You know, it's one thing for you to have had to wait for the 7th Harry Potter book, or the new Batman movie, the beginning of football season, or a new season of Lost or something, but another thing entirely when what you're waiting for is Volume 8 of Bone in the full-color softcover editions. Let me explain.
When you're an HP fan, there are legions of people just like you, dressed up in robes and broken glasses, posting shit on websites, stocking the rumor mill, and keeping up a constant flow of chatter which is bound to generate at least some useful information now and again. You have company. Additionally, you have a publisher announcing a date, and bookstores running insane promotions months out from the release date, handing out flyers and stickers and cards and stuff, all reminding you not only of when your book will be released, but opening up at midnight to facilitate your purchase. Probably shooting you a discount price, too. Much the same is true of a hotly-anticipated movie - the theaters, mobs of fans, studios, and internet goblins all team up to make sure the hype machine runs full steam. Previews, websites, games, advance notice out the wazoo; all of it designed to slake your thirst for product in dribs and drabs until you drink deeply from the cup of wide release.
Now, Bone has a website. There are games. There is a single blurb about the softcover edition being out on the 1st of August. That's it. All Summer we've been waiting for the 8th volume to come out so we can see what happens to Fone Bone, Thorn and crew, and there's no machine. No steam to speak of. There's no community. Just me, waiting and waiting 'til another weekend, with no new information, and a paucity of conversation about it. Nothing exciting to stoke the flame of desire. I must keep the fire stoked without assistance. For I - am a fanboy. It helps that I'm reading this to Max, but come on. We both want this.
Now imagine you do this a couple of times a month, and you will begin to understand what it is to be a true fanboy. Come not to me with your legions of homogenized fan parties, your funny hats and your midnight openings - though we are likely there, too - just know that the true collector is always waiting for the next thing, and there's never any real release.
This is the penultimate volume, too. It's not over yet.