When I woke up early on Saturday to a barking spaniel, it took me a moment to realize what day it was. Since Mark was on a shoot and Ryan moved to Nome Alaska to watch huskies race across the arctic tundra, that left me and Nate to brave the waters of f…Fr…FREE COMIC BOOK DAY!

Now hold up, hold up.

Before you all write comparison and contrast essays about this post and the last one, let me say that I’ll drop this post and throw down right here with anyone who says graphic novels are not literature. One, you’re talking to the guy who’s reading through the Harvard Classics. (Side note: Yes, I’m still on Paradise Lost. No, I haven’t given up). I’m no lit-genius, but I think my literary opinion weighs in more than, say, the gal who offered the tip of her light saber to her infant for suckling purposes or the dude who came to FCBD sporting legit-replica stormtrooper armor. (Not that I’m against dressing up like a stormtrooper. In fact, if you choose to dress up for something like Free Comic Book Day or a midnight showing, what better choice than a stormtrooper, a bugger, a death eater, Spiderman, Bluebird or anything else that covers your face?) As a self-proclaimed lit boy, I say graphic novels count as legit-lit for similar reasons that screenplays count. Two, take your pick of brilliant books.

That aside, yes I recognize the inherent nerd residue attached to something like FCBD. Don’t even care. This year’s take trumped last year’s and warmed me up for the little film I saw that evening. Fogive me if I refrain altogether from link-soup. There’s far too many comics:

For one, Archaia Entertainment came out with this brilliant hardcover sampler that showcased Mouseguard, Labrynth by Jim Henson, Rust, Cursed Pirate Girl and Cow Boy. All of these, as indicated by some of the titles, appeal to young readers. However, sometimes the best stories cater to the younger crowd. In the case of all five of these, I can vouch both for entertainment value and for good stories. Since Archaia attempts to create the “highest quality graphic novels,” you can bet they paid attention to the detail in this one.

Of course there were the standards like the throwbacks (Peanuts, Barnaby, My Favorite Martian, the Smurfs, Donald Duck, Moomin, World’s Most Dangerous Animals) for the dads and moms who brought small children, the creative/fun comics (Bongo, Spongebob FREESTYLE, Transformers, Atomic Robo, DC Nation Superman Family, Zombie Kid, Dinosaurs VS. Aliens, Graphic Elvis, Rockhead & Zinc, Sonic the Hedgehog and my favorite Jurrasic Strike Force 5–the worlds FIRST superheroes) and the standards (Avengers, Spiderman, Worlds of Aspen, A VS X previews, Image 20, DC New 52, Mega Man, Star Wars, Intrinsic, Bad Medicine, Howard Cruse, Finding Gossamer, Clockwork Angel, Infernal Devices, Lady Death, etc.) The real fun came from the unexpected familiar faces, one from wordpress and many from nerddom.

Jess Smart Smiley fought her way in the mix. This pleased me more than anything as I follow her in the WordPress cool-kids club. As usual, her drawings were  cute and fresh and engaging. If this girl wanted to, she could have her own cartoon show. Her character forms feel organic, blending curves and curls into the faces and features of vampires, puppies and robo-kittens. Go check her out. Tell her Lancelot sent ya. Nate probably got sick of hearing me say, “Yeah, I follow her on WordPress.” You’re practically famous, Jess, and pragmatists think “practically” is all that matters. I guess that means for the pragmatists, you are famous.

My other familiars emerged from hipster and nerd culture alike:

The Guild sampler felt more slice-of-life like the show than the normal comic does. Buffy partnered with an old classic from sci-fi for her sampler. Haven’t checked out Yo Gabba Gabba yet, but I’m sure it’s hip. FCBD frustrated me by refusing me an image for the reverse side of the Star Wars doublet, since it’s a FIREFLY comic. I had no idea that Whedon put out graphic novel extensions on his story! Speaking of Whedon, think it’s coincidence that Free Comic Book day fell on the same day as the Avengers? That the Whedon family name was plastered on more comics than any three names combined?

OF COURSE!

After a round of put-put where my bride reminded me hole after excruciating hole why I’m an aesthete not an athlete, we boogied over to the 6:15 2D showing of Avengers.

And the air conditioner was broke, so we went to exchange tickets for the 7:15 3D showing, forked over seven more bucks, walked around TJ Maxx for awhile (she walked, I followed dumbfounded at how they continue to offer name-brand stuff for dirt cheap) and eventually we landed in better seats with our horn-rimmed polarized shades crouched on our nose bridges in the full up right position, thanks to our pointer fingers.

Here’s the thing. I knew Avengers would be good. For one, I’ve anticipated this film since 2003 when I first looked forward to X-Men 2. Rumors came of an Avengers film. Add to those rumors the post-credit teasers from Hulk, Iron Man and Thor and you’ll understand “I was ready.” But then, I experienced baptism by fire into the Whedon-verse via Firefly. What I didn’t expect in this film (and I don’t know why) was the full-bore fusion of the Whedon-pleasure and my Marvel-pleasure centers in my brain. For this reason, Kiddo probably grew nauseas at hearing me say, “That film was sooo good. Remember when–”

A note on symbolism (it wouldn’t be literating without it): Whedon creates family. The Avengers initiative assembles unlikely heroes and asks them to work together. Those passions fit well. Hulk struggles with self-control, but holds the most power. The Captain’s a man out of time, but understands Phil’s vision for a team of heroes. Thor’s out of time and place and has an ego to match Tony Stark. Black Widow feels her debt to Hawkeye whom Loki uses against the team at one point. Iron Man’s ego gets in the way, and if we could just… get… it… out of the way, they might come together.

This unity in diversity, this idea of “the people who show up” in ekklesia or of “you’re stuck with these people” in Whedon’s concept of family, pervades the film. Watch for family–if there’s conflict, it’s probably because someone’s getting in the way of the assembly.

PS> What’s your favorite comic? Why?