Nerd or Geek?

Artrockers,

I'm a big fan of Marvel comics, does that make me a nerd? I don't think so, but it does mean that I understand some of the references in The Big Bang Theory, but am totally lost when it comes to DC. I made the choice when I was about 11, Green Lantern or Captain America? Cap won, he seemed rooted in some sort of reality despite having been frozen in ice since the second world war (reality is a very loose concept in comic books), simply because he was thrown into a late 20th century world he didn't understand, full of hippies and free love. Green Lantern however had so little grip on reality that it made/makes no sense. Marvel characters exist in a world we can recognise as ours, even if it is threatened by Galactus, who eats planets. DC characters just seem to make it up as they go along. I'm biased of course.

Comics stopped being important to me when I grew my first pube, but the late 70s saw the emergence of 2000ad, a homegrown comic label that left both Marvel and DC looking old and in the way. So they recruited the best of 2000ad and breathed new life into their stories.

And I came home to Marvel.

I buy Marvel comics every week, and I download them from comixology, cos I'm a 21st century boy.

I'm still a fan of Cap, or Steve Rogers, as he takes charge of The Avengers post Tony Stark / Ironman's brush with the totalitarian nut case that is Norman Osborne. I had a brief flirtation with Deadpool, I'm crazy about The Young Avengers and The Inhumans, Red Hulk, Green Hulk and The Scarlet Witch (nearly married Dr Doom). And Hank Pym is the man.

But if you don't do Marvel you've no idea what I'm talking about do you?

Take my advice, get down to the newsagent. Don't buy original US editions, they're flimsy and expensive, get the Panini versions for the same price, containing 5 or 6 full comics.

I don't need the original editions. I might be a nerd, but I'm nobody's geek.

Tom Artrocker

Which are you? Marvel or DC? Let me know