Unpopular opinion: The best comic book fans are the ones who changed their mind about a character

I got some harsh feedback a few months ago at my local shop in Portland. I was talking trash about Hal Jordan as a boring Space Cop with no personality. This older collector named Mike just listened then said 'you're not reading the right issues, you're reading the ones that tell you what to think.' He handed me a stack of Green Lantern/Green Arrow from the 70s and some of Geoff Johns' run. I sat down and read through all of them in two days. I hated admitting he was right but the guy pointed out I was just repeating what I heard on forums instead of actually looking at the character's history. Now I try to read at least 5 issues of something before I decide if I like or dislike a character. Has anyone else had a fan change your mind about a hero or villain you thought you had figured out?

2 comments

2 Comments

rileyl675d ago

And here's what I gotta ask you - did that experience change how you look at other characters you thought you had figured out? Like, did it make you go back and reevaluate your whole list of "overrated" or "trash" heroes and villains? Cause I had a similar thing happen with Batman. I thought he was just this brooding rich guy who solves everything with money, then someone handed me The Black Mirror and I realized I was being real shallow about it. I had to admit I was just parroting takes I saw online instead of actually forming my own opinions. It's humbling but it makes you a better fan in the long run.

luna5504d ago

Right? It's wild how easy it is to just go along with the crowd take without actually doing the work. I had the exact same thing with Superman, thought he was boring until someone threw All-Star Superman at me and I had to eat my own words.