It’s that time of year where we all vow to improve ourselves from the year before, be it more trips to the gym or getting out of debt. But what of comics New Year’s resolutions? What do you want to change for the better about your comics habits? Whether it’s trying manga for the first time, exploring indie publishers, or picking up series you just haven’t gotten around to reading, our staffers share their resolutions.
Kate Kosturski: My resolution is a simple one: read more. My free time in 2019 was searching for a new full time job, working a side job to bring in extra income, and then learning the new job that I started at the end of October. Now that I’m settled in to my new gig and making enough money to quit the side job, I have more free time. And that means more reading time.
I have a list of series that I want to discover or rediscover this year: Saga, Immortal Hulk, Star Wars: Doctor Aphra, The Wicked + The Divine. I also wanted to dive into the world of Hellboy in 2019, which didn’t happen, so that carries over into this year.
I need to make a conscious effort to read diversely as well. At Multiversity Comics (where I also write and run social media), we had a staffer call us out for our Best Writer end of year poll results being all white people (and mostly white men). We have to encourage our staff to think outside the box, and that starts with management. Thus, I must lead by example in thinking critically and being conscious about seeking out titles with diversity in creator teams.
Emily Lauer: One of my new year’s resolutions is to read more on paper for leisure, since I generally read ebooks on my phone screen for leisure reading, and physical books only for work. Graphic novels are a great enticement to read physical books for fun, since the print quality is so integral to my enjoyment of the book. To that end, I have piled some recently-recommended graphic novels from the library on my nightstand, and I have just signed up for Comix Experience’s Graphic Novel of the Month Club.
My kid has a craft kit of the month club membership and my spouse has an international snacks of the month club membership, and I am excited to join them in getting curated mail in a category I love every month!
Elvie Mae Parian: Not only do I need to commit to finishing what is still eagerly waiting on my shelves before moving on to something new, I would also like to read more nonfiction and historical-inspired work. I think it’s a ripe time for myself and even necessary for many others to get back into the habit of learning, even if one were not bound to academia, especially in this volatile period more than ever. But more specifically, I have to start a more consciously, forward effort to read and support texts that are more intersectional and more diverse.
I also would like to attend more shows and events that promote marginalized creators in an otherwise very over-saturated convention scene, such as when Bluestockings had their Inaguaral Queer + Trans Comic Fest last autumn in New York City. Although we are seeing more slivers of diverse representation, we do not see that consistently reflected in the people behind the creation of that media.
Wendy Browne: I want to branch out to read comics in more formats. There needs to be a lot more webcomics in my life. I’ve caught up with my kids on Lore Olympus, but there are so many others to enjoy.
I also want to follow up on my Breaking In re-introduction to Grimm’s Fairy Tales. I’ve enjoyed the issues I’ve read so far, and thanks to a sale, I’ve got a whole omnibus to explore.
Paulina Przystupa: Like Kate, I’d like to read more in 2020, as 2019 was filled with things that were not reading for fun. In particular, I’m focusing on series I’ve started in the past and either want to catch up on or finally finish. Thinking about this goal, it’s about returning to my comics roots.
The first being by picking up series I started as a kid like Yu Yu Hakusho, which I started reading in the monthly American Shonen Jump publication, and Inuyasha, which was the first series I picked up off the shelves of my local library. Or reminding myself that I really like webcomics like Witchy, which I read in one burst and then forgot to keep up with. While I don’t know if I’ll finish all of them, having the goal of seeing these stories play out fills me with hope for the new year.
Here’s one resolution for y’all – free of charge: Write a little bit less about the damn X-Men 😉
X-Men… X-Men… they sound very familiar… we’ll have to look them up and get back to you! ;P