FRANCO’s FREE-FOR-ALL FRIDAYS! By FRANCO It’s that time of year again! Time for my annual Christmas rant! Oh you didn’t know? Your ass better call somebody then! (Please don’t take offense — that’s a wrestling reference.) Also, how could you know, as this is the first Christmas rant I’m doing and also I didn’t tell anybody I was doing it. Also again, I’m not sure it’s an annual thing as I hope to maybe do one next year but then I might forget and do something else entirely. Anyway… Let’s keep things under wraps. Do you wrap presents? Do you keep your geek flag showing and wrap things in superhero wrapping or do you just use that boring paper with pictures of candy cane and stuff? Maybe make it even easier on yourself and just put your gift in a gift bag. But gosh they’re so expensive! Need a cheaper option? You can get a bunch of those brown bags from Kohl’s, or equivalent department store, and just write “Spider-Man” on it with a big giant Sharpie. (They even have colored ones now from what I hear.) Boom! You got yourself a Christmas gift bag! Cookies! Do you bake all kinds or should you just make snickerdoodles like you’re supposed to? Oh, want to complain? There’s a comment section, but it won’t do you any good, ‘cause it’s MY Christmas rant! But! If you’re the Christmas cookie kind, how about little Bat symbols with little Santa hats drawn on them with icing? And then you’ll have half-eaten cookies strewn all about the house for the next couple weeks and when Christmas finally arrives, your wife will say, “What happened to all the cookies I made?” ‘Tis that time of year, so get in the spirit! I leave you to ponder such things as how many open-mouth kisses will you get? Whose Christmas ham is better? (And I’m not necessarily talking about the food here). Which relative is going to say “Comic books? You still read those?” Or better yet, “Comic books? They still make those?” Remember, it’s all fun and games ‘til Santa checks the naughty list, but at least you still have a couple weeks to change all that. May your Christmas be as fat and jolly as Santa after eating too many cookies! Happy Friday! — Want...
FRANCO’s FREE-FOR-ALL FRIDAYS… By FRANCO As the holidays approach, I’m always reminded of the season and how hectic and harried it can be. One of the things I think about is the people in my life and what you should get them. If you’re the gift-giving kind, I’m sure you have the same thoughts about what to give who. But I also think about what you should do for yourself, so that when you find a few minutes, you can settle back and reclaim some time to do what you love to do. By now I’m sure you’ve guessed it — I’m going to suggest comics! It’s an easy choice and think about how easily accessible and cool they are. And the stories are endless! If you think about the stories themselves, think about the portal you have access to. You can go back and forth through time, space, even dimensions. And comics can do this more cheaply than a TV show or movie can! You can find all of these things crammed into a space the size of a comic-book store. (Yeah, I know you can get them online but there’s something special about a brick-and-mortar place you can walk into and get lost in the worlds. Not to mention the tactile feel of a book in your hands — always the best feeling!) Every kind of story you can imagine is there for you to discover. One of the best things I’ve found when you walk into any comic-book shop is to ask what stories or books they would recommend. (This even works for bookstores — and oh my gosh, LIBRARIES!!!! Librarians are the best with this!) The best shops will ask what YOU are interested in. What you might have read before and liked/disliked and be able to suggest something right up your alley. Heck, I’m part owner and I still do this in my shop, Aw Yeah Comics in Harrison, N.Y. In talking with Marc Hammond (our retail guru and partner) I’ve come away with some pretty amazing reads over the years. Anything that’s new and cool but also those things you might not have even heard about. This season is a great time to pick something up for a niece or nephew who might like comics or that brother-in-law who once noticed you read...
An APPRECIATION for the actor, who has died at 65. By FRANCO…
FRANCO’S FREE-FOR-ALL FRIDAYS!
