Comics are art and literature. A hybrid form of communication. A combination As such it falls under two crucial umbrellas that are essential to any functional culture or society. It is the sharing of ideas and concepts that allows us to build, improve, grow and progress. The ability to communicate our thoughts and feelings to those who may or may not share them. To share your subjective or unbeknownst information and impart it onto other people.
Not all informations/stories/images/communiques will be of use/interest to the receiver.
There's a good chance you won't even like it or that you'll be made uncomfortable by it.
It's your choice to avoid it, not buy it or to boldly venture forth and discover it. Look into the new and unsettling to find out what makes you uncomfortable. Learn about other viewpoints and ultimately about yourself.
Everyone has a right to their opinions. There is no right to try and take them away from others or attempt to threaten, malign and attack them for holding a different perspective.
We should always seek to add to culture. Grow as people, people within a society.
If we limit our possibilities and act in narrow, reductive and regressive ways we will erode the foundation of our country and our many faceted culture.
Which brings me to the conflagration that is Comicsgate. Where a group of entitled and fearfilled of deeply, dangerously selfinvolved persons take it upon themselves to confront, verbally abuse, and terrorise comics creators and consumers because they are afraid of change and feel threatened by anything and everything different from their limited perspectives.
This is nothing but the fearful dung slinging of spoiled and immature people who think they are losing their special club. The imagined refuge of straight white male nerddom.
Adding to the culture of comics never diminishes another.
New stories featuring a character you don't recognise or identify with,
don't make the stories you love go away. We have never removed Peter Parker stories to help promote Miles Morales. In shelving Sophie Campbell's Wet Moon it did not prohibit anyone from enjoying Superman. There are comics for everyone. Comics are for everyone. Heck, we stock Matt Furie's BoYs Club right next to Bitch Planet and Wuvable Oaf. Why? Because there is a wealth of wonderful, beautifully crafted stories out there and to close ourselves off to them would be a disservice to ourselves and our customers.There is room for everyone and if you can't accept that it is unfortunate.
Strong cultures and sub-cultures grow and keep growing. They add to their sum, A healthy body doesn't hack off limbs just because another extremity believes it is in charge and deserves primacy.
Our store is a hotbed of truly diverse thought, conversation and product.
There is no consensus of thought except that each person has a right to their own thoughts and feelings. We share and debate. All honest questions are valid and welcomed. Often we veer into discussion territories that most businesses might be uncomfortable with. We value the opinions and uniqueness of all our patrons. They make us strong and vibrant and viable as a business. We do it for the love. There are more lucrative ways to make a living, even within this business. We believe in the medium and it's ability to communicate and enrich the lives of the people they touch. Whatever you're looking to get out of it there is something in this weird wild and wonderful art form. Do your thing. Don't try to take another's away.
If my piece isn't direct enough or if my thoughts on the subject is not wholly apparent then read the following piece by comics' legend and top notch human Bill Sienkiewicz.
To Comicsgaters.
