I'm so giddy, I don't know what to do with myself. The weather's finally warm enough to go to the beach, Mario Kart Wii came out and the NFL, albeit briefly, came back to tease me with another whirlwind draft. (And yes, I realize the draft is essentially just a recitation of names, but I like to get lost in Mel Kiper Jr.'s wondrous hair.)
All of the above, though, pales in comparison to what is happening this Saturday. Don't know what it is, eh? Well, scan your classroom for the person you feel most likely played "Magic: The Gathering" during high school and ask them - or wait four seconds and hear it from me.
(Drum roll, with a little high hat tapping.)
This Saturday is Free Comic Book Day. The only day that combines four of my favorite words in the English language - "day edges out night," because night can be so scary.
Here's how the day works: You show up to a participating comic book store, tell the nice clerk you're there for Free Comic Book Day, and he or she will give you a modest-size stack of comics (in varying genres) for free. That's it. Go to this Web site to find a store: www.freecomicbookday.com
Now, while I may not have played "Magic: The Gathering" in high school (it was more of a middle school thing for me), I have recently been hooked on comic books, more specifically graphic novels.
I tend to gravitate toward graphic novels because although they're essentially a giant comic book, they have the word "novel" in them so I feel like I'm reading something important. Plus, if some poller came around looking into reading statistics, I'd look like a freaking genius with how many books I could claim.
And for all seven of you out there who actually enjoy reading your textbooks, graphic novels are great for when you need to read something light and easy. You'll also feel productive because sometimes one picture takes up a whole page, and you end up reading about 60 pages.
So, after all of you get your free comics and get swept up into the fun, let me assuage some fears about the future. No, reading comic books doesn't mean you'll end up looking like Comic Book Guy from "The Simpsons," and no, you're not required to dress up like Batman at the famous annual San Diego Comic Convention, and finally, no, you don't have to buy the plastic protection baggies to store them. It's a book, not an investment.
But when one of the comic books, or graphic novels, gets made into a movie, you get to be the person judging how it was interpreted. I can't wait for "Watchmen" to come out next spring so I can be an elitist about how they didn't properly convey the plot. Who doesn't like being a little elitist now and then?
-Drew Hendrickson is a psychology senior.
-This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Daily Aztec.
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