comic books and church music part I

i work for a toy distributor. i was only there to help out before the holidays and ended up staying a bit longer than planned. it has been cooler than cool for one specific reason and it has nothing to do with the toys. . . i work with people who love sci-fi and comic books.

it is great to be able to talk about this stuff with other people. dave is ecstatic that i have found some "Trekkie" friends to play with. . . . he thinks all sci-fi fans are created equal - he doesn't understand that you can be a sci-fi affectionado without being a Captain Kirk fan - but i digress.

one of my co-workers loaned me "the watchmen" - a graphic novel in which the 12 individual series comics that make up the novel were released 20 years ago and is finally making it to the big screen this week. i don't want to do a review here but i do want to touch on one of the themes - what do super heroes do when they are forced into retirement? (you will have to read it or watch it to find out or you could email me and ask me and i might tell you).

do they fade gracefully into the night and make new lives for themselves in a world that no longer needs or remembers them? or do they they fade gracefully into the night allowing bitterness and anger to hijack their moral compasses and end up planning the destruction of said ungrateful world?

ok, i was reading the watchmen during the time i was talking with someone about the church music's evolution/revolution the last 30 years - organists, pianists, choirs, music directors, Hymns (spelled with a CAPITAL "H"), choruses and cantatas to guitarists, keyboardists, drummers, praise teams, worship pastors, worship songs and choruses, and hymns (spelled with a little "h").

what do organists and pianists and choir members and choir directors do when they are forced into retirement?

do they fade gracefully into the night and make new lives for themselves in a church that no longer needs or remembers them? or do they fade gracefully into the night, leaving that church to search for one with a pipe organ and robes?

part II tomorrow. . .