Max Riffner

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Buy <strike>Nothing</strike> Comics Day

For those not familiar with the idea, Ad Busters magazine actively promotes a passive protest against consumerism on the day after Thanksgiving aptly called Buy Nothing Day. I’ve been a big fan of this for several reasons, none of them quite in tune with the Ad Busters philosophy. One – have you even been outside on those days shopping?! Dear God, it’s every man for himself. Crazed women (mostly) looking for bargains and deals, stopping at nothing, risking everything! It is a sick sight, which leads me to Reason #2 – I hate how Thanksgiving is tossed aside so quickly like yesterday’s garbage. Not for me. The Friday after is just a continuation of more Thanksgiving. If it were a movie, I’d call it Thanksgiving 2004: The Next 24 Hours. It usually involves me going to work, then meeting up with my family later for more turkey, more booze, and with any luck more stuffing, all while watching more football.

So, for a long time, I treat the day like another holiday. Well, this year went down a little different. See, Christian called me up last night, telling me he was going to Krypton Comics for their 7AM – 10AM 50% Off Everything in the Store Sale. He was arriving promptly at 7, and he was going to fill in all his missing issues of Badger, dammit, because he couldn’t stand not having them anymore! I thought since I had to be in to work anyway by 8 AM that I might as well join him.

Long story short, Christian was there and gone within minutes of my arrival, carrying a giant stack of Badger issues (I’m quite sure he cleaned out the store – most readers probably don’t even know who or why Badger is so great – it’s about an insane, multiple personality superhero who is the world’s best martial artist and he can talk to animals, and really, what more do you need to know). I picked up a few graphic novels I was missing (From Hell, Buddy Has Three Moms, Human Target, Powers and a few others). Now, remember my description above for Thanksgiving Shopping Ladies? Let me replace a few choice words to describe the scene at the comic store:

Dear God, it’s every man for himself. Crazed, pale men(mostly) with weak facial hair looking for bargains and deals, stopping at nothing, risking everything!

I was in line for 30 minutes. I saw 10 kids dressed head-to-toe in black. I’m not talking all-Gothic trenchcoat black either with long hair. I’m talking black jeans, black Reeboks, black socks, black glasses, black t-shirt, black Member’s Only-type jacket, and black hair cut with a Flowbee. Everyone had lists for old back issues they had to get and they all got huffy when they couldn’t get to the back issue bins because of the sprawling line around the store. Good times.

Thankfully, I was surrounded by some nice people (which most of the crowd was anyway, a few jerks not withstanding), and the best part (besides the 50% discount – woo!) was that Krypton Comics is going to have a hell of a day. It is a fair trade: I get to support the store that I love and they reward me for it. I don’t feel the least bit bad about, because I’m still thankful. Ha! See? It is still Thanksgiving after all!

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