In the Beginning...

...there was...Howard the Duck?

Hi!  Welcome!  You're awesome, whether or not you're actually reading this, but moreso if you actually are!  Kicking it off with a completely obscure reference to a doomed George Lucas-produced 80's movie is just setting the bar high, I'll tell you what.

Steve TOWNsley firing up my new blog "Comic Book TOWN" (See what I did there?), in which I Geek.  Yes, Geek is a Verb, ladies and gentledroids.

This was inspired by a trip to a local Comic Bookerie, where I had the notion that I spend much time thinking about this stuff, but not a lot of actually sharing my thoughts or trying to formulate them in any cogent manner.  So as I picked up copy of "Avengers World #1" and "Deadpool: Dead Presidents", I thought it was high time I start writing down my thoughts, because, dammit, they're worth writing.

First off, I'm a cartoonist.  I appreciate all forms of art in some fashion, but I love cartoons, animations and comic books.  Any one kind?  Not really....

I like "All Ages" comic books, because they can be read by just about anyone with no comic background.
I like Superhero comics because, Super Heroes.
I like mature comics because they've got powerful stories, and art unlike you see in your everyday off-the-rack books.
 I prefer trades to single-issues, because I'm a little impatient with story lines, but yet I'm patient enough to usually wait until enough issues have accumulated to warrant a published book.
I don't subscribe, I prefer a more adventurous, exploratory approach to Comic Book stores...when I walk in, I usually open my mind and see what impresses me today.
I will most often buy at least ONE book whenever I set foot in a store.  I try to support small stores when available, and do most of my purchasing there.  And they're usually run by cool people.
Have I bought digital comics?  Sure I have, though I probably own more hard copies.

I just moved to Portland late last year, and it already feels like a very Comic Book Town.  (That was another inspiration right there, that was.)  I've found at least three very good stores that I like to visit, and a good bookstore that has some good deals on used books.  I'll probably end up writing a bit about my experiences there, too.  Sometimes they're too good not to put down.

I hope you'll join me in this new venture.  You can follow me here, on Facebook, and on Twitter (@ComicBookTown)   Thanks.  More soon...