"Coming Out of the Basement"

It's something every comic book fan has to do at some point, explain to new friends that you read and enjoy comics.

I've done so lots of times, and had to go through that once again today. A few weeks back the crew I worked on dissolved and I was put on another crew where I knew no one else.

I've made new friends though, one especially I am especially pleased by because she loves the Buffy: The Vampire Slayer and Angel TV shows as much as I do. Something I was enthused by, because I didn't know anyone else from my area that appreciated those shows.

Today I brought some of the comics I've gotten recently, to read on my breaks and she noticed and asked about them.

Now I'll say up front that I've never been ashamed of buying comics. If I was I wouldn't bring them to work to read. Plus for the most part, I think I buy comics that are of fairly good quality, so it isn't the comics themselves that causes the problem at times.

It can be the reaction that can come from the other person that can perturb me a bit. In the past I've gotten condescension, bewilderment and even pity. Which always cheeses me off quite a bit, because these folks who think nothing of spending $100 a weekend on beer or $300 on some stupid gun. Think my buying comics is something wrong for someone my age, but I usually just say F--- 'em about it anyway.

Still I was a bit wary, as I really like this new friend so far, and with her being my main connection at work I didn't want to lose that.

I was pleased this time though, as my new friend seemed to be actually interested in them. Asking questions about some of them, expressing surprise when I told her writers like Joss Whedon and the like were writing for them. Genuinely showing an interest in the books, rather than the previous best case, shrugging acceptance, I've mainly gotten in the past.

It was just so nice to meet someone who was genuinely open to learning about a field they knew nothing about. I'd never really realized just how much fun it is to be able to share my comic hobby with someone else. To talk about the things that really had me enthused, explain how something was done, and well just gab to someone about something that really interested me.

Especially given that before this to find fans who shared my particular comic interests, I had to go online. And even then there are only certain places and people who seem to like the particular things I do.

Which just made for a great day, and making me want to "come out of the comic book basement" more often.