the Civil War series. I also got my hands on the Road to Civil War, Civil War: Front Line and the Civil War Companion. I even ordered a DVD on Amazon that allowed me to read every single comic pertaining to the Civil War, including each individual character’s Civil War related issues. But while this story had me on the edge of my seat, it left me wanting more. Where was the Hulk? What’s this House of M they keep mentioning?
And just like that, I was hooked again. I purchased Planet Hulk and found it to be one of the best comic collections (or graphic novels, whatever you want to call it) I’d ever read. I went back and discovered the events of House of M. I looked into how the Avengers had been disassembled and then reassembled into New Avengers. What I found myself doing seemed as much like research as it did reading. I suddenly understood the lab geeks I’d sneered at in college who took their research assistant jobs so seriously. I was consumed by the minutia of the story and wanted to know more just as they took joy in documenting every detail of each trial of the earthworm fecal matter experiment. Today, I subscribe to several Marvel comics, determined to never be surprised by a story event ever again.
The problem is, the enjoyment I’ve received from reinvestigating a hobby from my childhood has led me to reconnect with other interests. Now, not only has my interest in comic books been reignited, but so has my love of Lego and video games. Both of these have spread like a fungus across my life, consuming money and precious time as they grow.
Lego sets are purchased frequently (for my kids, yeah that’s it, my kids) and they haven’t become any cheaper since I was a child. I was dragged down into the murky depths of the Xbox when my brother purchased one for my wife and I (she played it once…honest).
And now I want to research what I missed in both of those genres. I played Splinter Cell: Conviction and liked it so much that I want to go back and purchase the original title from the series. With Halo: Reach now available, I want to do the same with that franchise. I desire knowledge of these games’ histories. This will consume more time than it will money thanks to Gamestop, but the Lego sets are a whole different issue.
Lego Star Wars currently has me by the short and curlies. Buying the current sets is expensive enough, but then I come to find out that I had completely missed the Lego Sandcrawler (item #10144) and all the included droids. To purchase it now would cost upwards of $200 on eBay.
As you can see, I’ve opened up a serious can of worms. In order to find the funding to pursue all of these interests, I’ve started looking for a second job. Anyone that knows of a well paying, part time gig which includes my ability to play Xbox and read comic books while there should contact me immediately via e-mail. I’m totally qualified.
Now I just need to sit back and let the offers come rolling in.
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