The Incident At Free Comic Book Day

I know I still need to catch up on the days I missed of 30 Days of Blogging due to the bad internet at the cabin I shared with my parents, but I'm still catching up from being off work for that long at this time of year, so it will be a little bit. In the meantime, let me tell you about the thing that happened today at the comic store, when I had to school someone.

I do that sometimes.

For those who do not collect comics, once a year in May there is something called "Free Comic Book Day", where you can go to your local store and they will have stacks of free comics sent by the publishers. You don't have to buy anything, but the idea is that you will see something that you like and add it to your shopping list. The idea is also that people like me, who regularly go to the comic store, will bring friends who do not, and try to show them how fun reading and collecting comics is. To support this, some stores will have other things going on, like people in costume that you can get photos with or radio DJ's broadcasting from the store or things like that. My store had a trivia contest today, and I won something.

That's where the problem started.

The prizes for the trivia contest were books, and all you had to do was be the first to raise your hand and then be the first to have the correct answer. They asked that people only win once, so I didn't answer the first two questions even though I knew them because I didn't want those books. However, this was the third book they held up:



I like Ms. Marvel, and it was free, so I waited, ready, for the question:

"Ms. Marvel is currently know as Captain Marvel in her comic, which is right over there. What's her secret identity?"

My hand was up first.

"Carol Danvers."

This was, of course, correct, but apparently the guy behind me was a little bothered.

"That was an easy question," he said, raining on my parade.

"Yeah, but I still won," I said, shrugging. I don't make the rules, mister.

"Yeah, well...I bet you don't know who Linda Danvers is."

I probably should have just said nothing, but we were waiting in line, and he was trying to keep me from being happy. Remember that time that I accidentally channeled Erin Brockovich on that guy and it was wonderful and terrible at the same time?

It happened again.

"Linda Danvers? Do you mean Linda Lee Danvers? Kara Zor-El, of Argo City, Krypton? Supergirl? That Linda Danvers? Her adoptive parents, Fred and Sylvia Danvers, live in the town of Leesburg. Sylvia is a homemaker, and Fred is a policeman. She has two pets. Her cat, Streaky, is also Streaky the Supercat. He has superpower due to exposure to the artificial mineral X-Kryptonite, which Supergirl accidentally created while searching for a cure for green Kryptonite poisoning. Her other pet, Comet the Superhorse, is actually a centaur enchanted by Circe, and turns into a human under the rays of passing comets."

Dead silence in the comic store line.

"So, yes, I know who Linda Danvers is, too."



Then I turned my back on him, paid for my purchases, took my prize, and left the store.

Free Comic Book Day is just as much fun as I was told it would be!