The little girl sat at our children’s table two or three times a week. Sometimes, weekends. Her mother would fit herself into one of the tiny chairs, purse in her lap, reading a Spanish romance novel. The girl would build a small stack of Archies and Tiny Titans and keep them within arm’s reach. She […]
Our own Jud Meyers interviews Robert Silverberg, the Hugo- and Nebula-award-winning science-fiction author and Grand Master of Science Fiction on the occasion of the release of the new graphic-novel adaptation of his novel DOWNWARD TO THE EARTH from the publisher Humanoids. Jud: Our community loves to discuss the beginnings of their romance with comic […]
Merriam-Webster hallow verb – hal.low – \ ˈha-(ˌ)lō \ 1. to make holy. 2. to respect greatly. It’s another All Hallows Eve. The city of Angels is buzzing, laughing, honking their horns. They’ve put the finishing touches on their ghosts and ghouls and goblins. No pagans here, folks. Just role-players and revelers, congratulating one another […]
Hopefully, there’s a comic book store in your town. You step through the doors every week to get your new books and chat with the people working there. You talk about what’s on the shelves, what you like, what you don’t. You leave behind the worries of work, the bills, and relationships and disappear into […]
“Daddy, can I press the buttons?” My daughter, Hannah, stood on a chair at my counter, reaching out for the cash register. She loved it when the cash drawer popped open. Surprised her every time. She’d spent many hours behind my counter. She was only a year old when we opened our doors and I […]
Since we first opened our shop, we’ve operated with strict posted hours. We open when we say we’ll open and we close on time so we can get home to our families and have a good quality of life. Of course, the first couple of years, I played fast and loose with those rules; you […]
For a little over three years, Jerry has walked among us. Or, maybe it was just three years ago that I began noticing him. He kind of just appeared on my radar one day as he shuffled along the comic racks, eyes to the floor. I have to admit that he made me a little […]
I saw her hovering by the door. She was obviously considering whether to step all the way in or drift back out into the night. The door kept opening and closing and folks rushed passed her on all sides, delaying her decision. I was desperate to run over and rescue her, but I was trapped […]
“Listen, I’ve been thinking a lot about this and I really think it’s best if I move on.” “It’s really been great. I’ve loved every minute of the time we’ve spent together, but I just need a change.” “It’s nothing personal. I just want to see what else is out there.” Yes, it’s the dreaded […]
Ready? I no longer consider myself a comic book collector. There, I said it. It’s out in the open. I have no longboxes in my closet. No special “runs.” No complete limited series. It wasn’t always this way. You don’t become a comic retailer unless you’ve got some kind of obsessive history with the medium. […]
They breezed in one Sunday afternoon, wide eyed and cheerful. Both must have been in their late 70s or early 80s. I watched as they casually walked the floor, browsing and whispering to one another. The one thing that immediately struck me was that they were holding each other’s hands. I remember thinking about how […]
Our store lives on a main thoroughfare in the heart of an active city. Over the years, I’ve watched the neighborhood grow, change and grow some more. Corporate buildings going up, houses being built, storefronts expanding. With the growing diversity of infrastructure comes the growing diversity of our neighbors. Race, religion, political bent, wealth, destitution. […]
In walked Dave, towering and foreboding. His arms were muscular, tattooed from shoulder to wrist. Dragons and monsters adorned them, colors blazing. They dared viewers to glance at their majesty, but also intimidated them enough to look away. As with any new customer, their story is important. I can’t pair the book with the man […]
