Getting "Weepy" with Malibu's run of DS9

In the process of sourcing out some local music for the shop I ran in Victoria, I met the proprietor of a local comic shop, Gareth. He kept recommending the same comic to me, one "The Watchmen" by Alan Moore. I finally relented and read it, devouring the epic 12 issue series in a mere two or three nights. It has become one of my favorite books and, as was intended by the creators in the early eighties, proved to me that comic books can indeed be "literature".

After reading (and enjoying so intensely) "The Watchmen" I dug out my old comic collection. I had no REAL interest in comics as a kid, but being "somewhat" of a Star Trek fan I had a large collection of Star Trek comics. Deep Space Nine premiered in 1993 when I was twelve years old, a fresh consumer unfettered on Paramounts marketing blitz. Riding the popularity of ST:TNG (now in it's sixth season) Paramount had licensed the franchise to Malibu, who released a schwack of Trek comics. The most heavily produced and longest running was DS9.

I sat down with my white cardboard box of comics, alone late one night after Jesse and Emma had gone to bed. And pulled out the first issue of Deep Space Nine... wait... it was the "special preview editions" I had forgotten about. I bought them from Peter Greaves one day on the bus for $5. I found out later he'd stolen them... I liked Richard, I suffered insufferable guilt for weeks, but wasn't going to let go of those books. I flipped through all the issues. The TNG/DS9 crossover... the one where Dax, Bashir, and O'Brian sit in Quark's with Worf presenting the various theories they've heard, about why the Klingons spontaneously developed the head ridges (my favorite being the result of a biological weapon used in a war with the Tribbles, some kind of gene re-writing virus or something). I remembered Blair (don't remember his last name... I worked with his mom at the Caprice... hmm...) stealing issue number eight from me at the old Courtenay Junior and running away with it. I'm chubby... I don't like to run. I remembered neglecting to buy the Sept, Oct, and Nov issues, so that Mom and Dad could get them for me for Christmas, and how much fun it was to read ALL of them Christmas morning...

And I got a little weepy. I'm man enough to admit it. Comic's made me cry a little.

Since then, much to Jesse's dismay, I've regained my love for comics. Thanks to Garreth and his fine staff at Legends Comics I've discovered a previously disregarded source for pungently fascinating stories, and far more beautiful art than I had ever expected. Geniuses like Allan Moore, Warren Ellis, and much to my surprise... some adaptations of one of my favorite authors Harlan Ellison.

I haven't revisited the DS9 again yet... as a "man" I am only allowed to let out one tear... WHILE I FAKE COUGH... once per quarter, so I have to wait until December before I have another look.