That comic shop argument over continuity really got under my skin last Saturday

I was at Cosmic Comics on Broad Street last weekend, and this guy spent 20 minutes yelling at the clerk because a 2018 variant cover had a detail that didn't match a 1992 issue. I just wanted to buy my weekly pull list, but I got stuck listening to him list every error for like, 4 different comics. Has anyone else had to just walk away from a fan who takes the timeline way too seriously?

3 comments

3 Comments

clairem4715d ago

I read an article once that said some fans treat comic book history like a sacred text, and any mistake is like blasphemy to them. The writer compared it to how some people argue about Star Wars or Lord of the Rings lore, but with way less social skills. I mean, it's one thing to notice an error, but standing there yelling for 20 minutes is just too much. Maybe it's just me, but I figure if a story is good and the art is solid, a mismatched shoe color or a wrong shade of blue on a cape isn't worth getting that upset over. I actually heard a comic store owner say on a podcast that he keeps a jar labeled "Continuity Police" and makes people put a dollar in it every time they bring up a timeline issue. Seems like a good system to me.

bens8116d ago

Changed my mind about the importance of strict canon after a similar scene at my local shop. Makes you wonder if some folks just read comics to find mistakes instead of enjoying the story, right?

hill.andrew16d agoMost Upvoted

Guilty as charged. I'm the guy who got halfway through a new issue before realizing I'd been staring at a background character's costume color from three panels ago.