Are there even any comic book stores near you anymore?

[BAH HUMBBUG!]

I will try to post some too in the next few weeks.

 

[Kable24]

There is 5 all within 20 minutes of my house.
The first one which is right down the street from me is called Dimension X.
http://www.hellishtoys.com/servlet/StoreFront Awesome store for all my statues and other collectables.

Then there is comics Connection
http://www.comixconnection.com/ Great store for current titles, back issues and some collectables

There is Cosmic Comics. I don't go to this one often. Maybe twice a year if that.

My regular spot is actually the farthest one away, but the service is well worth it.
Comics and Paperbacks Plus.
http://www.comicsandpaperbacksplus.com/




I forgot about Keystone Comics. Been there once. Not worth the effort.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

That sucks. It shares a name with a comic book city, so you'd expect Keystone would actually be good.

 

[Kable24]

That sucks. It shares a name with a comic book city, so you'd expect Keystone would actually be good.

Yeah, but I don't think they named it after Keystone City. I believe they named it that because Pennsylvania is called the Keystone State. But I like your idea better.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

If I had a comic shop called "Keystone," I'd slap the biggest picture of the Flash I could find on every window and make the place look like a recreation of the Flash Museum.

 

[Dread]

Yeah, pretty much every store around me within a 5 mile radius or so mixes, even if the sports stuff (usually cards) only makes up 10% or so of their store as you mention Dread. But yeah, when I was in junior high I bought some comic cards and a few pogs some some sports cards here and there. But I was always more into comics by far.

But I would see tons of kids and adults buy cards, adults by the boxes or even a case here and there. The older I got the more I noticed the emergence of Mangas as you mention. And I totally agree, girls are a huge part of that demographic.

To me Manga's as the ugly step child to comic books, but to each their own.

I can only think of one comic book store near me that offers solely comic books and comic book related paraphernalia.

I also think what has really hurt the comic book industry and local shops (other than downloading) has been huge book stores like Amazon, Barnes & Nobles and Boarders.

If you order from them online you can get at least 15% off and as high as 30-50% off sometimes and pay no shipping. If you spend $200 a month on trades why wouldn't you order from online and save at least $20-$40?

I try to support my local comic shops as much as possible but it's hard when I can find a barely used tpb for $1.50 online.

I haven't read much manga (the only one I read from start to finish was DEVILMAN), but I do like anime and manga is the ore for that. Also, Manga has been able to do what the "big two" have been unable to do for a while; pull in the younger demographic, especially girls. I think the only time mainstream comics seem to get newer fans is either once they reach college, or the kid happened to have a relative/parent into comics who helps forge the way. I mean, that's how I started; my mother subcribed to 4-6 books when I was a kid. TV introduced me to Spider-Man, but I had an easy source to find the comics, even back when reading was still a skill I was learning and I would just follow with the pictures.

It is a dilemma for the Big Two; having stories abandon the older fan for the "new" one usually backfires because new ones never replace the old. But the older ones will eventually dwindle.

Manga is likely aided by most of network and cable cartoons being anime, and the fact there are so many genres. It seems fresher and newer, other than comic franchises that have been around for 40+ years. Spidey movies, cartoons, and video games may sell well, but how many kids will give reading a try?

I do agree that Amazon and Internet sales have hurt a lot of smaller local shops. Also, it depends on the rents in your area; I'm in NY where the rent for business is likely much higher than in other states. Thus, many shops couldn't survive long after the 90's bubble burst. DL'ing has also hurt sales, but to a lessor degree.

DL'ing is a bigger problem among the anime market. And while manga sales may be strong with the younger demographic, are they driving up trade sales as a whole? No. They hold steady, and slowly tic upwards, but they don't sell like gangbusters. Interest in the WATCHMEN trade, for example, carried the entire sales for trades for August 2008 and made it statistically appear as in trade sales overall were up. Comic Book Sales, BTW, have been down for 7 straight months over where they were in 2007.

For a lot of local shops in my area, it seems they try to capitalize on their area and add other elements to suppliment profits. Manga, sports, coins, candy, other collectables, even video games and DVD's (usually anime or comic themes, but sometimes even bootlegs). It may suck that most shops that aren't large franchise ones in major metropolitan areas can't survive on 100% comics anymore, but it is a reality. Just so long as the shops that do stay open try to offer more than Marvel and DC. I mean, I'm hardly an indie snob, but that doesn't mean I only want to see the Big Two. I buy Image quite a lot these days, and some Dark Horse. But those options should be available for everyone. Ideally.

 

[Dark Victory]

Here's the store I go to now, comics Revolution. They have every trade or hardcover know to man, even out of print ones!

 

[TheCorpulent1]

That's the most interestingly lit comic shop I've ever seen. All the ones I've been to have standard flourescent overhead lights, leaving everything awash in a pale, antiseptic glow.

 

[terry78]

****ing spotlights and neo-modern black shelves? We got glass cases and the place smells like sweat and Doritos. I know ya'll can afford quite more up in Wrigleyville.

 

[Max Shrek]

It is a dilemma for the Big Two; having stories abandon the older fan for the "new" one usually backfires because new ones never replace the old. But the older ones will eventually dwindle.

It's all about balance. The new series of Doctor Who is extremely successful because it's both made accessible to the new fan, but embracing the old ones. That's why BOTH old fans (not fanboys, who complain that the TARDIS's windows are a different size, but real fans) and kids across the UK who have never heard of old DW both love the program. It seems to me like comics can never find that balance and either piss off the old fans or alienate the new ones.

 

[Dark Victory]

****ing spotlights and neo-modern black shelves? We got glass cases and the place smells like sweat and Doritos. I know ya'll can afford quite more up in Wrigleyville.

Actually I used to go to Chicago Comics in Wrigleyville but everybody who works there is a *****e so I take the El all the way to Evanston (purple line) to visit comics Revolution. And guys, believe me, that store is full of win. It's like a mini comic-con. Those pictures don't do it justice. If you live in Chicago, and looking for a trade, trust me, THEY HAVE IT.

btw, Terry, what comic store do you go to?

 

[PyroChamber]

That place looks awesome, just too bad it's all the way in Evanston.

 

[Dark Victory]

That place looks awesome, just too bad it's all the way in Evanston.

Trust me, it's worth it. Way better than Graham Cracker Comics in the Loop.

 

[Chris Wallace]

I've never lived near one. Back in Chicago, I always had to do some traveling. I don't think Kansas City has any at all.

 

[BizarroAids]

I have 2 shops within 5 of my apartment.

Seems like back in the early to mid 90s, I can remember there being 6 total in my town.

2 were on the same "main" street of our town. The other 4 were spread out, but still, the furthest one away was 20 minutes...if that.

Sucks they went under.

The one in my cities downtown area is larger than both stores combined, but it's a 45 minute drive (including traffic, lights.etc.) They have a pretty good selection of back issues, but not as great as the other smaller stores. And they have a bigger selection of busts/statues.