10 Clear Signs You’ve Read Way Too Many Marvel Comics

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Do you suspect that you’ve read too many Marvel comics in your life? Then this list is here to help. Marvel Comics has been a unifying force for almost a century. Millions have come together to enjoy their favorite characters and stories. However, there are those who have read so many Marvel comics that their life have changed because of their hobby, and you might be one of them.

Marvel Comics is a unifying force that has gathered the attention of millions of readers throughout the publisher’s 86 years of existence. But among the millions of readers and fans, only a select few can truly say that they’ve read “too many” Marvel omics.

Now, of course, there’s no such thing as “too many,” but behavior has a habit of developing around hobbies like comic books, and when your hobby is almost exclusively reading Marvel Comics, these changes can become more drastic than you might realize. Fortunately, this list will help you decide whether you’ve read too many Marvel comics.

10

You Have Marvel Comics In Every Room Of Your Home

It’s Better Than Furniture

The quintessential factor of this hobby is that you’re reading practically all the time. Whether it’s on your phone, floppies, or trades, most of your free time is spent catching up on the newest releases or flipping through old favorites. But, realistically, after so many years of collecting comics, they eventually start to pile up. Bookshelves overflow, drawers and boxes are stuffed to the max, and large trades and omnibuses become decorative additions to your coffee table.

The thing is, it’s totally valid. The truth is, the call to read Marvel comics can come at any time. You may be crashing in the living room, pretending to get out of bed, or, let’s be honest, taking a “quick” trip to the restroom. Fortunately, no matter where you roam in your own home, you’ll have a collection of comics to keep you entertained at any time of day.

9

You’re On A First Name Basis With Your Local Comic Book Shop Owner

“Hello Alan, I Hope You’re Doing Good Today”

For those of us who are fortunate to have a local comic book shop, it truly is a special thing. Local shops were once the backbone of the comic book industry, so, as time moves on, those that remain are treasures of what feels like a bygone era. However, you know you visit your local shop way too often when you and the owner are on a first-name basis. The best shop owners even remember your favorite series.

While comic books, especially Marvel, have always had dedicated fanbases, it wasn’t until Sam Rami’s Spider-Man (2002)that comics hit mainstream media. Comic shops used to be, and still are, little bastions of this eclectic hobby, where we can browse, read, and discuss our favorite comic characters to our heart’s content. Truthfully, the best shops are the ones that do remember you, but it certainly makes it easier when you arrive on ‘new-release day’ like its routine.

Comics On Our Phones Changed The Game

Coming off that last point, not everyone has access to a local shop or wants to risk having their comics smashed and torn in shipping. Oftentimes, physical books can become overwhelming if you don’t have enough space. Or, realistically, you just want to be able to read with the convenience of it being on your phone. Regardless of your reason, Marvel Unlimited is a great resource for even the most casual Marvel readers.

However, you know you’re really into Marvel comics when you subscribe to Marvel Unlimited just for the Infinity comics. In addition to instant releases of Marvel’s newest comics, the mobile service features exclusive web-comics of often quick and jovial small stories of the little instances in characters’ lives. Regardless of why you’ve chosen to use the app, by the time you’re subscribing to Marvel Unlimited, you know you’re in deep.

7

Your Favorite Marvel Character Is Too Obscure

We’re Looking At You, Stingray

Every comic book reader has a favorite character. Even casual fans of the comics or the MCU can list their favorite characters. But only those so far down the Marvel rabbit hole can claim a favorite character that most have never heard of. In Marvel’s over 80 years of publishing comics, hundreds of one-shot characters and forever-sidekicks have been introduced, all waiting for an eclectic fan-base to call their own.

What makes these unknown characters so fun is that they’re often just as goofy or nonsensical as the rest of Marvel’s heavy hitters but simply failed to gain the initial popularity to bring them into the spotlight. Many times, these characters could have the potential to become something greater if the right writer took the helm; Unfortunately, most of your favorite, obscure Marvel characters will probably only ever be loved by you, but, hopefully not.

6

You Can Tell Who Drew A Comic At First Glance

“Oh, That’s Classic John Romita Jr. Right There”

As easily as anyone can tell if a painting is by Vincent van Gogh versus Pablo Picasso, only the most dedicated Marvel readers can tell which artist illustrated any given comic. Steve Ditko’s style featured thin lines and often contorted, fast-moving characters. Ryan Stegman loves to use dynamic shading and frequently puts his characters in powerful poses, regardless of the scene. Rob Liefeld is iconically known for his, admittedly, odd proportions but dynamic combat.

