[ WP ] In the world of superheroes , fans of normalcy are considered to be that world 's comic book geeks .

Tempus clasped his hands together, mimicking the gestures depicted in the camping panels of *Minus Ordinary**: Issue # 34*. He wanted so badly to know what it was like to depend on tricks like “ making a fire ” and “ creating warmth through friction. ” If the people of Woodland Hills could survive on minimal functions, he could overcome his temperature regulation glands. 
 
 *Maybe if I move my fingers a little faster…* 
 
 “ You need to press the palms together, ” the girl in front of him instructed. Her painted cheeks and eyes framed her features exactly like Hills resident, Stacy Bloom. 
 
 *She reads the comic! * 
 
 In the fourteen hours, three minutes he spent hovering in line, she was the first person who seemed connected to the midnight showing. Her recreation of Stacy's patched parka and ripped jeans showed impeccable attention to detail for her to be a casual fan. Even the girl's sneakers were ratty - a callback to Stacy's love for hiking in Issue # 1399. 
 
 *Be cool. Sure, she has n't noticed your flannel and cargoes, but maybe she's waiting for her friends. Just say something or you'll hate yourself later. * 
 
 Tempus cleared his voice, catching her attention. The girl's eyebrow arched as he said, `` So, uh, we ’ ve got time to kill. Favorite issue? ” 
 
 “ Hmmm… ” The girl tucked her hands into her pockets. “ *A New Leaf*, when Bob McDonald grew his first tomato. It was sad, but believable. You know, considering their limits. ” 
 
 Tempus dropped his hands. “ What do you mean? ” 
 
 “ Johnny Smith, circa 1956. ” The girl tossed back her greased ponytail. “ I ’ m a Botanic and even I couldn ’ t make a farm flourish within two months! ” 
 
 “ Well, he did read that book about growing things organically. ” 
 
 “ Except in the Silver Age no one had ‘ photo-to-finish memory. ’ Which, by the way, was a total cop out. ” The girl eyed a middle aged couple flying toward the ticket booth. A small baby was tucked into the woman ’ s pouch, sleeping until they landed in line. 
 
 “ Great, just what we need, ” Tempus sighed. “ And here I thought the worst part of the movie was Ann Johnson's casting. ” 
 
 The Botanic nodded in agreement. “ Stacy ’ s more badass, anyway. The way she heals Tyler Jones with nothing but antiseptic and gauze? Freaking amazing! ” 
 
 A lurch in Tempus ’ stomach took him out of the moment. His internal clock felt off by a few seconds. Demented Dimension might be playing with the planet's axis. Again. 
 
 *Damn, I don ’ t want to give up my place in line! Maybe it ’ s just nerves. Wouldn ’ t be the first time. Look, in one minute and fifteen seconds they ’ ll let us into the theater and you ’ ll be fine. * 
 
 “ So… ” the girl said, playing with the edge of her parka ’ s ripped sleeves. “ What ’ s your favorite issue? ” 
 
 *Crap. Twelve hours, two seconds ago, I would ’ ve had a top thirty collection. Hell, fifteen minutes, five seconds ago I made a top five categorized by era! What do I say? * 
 
 “ Um, Issue # 34. ” Tempus rubbed his hands together. 
 
 “ Should ’ ve guessed. ” The girl extended a hand. Tiny green vines twisted around her fingers, the only part of her skin not covered in fabric. “ I ’ m Ramus. ” 
 
 “ You here with friends? ” Tempus asked, shaking her hand. 
 
 “ No, this is *my* viewing. I don ’ t want anyone ruining *Minus Ordinary* for me by asking stupid questions the entire time. ” 
 
 “ Same. Last week, my buddy Ignis thought a flashlight was something that emitted bursts of radiation. ” 
 
 Ramus giggled. “ Right? They so don ’ t know what they ’ re missing. ” 
 
 “ Until they start pretending that they always loved the series. ” 
 
 The line began to move forward, and for the first time since Tempus got in line he didn ’ t want to move. Hollywood could never capture the heart of his beloved series. He dreaded the re-imagined plots and characters all in an effort to reach a general audience. 
 
 Out here, he could converse with a fellow fan. They could speculate about Woodland Hills' impending blizzard. Or laugh at Stan Kirk's inability to e-mail his boss. Or marvel at Barbara Cane's successful veterinarian practice despite her mammalian language deficiency. 
 
 *It's those weaknesses make them strong; that it takes more than one person to save their world. All that exploration into the essence of a sentient being will undoubtedly be buried in favor of bullshit explosions and dues ex machinas. * 
 
 “ You look how I feel, ” Ramus said, nervously. 
 
 “ Regretting your ticket purchase? ” 
 
 “ It's like I'm paying to watch the destruction of my childhood. ” Ramus sighed as the line stopped moving. “ This was a dumb idea. ” 
 
 “ No, we just need an exit strategy. ” 
 
 `` Like what?'' 
 
 Tempus scratched his chin. “ Well, if it gets really terrible, we could pull a Tyler and Stacy from Issue # 980…if-if you want. ” 
 
 Ramus stared at Tempus for a moment, her lips parting into a shy smile as she said, “ Sure, I'm up for coffee. That sounds nice. ” 
 
 Tempus smiled. In two hours, forty-five minutes, and fifteen seconds, the movie theater would showcase a comic the masses could handle. 
 
 And four minutes, nine seconds into it, Tempus would find himself reenacting one of his favorite *Minus Ordinary ’ s* storylines. 

