View Full Version : Love your comic book shop
silent_shadow900
10-16-2006, 01:18 AM
Tell us why you love your local comic shop by giving a certain example!
Today, I went to my local comic shop, Cyborg 1 (http://cyborg1.com/). They had won a contest Dark Horse had. Here's what the website says:
"Cyborg One is one of only ten retailers in the world granted 100 copies of the variant cover to Dark Horse's new blockbusters Star Wars comic, Dark Times! We'll have them on release day, November 1st, and our supply will be limited, so if you'd like a copy, please let us know in advance! If you live out of town and you'd like us to mail you your copy, we can do it (because there is no "try")!"
So, I went down today to reserve my copy (and to buy some Daredevil). I was talking to the guy there, and he said that the win is both a gift and a curse. I asked him why, and he said that collecters were swarming the store. I talked to him and reserved mine.
Apparently, other comic book shops that won are putting up the varients on eBay for a lot of money, but reportedly, the owner of Cyborg 1 wouldn't do it. I thought that was awesome, because it showed dedication to the customer. Further dedication to the local buyers also, because the guy there (not disclosing a name) said that local frequent buyers get first pick. Awesome!
Also, I got a steal on daredevil comics. One dollar each! I bought the storyarc right before Brubaker's work.
Unfortunately, they didn't have Criminal there. Shame.
narco
10-16-2006, 01:35 AM
I'm not as much of a comic geek as I used to be, I focus more on music and the same has to be said for record shops. There are a lot of record stores who start selling stuff on eBay, then realize they don't need the shop anymore so they shut down.
My favorite record store only sells rare stuff that has been sitting on the shelves for at least a month, and lets the regulars get the first pick.
The internet is great, but it's also causing a lot of closures. Part of the fun of collecting comics or music is actually going to the stores, talking to the employees, getting your item right then and there, and discovering new things.
calvinslug
10-16-2006, 01:35 AM
Generally decent sausage at my shop, Fantom Comics on Wisconsin Ave.
Nah, it's a pretty new place and close to my house. The guy who runs it is nice (ok a little cute) and helpful and is excited and tries to find innovative ways to draw customers in. Doesn't hurt that it's on top of the metro as well.
The shop that I go to has a large and diverse pornography section in the back of the store. That's one stop shopping at its best.
satori
10-16-2006, 02:11 AM
The Silver Snail is the best Comic store in toronto. It has all the great comics that you find elsewhere but at discounted prices. Great figures, great books, great games.... all the best collectables, and a great staff: www.silversnail.com
satansmagichat
10-16-2006, 05:02 AM
Also, I got a steal on daredevil comics. One dollar each! I bought the storyarc right before Brubaker's work.
DUDE! You pretty much need all of Bendis's run to get a grasp of the situation. But that's just my opinion. Anyways...
I like my store just because when I went in a couple years, I basically said, "Listen, I don't know much about comic books, but I'm learning, and mostly I've been checking out independant stuff, but just give me the run down of anything you think I might like based on what I've read." And instead of being an asshole like he could've, he recommended some graphic novels, and was glad to get a new customer. Now every time I go in there (which isn't always weekly, sad to say :( ) He or one of his lackies gets my folder ready, and generally recommend anything new (like The Boys, although I already knew about that one ;) )
big-doze
10-16-2006, 05:17 AM
When I first got into comics I started going to Showcase Comics (now Atomic City Comics) every day after school. Sometimes, on a particularly broke Wednesday, I'd travel around the lunchroom asking for donations for some obscure charity, when in fact I was just feeding my addiction.
So Free Comic Book Day rolls around. and my buddy and I are such loyal customers that we are given a special assignment: We have to protest Free Comic Book Day outside their store. We made signs and chanted, screaming about how the very idea of free comics was insulting to the illiterate, thereby attracting tons of attention and business.
Any store smart enough to come up with that scheme, and pay two dumb high school kids in comics to execute it, is ok in my book.
satansmagichat
10-16-2006, 07:05 AM
When I first got into comics I started going to Showcase Comics (now Atomic City Comics) every day after school. Sometimes, on a particularly broke Wednesday, I'd travel around the lunchroom asking for donations for some obscure charity, when in fact I was just feeding my addiction.
