If he would never badmouth a book to a customer, how can you trust the postitive news he delivered about ASM's sales? If they were in the toilet, he'd have to tell you the same thing per his "policy". Doesn't sound like a reliable source when you tell me that, cd.

And I don't think an honest answer on how the sales of a book are doing is "badmouthing" a book. I wouldn't want a sunshine and lollipops store owner anyway...

he's a friend of mine outside of the store, he would have no reason to lie to me.  if these other retailers are only saying the book doesn't sell like it used to before BND, then you're right, nothing wrong with that.  but if they are openly badmouthing comics to customers, that is just bad business.  I don't know how you can see otherwise.  what if a customer that reads Spider-Man was in the store?  they don't have to recommend comics they don't like, but I wouldn't go out of my way to alienate an entire group of customers by telling them the books they like suck.  I know that's the policy of this online column, to alienate readers by telling them they're stupid for liking books that the columnist and other posters don't like, but it's not very courteous. 

I know Marvel used to do a comic called Mary Jane Loves Spider-Man.  For everyone on here that obviously reads Spider-Man comics just for Mary Jane, that would probably be a better choice

Also for this last ish: the editor allowing terms like "blow our wad" in a Spidey book really turns me off. It's tacky (cause they ain't talking about roullette!), and I doubt I would think it was appropriate for my 9-year old (per their rating system). To say nothing of the corpse sticking out of the concrete, or the evisceration.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, Monica, my precious little princess?"

"What does blow your wad mean?"

"Oh, it's a gambling term honey..."

I thought MJ Loves Spidey was alt-universe and not 616 canon.

Besides, I don't want to read an MJ comic. I want to read a Petey book! He just happens to have a wife...

And if I was in a store and the owner said that, say, R.E.B.E.L.S. wasn't selling well, I wouldn't put my copy down and walk out! I think that's silly. The more reasonable reaction would be to talk the book up to others in the hopes that they will read it and the book would survive.

I am really glad that your friend's shop is not my local shop. Oh wait... maybe it is!!

On another matter (because all this Spidey talk is more boring for me than BND):

What.

The.

F.

Was up with the first issue of "Joe the Barbarian"?

Oh my god I am so glad I did not waste money on that. 7 pages with a word count of 40? Plus dark, useless art about a teen in an ugly town? And absolutely no useful clues as to what the entire series might possibly be about? My goodness, this is worse than FrankenCastle!!

I do agree the rating system is lenient at best.  It doesn't bother me but I know my wife probably wouldn't let our son read that stuff.  but I believe I made that point last week when I was talking about overall comics sales going down as the stories get more adult. 

and anytime someone tries to talk a book up, like on say THE SPINNER RACK, you get insulted and chased away with pitchforks for having a different opinion.

speaking of, is REBELS really that good?  I've heard a lot of postive comments, but apparently those mean nothing unless it's a book you like.  

I love my store.  large selection of back issues, official Sideshow retailer meaning all the best statues, frequently quoted in the Wizard magazine retailer section (whatever that's worth), and I get to meet creators like Chuck Dixon and Eric Powell (The Goon) on Free Comic Book Day events.  I'm sorry I'm going to be leaving soon for a year long overseas tour.  defending your right to insult me for liking Spider-Man comics.   

Yes, but you had absolutely no evidence that shows a causal relationship between stories getting more adult and lower sales. Again, correlation does not imply causation. There is simply no getting around that...

If you run away from a fight (even if they have pitchforks), that is your own issue, yes? You cannot blame others for your inability to stand behind your arguments.

I love R.E.B.E.L.S., but I am a huge LSH fan from way back (other than New Mutants, it's my favorite book of all-time probably... definitely for DC). So I really got into L.E.G.I.O.N. and the first R.E.B.E.L.S. run.

P.S.

I never asked you to defend me in any way. In fact, please don't! I don't need you running around thinking you're doing me favors. Your overseas tour is entirely YOUR business. I wasn't consulted in ANY WAY. Don't try to foist ANY of that responsibility on me.

Also, I think I have been pretty tolerant of how you conduct your arguments on this board. For any point of your that I address with logical reasoning, you just pass on and move to the next wild assertion. So please stop acting like I am insulting you beyond anything other than slight jibes. I mean really.

I never claimed to have evidence, it is a theory of mine.  not important enough for me to do research on and write a thesis or anything.  I believe if Doritos changed the flavor of their chips to cater to a specific demographic and sales dropped, it would be reasonable to make assumptions.  Did comic sales drop because they catered to the continuity and adult content market, or did sales drop first and they catered to the only customer that remained?  Who knows, maybe you do.  enlighten me.  or don't.   

If you can concede me anything, I've stuck around to make my arguments.  it's just hard to get you all to listen to reason, and come to the realization that I'm right and you're wrong. 

I never read Legion as a kid, but I loved the most recent reboot, as well as the recent appearance in Superman, and the Legion of 3 Worlds mini.  So I might have to give it a try.  I didn't even know it was Legion.

You're right, my profession is irrelevant in this conversation.  a better thing to say would have been that I move around a lot, and I can say with out a doubt this is the best store I've ever had. 

I hope you take my comments as more mischief than malice.  I enjoy our debates, I really do.  I hope you do as well.  I have absolutely zero anger about anything you've written, no matter how incorrect they may be.

Wild Assertion was the name I used to dance under in college too