Introductions are tricky things, don’t you agree? It’s a first impression after all, and those are always nerve wracking. Even in the impersonal world of blogging, or column writing, or whatever we’re going to decide this collection of observations and (hopefully) entertaining verbiage is…probably we’re going to decide it’s a blog since that’s what the button I use to post this says it is. But what is this going to be a blog about? What, about what I have to say to you, gentle and valued reader, is going to be worth your time to read it and keep reading? Ah, that’s why I think I need to introduce myself before we get started.

I’ve been writing about comics since about 2005 now, you can see some prior columns over at my own site www.theendlesscrew.com, and over at www.pwipop.com (if you search around a bit). I’ve been a devotee of the medium since I was about 7 years old when I received my first comic book at a friend’s birthday party. A Marvel Tales reprint of ASM #250 which featured a battle between Spider-Man and the Hobgoblin. In the course of those 22 pages the Goblin had kidnapped pregnant Liz Osborn and future Spidey spouse Mary Jane Watson. Seems the Goblin was looking to blackmail Harry Osborn, son of Norman Osborn, the first Green Goblin (who the Hobgoblin stole his gear from after Norman “died”) into giving him the remaining journal in Harry’s possession. Spider-Man intervenes of course and a fight ensues inside a burning warehouse in which the Goblin escapes, the girls are saved, and Hobgoblin finds the journal contains locations he’s already raided, moving him into the next phase of his criminal career. I’ll admit, fairly tame stuff, almost paint by numbers when you get right down to it…but mesmerizing to a kid of 7. So I bought whatever comics I could at the local supermarket, fairs, wherever I could (especially stuff with the Hobgoblin). Eventually I got a steady comic shop in my area and here we are now. So let’s move on and talk about what you can expect from this blog as time goes by.