So Free Comic Book Day rolls around. and my buddy and I are such loyal customers that we are given a special assignment: We have to protest Free Comic Book Day outside their store. We made signs and chanted, screaming about how the very idea of free comics was insulting to the illiterate, thereby attracting tons of attention and business.
Any store smart enough to come up with that scheme, and pay two dumb high school kids in comics to execute it, is ok in my book.
That's awesome.
briangilmore
10-16-2006, 07:14 AM
I grew up making my mom (and then when I grew up, my girlfriends) spend hours while I talked to the employees (or just plain loitered) in Lee's Comics in San Mateo (just outside San Francisco), CA. This is where I got my spiderman fix until I was about 18, then I moved to Los Angeles...
...I'm still not loyal to any one shop (although I have been partial to this one store in Santa Monica), but I'm beginning to develop a good dialogue with the people at Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash (it's right next to UCLA so on wednesdays now, I go in and get my budgeted 4 books limit).
Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash (or just Secret Stash) is the shop owned by Kevin Smith that has everything he's done (even his spiderman/black cat run) autographed by him at no additional cost (ebay!!!) and props from basically all of his movies. Their selection is pretty unrivaled, except by this one place that is literally three blocks away from my place that just doesn't have the feel I like. There's this OTHER place like less than a mile away, but it also is mainly a sports memorabilia/trading cards store and most of the time the guys are NOT comics guys. Secret Stash, I think is the place for me right now, as I am terribly nomadic and am looking to end this. Even if I travel four extra miles to go there. Alberto is cool, pop in and say hi, he knows his shit.
bcool
10-16-2006, 07:19 AM
when I lived in seattle this summer, I went to zanadu comics a bunch (in the U-District) and liked it. Now I'm just using amazon for trades:mad:
funnelfish
10-16-2006, 03:35 PM
when I lived in seattle this summer, I went to zanadu comics a bunch (in the U-District) and liked it. Now I'm just using amazon for trades:mad:
Man, you couldn't go five blocks further and go to Comics Dungeon? :o
That's my shop. They have any kind of trade that you could possibly want. Plus the staff is great.
slowmtnsilhouette
10-16-2006, 05:53 PM
i love my shop because they dont make me feel stupid when i ask them questions about comics. plus, whenever i go in, they all want to help...
tokenuser
10-16-2006, 06:00 PM
I used to visit Minotaur (http://www.minotaur.com.au/) in Melbourne (Oz) during my lunch break fairly regulary. They were great - and didn't make a bunch of suits on their lunch breaks feel out of place among the uni students that also haunted the place. Since moving to the US, I never found a comic store that fit as well, and was convenient.
Most of the ones near where I lived in SoCal where pretty much devoted to Manga - and thats about it (and MtG which was a secret vice of mine ... but only if they could give me the cards in a plain brown paper bag to leave the store with).
I had a couple of series I was buying - but lost track of them when I moved. Perhaps I should see if some trades have been made of them ...
bigyanks
10-16-2006, 06:02 PM
my favorite comic store is Jim Hanleys Universe http://www.jhuniverse.comon 33rd street in new york city. close by to my job very helpfull staff very eager to always help someone look for something. A wide array of different types of comics and seems to always have a signing everyother month. also once they had 50% sale on everything.
vegasgeek
10-16-2006, 07:14 PM
Because mine is next to 3 beauty shop and salons...needless to say, hot geeky chicks everywhere. plus they have one of the best dollar bins in this town.
bcool
10-16-2006, 08:35 PM
Man, you couldn't go five blocks further and go to Comics Dungeon? :o
That's my shop. They have any kind of trade that you could possibly want. Plus the staff is great.
I'm moved back to CA now, but will check that out when I move back to WA next fall. if I remember. Which I won't.
kenclunk
10-17-2006, 01:59 AM
Carol & John's Comic Shop in the west side of Cleveland is great. They are very friendly and I love their atmosphere. I only recently started going and like all of my experiences. Although I must admit that I only buy TPB, which are available online for cheap. I do feel like a should sort of support the little guy, which I still do every now and then. If anyone’s around the area check them out:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&lr=&q=carol%20and%20johns%2044111&sa=N&tab=wl