Broken Frontier

Having just moved to St. Louis and still in search of a job, I have found myself with a lot of free time on my hands of late. While I wait to hear about the possibility of an interview from the many places I’ve sent my resume, I’ve been doing whatever I can in the meantime to help pass the time. In the process, I’ve quickly established a little routine on Wednesdays to get me out of the house and into the fresh air.

Wednesdays being the day that new comics are released, I always drop my wife off at work and then head for my new local comic shop, Star Clipper Comics, to check out what’s on the stand. That afternoon I’ll try to find some place to go to read these books, perhaps a restaurant where I can grab a bite to eat while I read. I’ll usually hit the movie theater and catch a matinee if there’s something on I want to see, reading a few more of my new comics while I wait for the film to start. Then, if there’s any time left before I have to pick up my wife at work, I go for a walk at the mall.

Mall walking typically gets a bad rap as being chiefly an activity for tweens and the elderly, but I find it fun for a number of reasons. The people watcher in me likes that I get to be amongst people of all ages, a particularly nice treat if many of your other days are spent waiting for your wife to come home from work. Also, since I’ve been becoming more health-conscious of late, I can get a bit of exercise for free, in an air-conditioned building with all kinds of modern conveniences at my disposal.

Last week, during my regular Wednesday trip to the mall, I suddenly realized there was another benefit to my newly formed routine that I hadn’t foreseen: it was a perfect opportunity to advocate comics.

Always a mindful comics advocate, I keep some comics in my car at all times. That way I have books on hand at a moment’s notice to give away to people I bump into or to read while I’m bored in a waiting room somewhere and then leave behind for someone else to enjoy. Last Wednesday while walking I decided to go back to my car to grab three or four of these comics. Then, as I walked around that day, I left these comics on the benches there at the mall for someone else to find and hopefully read.

Now perhaps these books were found by the janitorial staff and they got chucked into the garbage, or perhaps a mall employee found the books and took them to the customer service desk, thinking someone had lost them. But maybe, just maybe, someone actually picked up one of these comics and read it. And perhaps that person thought the comic was good and decided to try more. It’s a long shot, I know, but what advocacy opportunity isn’t, really?

Having found this new opportunity for comics advocacy, I thought I would share it with you my loyal readers and ask you to engage in a similar activity. It’s a relatively easy process, one you can engage in for little cost of time or money if you follow the simple steps I detail below.

What makes this assignment I’m giving you all the more timely is the fact that many of you who read this column will be going to the mall very soon, in fact probably somewhere in the vicinity of next Wednesday. Why do I predict you’ll be hitting a shopping center that day? Well, many malls have movie theaters attached to them, and next Wednesday, in case you’d forgotten, is the debut of Spider-Man 2. So since you’re going to be at the mall anyway to see the film, you might as well advocate comics in the process.

First, you need to find some comics to give away. The best way to accomplish this task that I’ve found is to simply rummage through the quarter bin at your local comic shop on your next visit there. Try to find something family-friendly, since you never know who’ll be reading it. I’d recommend finding some issues of Spider-Man if you can, to truly take advantage of the synchronicity of the date in question.

Next you must try to ensure that this book is found and taken by someone who will read it, rather than thrown out or placed in the lost and found. Therefore, it is imperative that you write the word “FREE” in bold letters on the cover. That way, if some little kid picks up the book, the kid’s mom won’t make him or her put it down, nor will she think that perhaps her child is stealing the book. Yes, this means defacing a comic book, but it’s not your comic, so don’t worry. (If this idea really bugs you, you could minimize the damage by writing “FREE” over the bar code, or you could attach a post-it note to the cover if you’re really anal about damaging the book.)

Lastly on your next trip to the mall, bring the comics along and leave them behind as you wander around. If you are going to see Spider-Man 2 at a mall movie theater next week, then take a minute and do a bit of shopping before you see the movie. As you walk, you should just set the comics down on the benches and walk away. It’s as simple as that.

Now perhaps you’re nervous that someone might think you’re weird for stalking through the mall, but again there’s no need to worry. Most likely, no one will even notice you, since they’ll all be busy making their own purchases that day. If by some strange chance someone does notice you leaving these comics behind, you can alleviate their fears by simply handing them the book. If they ask for an explanation (or if mall security tries to get on your case for soliciting on private property), simply say that you’re handing out free comics in the mall that day to promote literacy to kids. No one can argue with a noble cause like that.

Think about it. By carrying out this simple assignment, you help your local comic shop get rid of some old comics they don’t want anymore. You promote the entire comic industry by potentially bringing in new business. You provide that kid who picks up the book the enjoyment of reading the comic. Finally, you aid your own health, by getting a bit of exercise as you walk.

Why wouldn’t you take advantage of this opportunity?