Regardless of who your favorite Marvel artist is, you know you’ve read way too many comics when the art styles become as familiar as the characters themselves. Realistically, art is just as important as writing. Every once in a while, you run across a great story with less-than-ideal art, and it just saps you of any interest you may have had. It’s an unfortunate truth, but at least, to some degree, we loyal Marvel nerds can claim to be art aficionados.

5

You Call Marvel Characters By Their First Name

“Yeah, I Love Tony’s Comics”

Okay, this may be a silly one, but it’s accurate. After a while, it becomes daunting to keep repeating the same character’s superhero name over and over again. At some point, you just have to break down that barrier and talk about them like they’re normal people. Sentences like “Oh, Peter and Eddie are actually friends,” or “Steve and Sam share the same name” become normalcy when you’ve spent years calling them Spider-Man or Captain America.

However, there is a sweeter way you can look at this. Comic books are modern-day fables and mythologies. We’ve traded in Cinderella for Jean Grey and Pinocchio for Vision. Like the myths of old, these characters are stand-ins for ourselves; they teach us about morality and consequences, without the risk of learning those lessons in real time. By humanizing the character, it becomes easier to see ourselves in their actions. So, if you’re tired of saying “the Hulk” constantly, it’s okay to drop a “Bruce” every now and then.

4

You Once Tried To Explain The Clone Saga To A Friend

Someday We’ll Make It Make Sense

Let’s be honest: any of us who were around in the ‘90s, and those of us who just love Marvel comics too much, know how convoluted Spider-Man’s Clone Saga was. This especially nonsensical and poorly paced storyline was made even worse by splitting the single story across 19 ongoing series and close to 20 one-shots and miniseries; but, you know you’ve started to read way too many Marvel comics when the story starts to make sense.

You really know you’ve read too many Marvel comics when you think you’re confident enough to explain it to someone else. Frankly, to even try, you would need charts with accurate timelines, character files to keep along, and a big marker to cross out the retconned nonsense the story repeatedly uses. It may not make sense to most, but only the most dedicated Marvel readers know how to make the Clone Saga make sense.

If We Wish Hard Enough, Even We Might Become X-Men

Okay, pretty much everyone has wanted to gain a superpower at some point or another. As kids, we pretend to be our favorite heroes and villains. As adults, every once in a while, we look toward the sky and wish we could swing past skyscrapers or fly in our own Iron Man armor. Sometimes, you may even hope to wake up and learn that your X-Gene just activated too late in your life. Frankly, that’s okay.

There’s nothing wrong with wishing our lives could be a little more super. When we spend all our free time flipping through Marvel comics, we become used to seeing the fantastical elements of their world and are sad about the mundanely uninteresting aspects of ours. Even if those powers come with a cost, there aren’t many dedicated Marvel readers who would pass up the chance to become even more super than they already are.

2

You Can’t Watch The MCU Without Pointing Out Comic “Inaccuracies”

“It’s Like They Don’t Even Read The Comics”

At some point or another, anyone who has read even a single Marvel comic has looked at the MCU and thought, “Ugh, that’s not even accurate. Do they read the comics?” Admittedly, those thoughts are often coupled with less-than-nice opinions, but it’s such a universal truth among Marvel readers. The MCU doesn’t get everything “right,” and that can certainly be frustrating when you’ve spent years of your life reading Marvel comics.

But just as the most dedicated Marvel readers can be quick to point out the inaccuracies, they are, at most times, the audience that loves the film more than anyone else. Reading comic books wasn’t always the popular hobby it has become today. Before Sam Rami’s Spider-Man, other live-action shows and movies were almost exclusively watched by Marvel readers. Fortunately, now, Marvel’s most committed readers and casual fans alike can come together and enjoy the same stories that you’ve spent years reading.

This Is Way Too Meta Now

This one may be a little on the nose, but I’m not sorry about it. Whether you’re someone like me who writes about Marvel comics after they’ve been released or you’re one of the talented fiction writers who get to create the stories themselves, you know you read too many Marvel comics when you can write about them to a larger audience. Marvel Comics has spent decades honing its craft and has produced thousands of stories that have captivated readers for years. By the time you’ve learned enough to talk confidently to others, you’ve read a lot of Marvel comics.

Honestly, it’s a privilege to be able to do so. Marvel Comics, if it wasn’t obvious enough by now, has served to unite millions of passionate readers, all of whom now know they’re not alone. When you get the chance to take that passion and put it out there for the world to see, it can be incredibly scary. But, by the time you’ve read more Marvel comics than you’d ever wish to admit, you’ve become confident enough to write your thoughts out loud and get paid to do it.

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