It's been a while since I last posted on here, or even joined in any meaningful discussion on a message board, so although I have been gone in a sense for a while I just needed to write a proper goodbye to something that has been a huge part of the formative years of my life.

Over the past year or so I've come to realise a few things; firstly that comics are stupid, and secondly that this stupidity of costumed crusaders battling villains in some hyper fantasised setting, is what makes this medium so great. Comics have helped me through some really tough times in my life. The idea of a super powered teen having the same problems I did was something that helped an overweight pre-pubesant thirteen year old through the first year of a new school where I didn't really fit in. In that same year I had some personal losses which at the time I didn't think bothered me, but looking back they really shook me to my very core and challenged my opinion of what I thought of myself. As I've crawled my way back from that deep low point in my life, where I suffered from some mild depression, comics have fallen by the wayside, I of course kept up a healthy pull list but going to the store or buying them online didn't seem as important as it once did.

Now before someone takes this the wrong way and says that I'm making out the all comic book readers are sad, fat depressives. I'm not, I was a sad, fat, depressive but comics are for everyone, hence the popularity on the big screen and at Hollywood block busters. I think comics are great, but for me I feel that now I'm 'better' they don't have a part in my life any more.

As I've said comics were one of the few things that I enjoyed in life and comic vine was a huge part of that. In 'the vine' I found a collective of like minded, hugely friendly (for the most part) and supportive people, in which I could always find a place to join in a discussion or voice my opinions. And I wish to thank you all from the very bottom of my heart for helping me see that not everything was bad. It's not just the amazing community that I wish to thank but also the amazing people who run this site and fill it with top notch content from the old video reviews, that would help me decide what I was going to bye that week, or the best stuff in comics sections that I would always watch/read.

But as they say all good things must come to an end, and the amazing second home that comic vine has given me is one which I know must leave. I find myself wanting to do other things than read a comic, going out with my friends or to parties are the highlights of my life now not the monthly exploits of Invincible or Batman.

As such I've decided to call it quits on comic books and this amazing place that so many of us call home, but first a couple of thank yous to people on here who helped me through such a time;

@flazam: Someone who was once a dear, dear friend of mine. We have lost contact recently, I'm not even sure if your still active on here, but if you do see this I just want to say thanks for everything and bye 'robin'

@battle_forum_junkie @ccraft @themanintheshoe The three of you along with flazam formed part of a group where I could always come with questions or just to have a conversation, thanks guys.

And that's about that I suppose, way longer than I intended it too be but it was something I had to get off my chest instead of just shutting down my account. Maybe I just like the idea of ceremony.

But any way, Ciao, Adíos, Au revoir, see ya.

Goodbye Comic Vine

And thanks for everything.