To our veterans, we here at The Source say…thank you. I realize this phrase is comprised of only 2 words — a syllabic sparsity unable to properly chamber the true, unearthly volume of our gratitude — but the feeling is genuine and the meaning is generated from a boundless pool of compassion, appreciation, acknowledgement and understanding.
It’s because of you, our veterans, that I’m able to sit here and type nonsense about some bat-themed, traumatized vigilante of the night; nonsense that is my own personal opinion and never under threat of faceless, governmental detraction. It’s because of you the freedom exists to create amazing characters, enriching, engaging stories, the freedom to experience these stories, and the freedom to share our love for these fantastic devices we use to express our strengths, weaknesses, hopes and collective consternation. It’s because of you, we can tap into the wellspring of our dreams and paint the world with captivating, challenging words accompanying equally uplifting and conversely elegiac imagery.
Captain America, Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, the Hulk, Thor, Iron Man. These characters are colorful embodiments of our personal struggles and envisioned avatars of our pronounced desire to do good, great, and righteous things. You, our veterans, have taken it upon yourselves to not only embody the themes of betterment, but to take action towards said betterment. As I dream, write, sing, paint, criticize, care, feel, want and project, I can only offer a simple articulation to compress the gratitude and make known, simply and easily, the poignancy of my appreciation:
Thank you.
