Gen's 2019: A Retrospective
I’m taking some time today to talk about what an interesting year 2019 has been for my relationship with the comic industry. I don’t want to sound too cheesy but in order to get ready for 2020, I need to reflect on the past year.
I’m gonna start with all the mushy stuff, so if you’re not feeling like having emotions today you can skip to the second part where I focus more on actual comics.
First, let me start by saying I got my first ever comic room this July and I am super stoked about it. It really changed the perception of my collection, it feels less hectic and all over the place and more serious. When friends and family come to my home, I can welcome them in my secret room and they can feel the magnitude of the comic universe around them. Ok, I might be exaggerating a little, but it doesn’t remove the fact that this new room made me super happy this year. A dream come true.
Second, I have to mention how I’ve managed to accomplish the goals set in early January: I wanted to challenge myself to read 100 comics. It might seem like a little number for some, but for me it was a real fulfillment to manage to find the time to read ‘’this much’’. Thank you Good Reads for helping me into keeping track of those.
Now that all the futile stuff are out of the way, we can jump over my favorite accomplishment of the year:
April.
In April 2019, Ryan asked me to be a part of The Comic Lounge. I remember seeing his message and asking myself (as a primarily french speaker) ‘’Am I able to do this?’’. Writing little things on Instagram and writing full articles in another language that I haven't quite mastered was a really huge challenge.
But I gave it a try and sent my first review (Little Bird #1, you know it). This review was well received by all of you and Ryan seemed to be happy with my work, which felt really good for my self-confidence.
When I wrote my ‘’Women’s place in comics’’ piece, followed by the article on Image Comics… That’s when I knew this whole journey was a great accomplishment. I was able to join this beautiful community and not only did it made me feel like I am part of something: a community, but I also realized I had a voice and something to say. I’m pretty good at my real life work, but comics were always a subject I didn’t quite master…. Or so I thought.
You see, writing about comics isn’t about knowing when the first appearance of Wolverine was (I honestly don’t care). No. Writing about comics is writing about passion, opinion and your own perception. And I will be forever grateful for that experience.
And let’s not forget the most incredible experience I’ve ever lived, making this year the best ever yet:
October.
I took a plane, left my precious Quebec and flew right to Los Angeles to meet a part of my comic family. This experience was absolutely beautiful. I’ve talked about it multiple times, but I can’t stop talking about it. I just feel like this was something meant to be (I warned you about mushy stuff, stop rolling your eyes).
Meeting Shah, Trevor, Dylan, Ryan was so crazy. Here is just a picture of the team that I keep preciously because it means a lot to me:
It’s just the perfect example of how people can change your life just by their kindness. It shows the powerful impact a community can have on individuals and how we can empower each other. The Comic Lounge is all about inclusivity and passion. It’s about working as a team and being able to listen to each other. And that’s the best part of this blog because you, awesome reader, are a part of it too.
Moving on to more serious (or is it really?) matter…
Here is a list of my favorite comic I’ve read this year:
Little Bird - Do you really need a third explanation?
Middlewest - For the genuine and heartfelt thoughts in it. For talking about those subjects we are generally just ignoring.
Mister Miracle - For being one of the best comic out there, for being able to say out loud what we even refuse to think about.
I Hate Fairyland - For being this explosion of fun and colors and just being a whole lot of fun to read!
Fatale - An old one, but a good one.
Moment I still can’t get over with:
Obviously, my favorite iconic moment in the comic industry was…. The END of The Walking Dead. How crazy is that? that this more than iconic series is now over? I never thought I would see the day to be honest!
Favorite Discovery:
Discovering Mad Cave Studios. This indie publisher is here to stay. They are making their place and they are proud of what they put out there. I like a good and passionate brand with an even more amazing team.
Movie I was the most excited about but still haven’t watch because you know…. cringe:
Hellboy Movie
Looking back at 2019 I can confidently say it was a GREAT year. Hoping we will continue all the goodness and the fun for 2020. Happy new year to all of you, friends and comics lovers!