Avengers Assemble, that means you, iPad

Despite what a favorite T-shirt says, everything I know I did not learn from comics. MASH, Springsteen lyrics, and D&D helped, too.

Nevertheless comics have been an important part of my life for 30-some years. Actually, one of the first comics I remember is a 1978 Thor that Mom bought for us to read on one of the long drives to vacation, so 40 years is more correct.

In that issue, Loki brings a news crew to Asgard to film the Ragnarok, which he attempts to start.

Lately, though, they have become harder to read, both holding them and turning the pages.

For the past several months, I have let stacks of comics sit in my room unread because it wasn't a lot of fun to read them.

Last weekend, I threw in the towel, deciding to give up comics.

My sister thought that was silly, and she told me so.

An iPad is the answer, she added. Turns out she was right!

I spent the afternoon reading Doctor Strange back issues on an awesome iPad. . It is so fast when I don't have to worry about pages. I went through eight in a few hours. Reading the paper version took half-an-hour each.

I'll miss the books themselves, but that's about it.

The other bad thing is new issues cost the same as the print version, which is dumb and makes no sense. Is Marvel, the company I read now, going to send me a print copy if one I digitally buy becomes valuable? This is moot because I won't be subscribing digitally because of that. I also won't be subscribing in print. Two losses. A big deal for the company? No, but a loss all the same.

Instead of new issues I'll read ones at least six months old with a subscription service.

I could write more, but there are comics to read.