Fan Crisis
As Todd went on his walk to Steve's Comic Emporium (as the owner always tried to hype it up) he wondered just why he kept on going there. It had already been around three years since the store opened, and it still had at best middling sales, with grand Sales near the end of the year to offset the costs. Nevertheless, Steve, the old proprietor, always claimed that things were improving, and how he's made sure to provide the best and the most up to date comics around.
Yeah right, say that when the comics on the racks are not three months late (at least!) when compared to most of the other stores.
But then again, who was he to complain? He would still go to while away the time, and perhaps buy a comic or two, thanks to the cheap prices available there.
He just wished there as something beyond or new. Don't get him wrong, Todd could enjoy the occasional Batman and Daredevil comic, and better now when they finally moved away from their kiddie interpretations. Hell, his favorite actor had even directed and participated in an adaptation of the Dark Crusader, so at least the jocks at school had less of a reason to try and bother him if they found and took his comics again. He was getting sick and tired of having to replace them.
Now if only he could do something about Daredevil as well, then you would be able to bring both...
Well, regardless, in the end Todd enjoyed reading from both sides of the aisle, yet as he grew up he found that he ended up coming to like the more mature and dark stories, which unfortunately both Marvel and DC could not provide him with. And as for Charlton...Ha! The moment they actually managed to make something memorable will be the day adults will watch a pony cartoon.
It's just not going to happen.
Arriving at the front of the store, Todd once more reflected that there was something more to it than simply the prices that drew him to the store; it was the fact that it also allowed him to peruse some of the other type of comics that had something more than superheroes, and not those Disney or kid stuff that his father used to buy as a kid. Normally those came in the form of a magazine that owners would then ask for his age to buy.
But here, well...
"Hey Steve" he called as he moved into the store, the owner just grunting at him as he watched his portable TV. His eyes barely moving, yet nevertheless taking in his presence and subtly shifting his position so as to keep him in sight without having to remove his attention from the T itself. Yet, aside from that slight movement, there was hardly any other movement nor look that would have him feel as if he was being observed from beginning to end.
And there it is.
The main reason as to why he would come here rather than any other place; Steve just didn't care who came in, or what you bought, so long as you could pay him and didn't interrupt his shows. His growing collection of Heavy Metal and Vampirella could attest to it, though if memory served him right, it had already been three months since the last time he found something like that here. Frankly, his expectations were low, but it was either this or a more commonly known store that could still sell him some Batman comics, but he'd felt adventurous enough to try Steve's place, and by the time the feeling had passed he was already halfway there.
Might as well just make the whole trip, right?
Looking through the racks and small stands he could not see anything new from what he usually bought. There were some ElfQuest issues as well, but the series itself seemed to have stalled lately, with issues coming each time later, to the point that he saw no need to buy any new chapter if it would take months to get the next one. Moving to the Marvel section he started looking for some of the new Marvel Noir line he'd found himself liking. Both Spider-Man and Fantastic Four Noir were peak, yet the X-Men and Thor issues just didn't seem to have the same spark.
The Hulk however had been a delight, a true horror without outright calling it such. Pity that he could not find any today.
He did find something he liked when he found an old issue of Fantastic Four Noir whose cover hinted at a possible crossover with the main universe. He'd heard from one of his friends about it as well, saying how it had been one of the best storylines yet, though he would not spoil it no matter how much he asked for it. He was all ready to buy it when he happened to catch something that did not seem to belong in the Marvel pile. From the cover it looked closer to something that would go in the "Indie" area as it was called, were it not for the Marvel symbol in the corner.
Yet his confusion could be excused, after all the style was something that was often seen outside the mainstream, the cover did not have the splashy, colorful tones, nor did it have the hero (or heroes) in question nor villains displayed. It was a cover that in fact reminded him more to what he recalled his cousin called "Cyberpunk", with a girl wearing a futuristic looking personal armor, along with a motorbike riding along a city that was a combination of dilapidated, reconstructed and highly technologically advanced.
Bubblegum Crisis...Huh.
Eh, it might be worth a read, if anything it was something new
1 Week Later
"What do you mean that's all you have!? Your entire slogan is to have the most up to date comics around!"
"Look kid, can't give you what I don't have. And you already bought the entire catalogue of the series. So, unless you have an in for the editor, then you're shit out of luck."
Todd gave a frustrated shout as he left the store, already knowing that he would not find anything more there, yet compelled to still look for what had quickly become a fan favorite of his after the first issue. Bubblegum Crisis had not been anything similar to what Marvel had tried, and it was that originality what had captivated him from the moment he bought that comic and brought it home. He'd read it back-to-back that day, over and over again, looking through every nook and cranny and memorizing the lines and characters, unable to stop. Not even wanting to.
The next day he'd gone to a regular store and bought the rest of the issues, thanking his luck that he'd managed to save enough money to do so.
Then cursing as he ran out before he could buy the following ten...his allowance already stretched thin as it was.
He knew it was a stretch coming to Steve's again, but he had truly hoped that there would be perhaps another issue like the one he'd found the first time around. He'd even spoken to some of his friends during recess only to find that yes, the series had been going on for a year now. Yes, there were no signs of it being cancelled. And no, they were not going to lend their issues when they were making sure they remained in as good condition as they could.
Which left him with two very difficult options at the moment as he walked into his house, and into his father's study. Either he waited patiently until next month for his allowance. Or...
"Dad..." He said as his father turned to him. "I want to get a Part-Time job."
...Truly, a fan's life was a heavy one.
A.N.: I wanted to make an Omake that showed mostly how the Bubblegum Crisis comic was being received since we can't so Side stories for them. I don't know why, but this didn't flow as easily as the previous one, still I hope that you can at least find some light entertainment from it.
