Greg's Gripe is that fan boys try to convince people that they are right?

Seriously?

Personal attacks, threats, obscure unreasonable emotional out bursts aside, isn't that what we are supposed to do? If you read Blackest Night + all the tie ins you are stupid. I could simple state this as fact (option 1) or I could do the research + show how much money you wasted, how little continuity the entire thing had, and how utterly untenable the entire “event” is for the long range future of all the characters even tangentially involved–put up a color coded five star system of stupid, with user polling and live updates (option 2).

Option one is boring and lame, option two is clever and fun.

And Fan Boy Flame Wars (FBFW) are about more then simple aesthetic judgement (Johns' writes boring anachronistic heroes), but rather serious disputes about the way the world should work (good writers should *occasionally* take risks + break new ground). Expressing this with geeky over the top, crazy, + outlandish claims is part of the fun, I think.

“Stories are wonderful powerful things, but they are not things for us to completely destroy ourselves over”–WHAT? I don't even know you any more. Aren't I reading along with Sandman? I like the point of creating our own stories if we are not happy, but that does not mean I cannot mock the crap that is being created at the same time…

More importantly, anyone who does not see the value in FBFW's is likely spending most of his time experiencing the flames online and has stopped showing up on line for new comic day at their local shop–the banter, mockery, and camaraderie is classic Fan Boy fun + is generally presented with a smirk (as your podcast often demonstrates).

Me thinks that a special “live from New Comic Day” episode appears to be required–asking the kids what they are buying and why. It would be classic. And the source of many, many laughs if your shop is anything like mine.

I think you make great points, David. And I do think that those aspects of being a Fanboy are wonderful. They explore the passion of our enjoyment of this work.
Although, the things your point out as setting aside “personal attacks, threats, obscure unreasonable emotional out bursts” are the very things I am speaking about.
If you want to make a chart to examine why Blackest Night and its various tie-ins are stupid, great. Share it and have fun with it. I am not sure that I agree that such a chart to assert why someone else is dumb is as valuable.
It is drawing the line of respect for your fellow fan that is important.
Comics are wonderful. There are ones that we feel are good or bad, and what we do is talk about that. That is what being a fan is all about.
But if you spend any amount of time on any of the fan forums, you run into a lot of the personal attacks and various offenses. And personal attacks tend to snowball.
Would “Read Along with…” be as much fun if we didn't talk about the story, but instead fans of Sandman? It may be funny. But it wouldn't be informative, thought provoking, or challenging.
I love and value different viewpoints and opinions. I am sure you see it in our show.
But nothing turns me off quicker than being told I am stupid for reading X. I will not listen to why you don't like X if that is where you start. If you think X is stupid, and expand your argument further, you have my ear.
What I don't know is how we get people to see that. I have left plenty of forums because it stopped being interesting and instead just got nasty. And where is the fun in that?

Hey Jason, you said you don't do crossovers at all. Have you ever read Crisis on Infinite Earths? What are your thoughts on it if you have?

I haven't read it, but my statement was primarily predicated on all of the “events” pushed at consumers over the last 10 years. I know Marvel and DC aren't going to stop the all of the ridiculous crossovers and tie-ins, but I hope someone with the companies understands that a lot of comic fans are willing to withhold their money in response.

You, sir, have will power that I do not. Stand tall, brave soldier!

What you're not a fan of X-Tinction Agenda, X-Cutioner's song, Maximum Carnage etc?

Don't worry Pete, I'm a Zune user too (zunetag: model563). And despite being a regular customer at Arcane in West Seattle I found this podcast via the Zune marketplace. Only to find out later, it was locally done

Sweet, then getting on the Zune Marketplace was totally worth it! Pete, I owe you a coke.