Opinions are like assholes, so the saying goes, and often times the most vocal opinions are put forth by assholes. I respect everyone's right to speak their mind about whatever is grinding their gears at the moment, but I've got a bone to pick with Hannibal Tabu, who writes "The Buy Pile" column over at Comic Book Resources. Hannibal's intro reads as follows:Every week Hannibal Tabu (journalist/blogger/novelist/poet/karaoke host/jackass) goes to a comic book store called Comics Ink in Culver City, CA (Overland and Braddock -- hey Steve and Jason) and grabs a whole lotta comics. These periodicals are quickly sorted into two piles -- the "buy" pile (a small pile most weeks, comprised of planned purchases) and the "read" pile (often huge, often including comics that are really crappy but have some value to stay abreast of). Thursdays (Diamond monopolistic practices willing), you'll be able to get his thoughts (and they're just the opinions of one guy, so calm down) about all of that ... which goes something like this ...
What bothers me the most is the same thing that bothers me about people who read books at Barnes & Noble. Your LCS is not a library, kids. It's a storefront, a business. I don't know if Comics Ink is getting extra business from the plug, but every week Mr. Tabu comes into their store, stockpiles that week's comics, reads through them all for review and then deems a select few worthy of purchase. This week, it was 3. $10 worth of comics, after reading probably 4x that many first.
I browse whenever I hit the Comic Stop, but I have a pull list. Good or bad, I buy what lands in my box every week because I've asked Brian and George to put it there. They spent the money to get it, so it's only right that I pay them for it. Do I put things back on the shelf sometimes? Yes. Do I buy "off the rack?" Yes. But I buy. A lot.
As a completest, don't get me started on how Hannibal seems to buy random issues, either. This guy's collection has got to have more holes in it than Hilton Head.
There may be more to the story between Hannibal, Comics Ink, and CBR. I read Hannibal's column every week, because I enjoy a differing viewpoint.
I just think that if you've read it, you've bought it, you know?
1 comment:
Hear Hear!
I totally agree with you.
A restaurant isn't going to let you sample everything on the menu and then let you pay for only the items you liked, so it shouldn't be any different.
I think having another opinion on a particular title (especially one I'm unsure of keeping up with) is great, but he should pay for what he's reading.
His oinion might mean more to me if he was actually paying for all the comics he's reviewing.
If he wants free comics, there's already a special day for that once a year.
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