The panel where Kon and Tim are arguing about it, and Kon is defending it on account of all the meaningful subtext?

No pain of recognition at all. Nope. None whatsoever.

No pain of recognition at all. Nope. None whatsoever.

I laughed and laughed and laughed.

Best Panel Ever.

We're starting to scare me, boys.

Only just now?

Okay, here's my comic book store story of the day.

I went into the Underworld to see if I could finish reading Batman: Year One (I got through the first issue at Borders, but it was near closing), but they didn't have it. So I took a look at the used section, and whoa! Slew of Daredevil trades. Ironically enough, when I had left the house, I realized I'd forgotten to check which trades I had. But I was pretty sure I knew what I was missing. I didn't have Parts of a Hole, so I picked that up. I couldn't remember whether it was Underboss or Out that I didn't have. Looking at the covers, I realized I had Underboss. I definitely didn't have Lowlife. So there were three more for the collection.

Meanwhile, the girl behind the counter was complaining that people kept thinking the male friend she was talking to was the one who worked there, despite the fact that she was behind the counter and wearing the shirt. She figured people didn't think comics were a girl thing.

I debated getting the first Birds of Prey trade. Or maybe the first Ultimate Spider-Man. As I perused the latter, the girl engaged in antagonistic joviality with another friend, who was threatening to throw some sort of squishy ball at her. She said he couldn't do so because a nice customer was behind her and if he missed I would be hit. Would I be her human shield? I calmly walked backward as I skimmed the book, putting myself into position. She was happy, but then her friend hit me in the back of the neck with a squishy football anyway.

I decided to get Spidey in honor of the upcoming movie. The girl thanked me for being her human shield, and I said it was my pleasure.

When I got home, I checked my shelf to see that yes, indeed, I already had Underboss.

And, it seemed, Out. Oops.

And, oh, um, Parts of a Hole. Well, damn.

I went back and returned those two.

Nightwing: Is there anyone you won't sleep with?

Arsenel: From the pool of superheroines with the bodies of Olympians? No, dude. (From memory--may not be exact quote.)

What about Robin busting on Nightwing in NW #25 (thanks, amych!)?

(Also paraphrased):

Robin: You've dated an alien, a goddess, a murderer, your landlady, and the former Batgirl.
Nightwing: And Huntress.
Robin: Wha-HUH?!?
Nightwing: Errr....pretend I didn't say that.

I guess what Nightwing did with Huntress could be qualified as dating in broadest sense of the word.

In the sense that bad, bad sex and psychological damage qualify as dating.

Hrm, in second thought, perhaps it is not too much of stretch to call that dating...

P-C, are you talking about the Underworld in MI?

Yes. I'm in Ann Arbor.

Small world. I know a couple of the managers of Underworld and its sister store. They attend the major gaming shows and we've talked about the industry over a meal or two.

Heh. Cool. I was actually wondering whether it was really necessary to include the name in my story, because I'm sure there are a thousand comic book stores called the Underworld. But yeah, I like it quite a bit. The people are cool, and the music is good. And they have used trades. Mmm, used trades.

Also, they're open till midnight on Friday and Saturday. The other store, the Vault of Midnight, which I haven't checked out yet, closes at ten. Ten! What the hell?!