Book excerpt: With a mix of humor, recollection and insight, Deus ex Comica explores how the Marvel Comics stable of titles influenced Adam's pre-teen and adolescent years, his rediscovery of sequential art as an adult, and the pleasure of watching his own son's first steps into the comic book universe.Pulling inspiration from all corners of pop culture, Adam moves among topics ranging from the struggles of having a collector's completist mentality to remembering Assistant Editor's Month to the discovery of the amazing artists and writers who are guiding the industry today.Adam's Deus ex Comica is a loving reference to the wonder and excitement that comic books contribute to popular culture at large. The details may be specific to one Midwestern boy's journey from child to husband and parent, but it's a truly identifiable chronicle of a pop culture junkie who has reawakened the long-dormant comic book fan within.