I own both single-speed and geared bikes. Agree with Rolla on this one. Looking at this thread:

newbie looking for straight up comfy ride for long distance possible

If you're new to riding, and interested in comfort, it's my hunch that a single speed bike will be a disappointment, assuming typical hills, headwinds, cargo, etc. Multi speed gearing is a really great invention, and makes a bike a lot more versatile. With that said, there are certainly folks who love their single speed bikes and swear that they ride them everywhere.