So ComicCon was going down this weekend in NYC, and it took me a second to understand why there were so many early halloweeners walking around. Zombies, mutants, and superheroes (notice the lady above in a full “Robin” getup) gallivanting proudly through the street, swinging goodie bags full of glossed paper treats of violence, sex, and superhuman-ness.

My initial reaction was as cliche as, well, ComicCon. These people are geeks. But then I thought about it for a second, and asked myself a few important questions.

1.) Who the hell do I think I am calling people geeks for loving and committing to something (harmless) despite popular opinion and reaction?

2.) When is the last time I had a GREAT time, in public, without always checking and double-checking my cool? Hmm. 15 years? That means I’m awfully self-conscious and might even be short-changing my life to some extent.

3.) As an author, if there’s one thing I know, it’s that the only “adult” genre that actually sells, is graphic novels. Comic books pretty much save the literary industry every year. (Surprise!)
Are my books selling? Well, yes. But not like comics! So really the only reason I even get a shot, is because of these “geeks.”

That being said, I realize that I might not be too into comic books, but there’s definitely something to be learned from the movement they’ve created. And it’s more than just “people love fantasy.” Perhaps it’s just that, sometimes, the “fantastic” parts of life are what makes it, not only livable, but…fun.