The third store is a small, narrow shop that sometimes carries the indie comics I like to read and has a good selection of figures and back issues. The problem is they are also the Grand Central Terminal for Magic gatherings and Yu Gi Oh! tournaments and whatever other card games the kids are playing these days. I know that in the far reaches of the store there are boxes filled with great back issues, but I don’t feel like elbowing my way passed the pimply-faced kids and overgrown teenagers speaking in the language of the Cult of Cards to get through to them.
So I’m left with a 40 minute car ride to Port Jefferson or a 40 minute train ride to New York City if I want to find some Slave Labor items or back issues to complete collections or something besides superheroes.
I’ve been thinking about opening my own comic shop. I’m pretty sure I could find backing. There are plenty of empty spaces available around here. Mu husband would be more than competent at running the store full time.
I just wonder if there is a call for it. How would I go about finding out how many comic book fans there are around here that would clamor for the indie stuff that can’t be found anywhere else?
I would love to have a full anime section that doesn’t have Dragonball Z as its main attraction. There would be an imports section and a reading area (with a No Drooling sign) and I would never, ever hold a Pokemon tournament on the premises. I would have a whole area just for comic art. Sure, I would stock all the Marvel and D.C. stuff, but I would carry heavy doses everything else. People would never come in and ask for some obscure title like Creed and have the person behind the counter look at them as if they were crazy. You wouldn't have to watch the salesperon make 100 quizzical phone calls as he tries to find you a copy of Blade of the Immortal - Blood of a Thousand.
I have a million ideas on how to make it work, but right now it’s just a huge fantasy rolling around in my head that I like to shake around every once in a while.
Article comments
1 - Murphy
That's excellent, Michelle.
"the personality of a wet mop that’s dripping with both dirty water and sarcasm"
That's dead on.
It's true, comics and graphic novels can be way better than the fans. If you let them.
Of course, there's always amazon to save you from the droolers.
2 - cephusj
You are soooo funny. Good article also.
3 - jadester48
i say go for it. Heh, if i could, i'd run a second-hand bookstore and comic store in one...
4 - Bill Sherman
I'd shop at your store.
Of course, it'd make a hell of a commute from Central Illinois. . .
5 - Jim Carruthers
I'm lucky enough to live in Canada's preminent city of Toronto which has The Beguiling, one of the best comic book stores on this planet. However, shopping for comix is rendered frustrating for those of us who aren't the Comic Book Guy (and are you afraid of turning into CBG if you open a store? Pony-tail, ass-crack and all?)
The last time I went to The Beguiling to find copies of Fray, I found out they weren't available because of some stupid publishing thing from Dark Horse.
So I have to wait until the single issue book comes out.
And all I could think was why it was so frustrating for adults to buy comix?
6 - Flea Rosca
that's telling 'em... of course, i haven't bought comics in years, but if there were a shop dedicated to indie comics fans like myself, i might get started again.
it's funny, the way you describe those comics nerds they sound like... junkies!