Cheryl Lynn isn't quite sure who she is, but she's pretty sure of what she wants to be. A warrior woman. A bad-ass mamajama. Perhaps an earth goddess extraordinaire. She spends her days abusing keyboards and screaming at computer screens while she waits for her cult following to finally show up.

She changes her mind more often than extras in rap videos change thongs.

Remember: save to your own server, sweets!

Reading SELF Magazine.

Writing To-Do lists.

Hearing Thunder.

Watching General Hospital.

Building Nothing.

Eating Vitamins.

Drinking Iced Tea.

Buying Comic books.

Thinking "It is HOT!"

Playing Episodes from Liberty City.

Adoring Cold water.

Saying Very little.

Abhorring Bigotry.

Feeling Calm.

Hoping To get in gear.

Circles.

Lisa is truth.

Also, Laura is truth.

I stopped reading superhero comics from Marvel and DC a couple of Secret Invasions ago. I stopped buying superhero comics from Marvel and DC a couple of Secret Invasions before that. Do I miss them? Nope. Yes, Morrison's Batman does look interesting. Still, there's no way I'm plunking down twenty bucks for back issues. I paid $3.05 a gallon for gas today! And I really don't have the patience for torrents. I have to sit and download six full weeks of comics for six Batman issues? Yeeeeah, I'm not doing that.

So, I don't buy the books. And I don't download the books. And I don't read the books. And I don't miss the books.

But I'd be lying to you if I said that I didn't miss the fanboy rituals. Because I've missed them. Deeply. It's difficult to drop something that your friends are still a part of.

"Yo, you read Iron Fist?"

"Nah."

"Hold on. Okay, check your mail."

"I dropped the book, kid."

"Seriously?"

"Yup."

"Don't you think you're overreacting a little?"

"¬ _ ¬"

And that's pretty much how all of my conversations went. Until my boys stopped asking me about comics. And I stopped getting Sharebee links in the mail. And man, did that hurt.

I didn't miss reading superhero comics from Marvel and DC, but I damn sure missed talking about them. I missed being an armchair editor. I missed speculating with friends about various plots. I missed watching friends cringe as I threatened them with spoilers. I missed arguments about which character is the better fighter.

But all of that simply wasn't enough to make me want to read the books again.

I wish I could say that I've matured in the same way that Laura has. I wish I could say that I have outgrown these books. Yeah, right! We all know that's not true. I'm as immature as I ever was, baby. Kicks to the face? I'm all about it. Explosions? Yes, please. Beefcake and cheesecake? By all means! Alpha Male posturing? Oh, yeah. Tough chicks? Bring 'em to me.

But here's the problem for Marvel and DC. I've realized that Marvel and DC do not have a monopoly on any of those things. In fact, Dark Horse, Image, Fox, FX, Activision, and Rockstar Games have all done a much better job of fulfilling my desires as well as eliminating my pet peeves.

However, I don't think I'll ever get those fanboy rituals back where comics are concerned. No one seems to read the same comics I do. Thankfully, other rituals have taken their place. Arguments about which era in hip hop is the best have replaced heated debates about which character is the best fighter in the Marvel universe. Speculation about Prison Break has replaced speculation on the direction of Secret Invasion. I'm an armchair political pundit. And now I'm the one being threatened with video game spoilers, and I finally realize how unbelievably annoying that is.

Could it be that I just missed fandom? That I simply needed to find a similar fandom to replace the one I had given up? Y'know what? I really don't like the conclusion that this blog post is coming to. I don't like the idea of fandom having such a big impact on how people choose to entertain themselves. But I must admit that fandom kept me reading Marvel and DC superhero comics even when the books no longer made me happy. And it took something major in order for me to kick the habit for good. But have I kicked the habit? I still read comics and I'm still part of a fandom. Seems like all I did was switch from heroine to methadone.

Aw, screw it. It's not that deep. I'm happy and I've saved a little dough. End of story.

Cheryl Lynn @ 03:23 PM EST Link