The Question 5

I know that I have mentioned the “file” concept before. If you don’t know what I am speaking of, then here is a brief descriptionario: A file is something which the ultra mega nerd utilizes as a tool for catching all new comics of interest. Stowed away in the background of your comic shop, the sweatpants god that is its owner has an area designated for the keeping of files. Every Wednesday (unless mail is off a day due to a big Monday holiday, meaning books come in on Thursday) the comic shop owners place a certain number of newly arrived books on the shelves, while the rest are held back to be placed in files bearing the names of the comic shop owners loyal (but often broke) customers. This way the loyal customers needn’t worry about missing their book o’choice due to insufficient funds – it will be waiting for them just as soon as they get paid and are ready to go hungry. This is the meaning of file.

Now, as hinted at before, it is not probable, nay plausible, that every ubernerd will be able to come through with the cash to uphold his end of the file deal. In other words, due to money problems, reality checks, moving to a new town or nasty old maturation there are times when the comic book customer fails to ever return to the comic shop. This scenario forces the weary comic dealer into attempting to contact the miserable file holder in hopes of making a sale, and in severe doubt that one is coming. However, there is an upside my friends. Oh yes, a definite upside for the rest of us who attend said comic shop. And this is both the best part and the point of my tale. When the prospective buyer, and assumed future owner of these books fails to purchase, or informs the shop owner that he is no longer able to, or simply doesn’t show for a few months, the owner does a thing of mystic beauty: he returns six month old books to the shelves.

Enter, The Question.

I saw that The Question #5 was on the newly arrived shelves, and I immediately went around to the back side to see if numbers 1-4 were in the back-issue section. The thing is, I had done this before when number four came out, but there had only been a handful of #3’s left. Then, yesterday in the early morning, the comic shop guy gave up on some poor soul, and like a true vulture I dove headlong into the carcass of his file.

What a joy it was to see a thicker stack of comics resting against the shelf in The Question’s personal spot. I peeled back the fours and saw two #3’s. I peeled back the number threes and to my surprise found a number two. I saw a different colored spine behind that, and wouldn’t you know it, a number one.

I pooped myself on the spot. Since I had to immediately leave the store to go home and change my drawers, I asked Doug, my current comic shop guy, to hold all of them - one through five - for me until I could return without brown stains of joy frightening away all of the customers.

Why is there nothing out about this book? Why is no one talking? I mean, it isn’t Nord and Buseik, but it is still pretty darn good.

With an incredible concept by Rick Veitch and superb artwork by Tommy Lee Edwards, this unknown book is one of the biggest should-be’s since Buseik and Pacheco did Arrowsmith. Although the poetic aspects and the Eastern mysticism can get a bit tiresome, the dialogue, plots, and attitude of this comic give it a feel of san artifact. It is like something that was missing; only, you couldn’t know that it had been until you saw it for the first time.

-Peblee