snap judgments no, really, there are some comics you really should read

I’ve Seen Iron Man

Da-na, da-na-na, da-nanananana, da-na-na.

This afternoon, when I came into work, I created this sign out of a used back board:

I created this sign because I could pretty much call how my day was going to go:

Customer: Have you seen Iron Man yet?
Me: Yes!
Customer: Is... is it any good?

I've had to go through this with every single comic movie that's hit the screen, throwing in Star Wars prequels to boot. That hesitant fear of a bad movie of four-color caliber causes customers to cower at the counter and now I'm just alliterating for the heck of it. But no, this is serious, as serious as I have had to answer the question before people even saw the sign.

This fear is not unfounded. We remember the Schumaker Batman flicks with guilt and remorse. The Hulk movie had me in denial for years until an intervention was staged to show me the truth, that the movie is darned well near unwatchable. So looking to others to see if it's safe is a perfectly rational reaction, especially for Metro considering the store manager is a film studies major.

I also think we look to sources of authority to ensure that the film is true, people who know comics who can call a spade a spade, if you will. If the comic fans don't like it, well then. Tear up your tickets! This morning on the radio the three disc jockies, self-admittedly out of the loop when it comes to the funnybooks, had to ask their regular movie reviewer if the 'nerds' would approve of how close Iron Man stuck to the source material. Even non-comic fans know our word is law on these kinds of things.

So I understand your reticence. I understand the fears and anxieties. But for the love of new super-computer Jarvis:

Please stop asking me.

Conquer your fears. See the movie for yourself and ride the rollercoaster of comic movie acceptance.

For the record? The Iron Man movie just so happens to be THE best comic movie I have had the pleasure of seeing. Mind you, I'm saying this still riding the incredible high of seeing it for the first time, so my snap judgment is just that: WHEE! Tonight, I see it again (this time getting the full effect as I had to cut out before the end (AND YES I KNOW ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS AT THE END OF THE CREDITS!) to go hand out flyers for Free Comic Book Day at Metro, so we'll see what viewing #2 does to the ol' brain pan.

Maybe I'll be more objective. Maybe I'll still want to declare it a modern masterpiece that thrills me to no end that Marvel has their own studios now. We shall see.

And so should you.