Tell us about that old comic book shop you remember...

[adamstrange]

I started getting into comics at college and there was a local store, Graphitti located on Gayley Ave in Westwood. It was a small space in a strip mall, the walls were covered with the new issues and the middle was packed with back issues (which I ignored). I remember the owner, a thin man with sharp features and glasses, but never talked to him. The first visit was to get wall adornment for the dorm: Marlene Dietrich and Maralyn Monroe posters (because, you know, nothing says you're a hepcat like old film stars). Soon, X-Men (Silvestri run), Batman (Dark Knight, Year Two), Ducks and a lot of black and white drek followed.

 

I heard it closed in the early 90's and became a hair salon. Sad.

 

There was also Golden Apple Comics where I got my silver cert Cyber Force and I visited Hi-De-Ho Books(?)/Comics(?) in West LA.

The owner was Dave Brewer. He used to set up at the Monthly LA Con and shocked me by having a nice looking FF1. After purchasing it, I asked what else he had and he was starting to sell some runs he had set aside 10 years earlier. It took a few trips to his store but I filled in quite a number of gaps in my Marvel runs.

[aszumilo]

Mine was Mike's Comic Hut, on Northern Blvd. in Queens, NY. Right next to the UA Quartet movie theater. Got my first SA Ironman, #3, for $5 at the time. Got it after going to see Animal House with my dad, It wasn't very close to my house, but, a only couple of buses or subway trains away. Used to make a trip every couple of weeks, after school, to see what new and exciting things I would find. I remember the owner being quite patient with my incessant questions and what must have appeared as loitering as I looked thru all the bargain boxes. Sadly I heard he passed away a few years back and the theater was torn down. Spent many weekends sneaking into movies there.

[batman_fan]

There were several comic shops in Phoenix. The first was All About Books & Comics which was located on Camelback (but has since moved to Central Ave.) My dad would drive my brother and I down there every couple of weeks to get our comics. They just celebrated their 29th anniversary a few weeks ago which means we were some of their early customers. The next comic shop that I frequented was Stalking Moon Bookstore in Glendale. I assume we started going there as kids because it was closer to where we lived. That shop no longer exists. When I went off to college in Flagstaff, the LCS was Images Illustrated just off campus, but there was also a really good bookstore called McGaughs which carried comics. Neither of these establishments exist any more. After college, I moved my comic box to a store at Scottsdale Rd. and Shea, but I cannot remember the stores name. It not only had comics, but also dealt in toys, manga, etc. Finally, I moved my comic box to Atomic Comics near Paradise Valley Mall until they moved into a darker, smaller location. Since they moved location, I started buying my new comics from DCBS due to the discount which Atomic Comics never offered.

 

I have great memories of All About Books and Comics when I lived in Phoenix from 1990 to 1999. Mike use to work there. I remember when I was at Intel I had a pager that I gave the number to Mike so he could let me know if anything good came in. My Batman 6, 9 and 21 came out of an OO collection they got in. Mike cut me a great deal on them. (thumbs u

[letsgrumble]

I just put on my smoking jacket, lit a cigar by the fireplace, and will reminisce to strangers in a public forum.

 

Growing up in the west end of Toronto, I began buying my comics when I was 7 or 8 in the mid-1970’s, mostly from local convenience stores. There were lots of them in walking distance. I knew which stores had a large selection of comics and those that had a surplus of dated issues, since some owners were lazy about returning them. I had a sizeable collection... err accumulation in no time. I started out reading DC but by 1977 I was hooked exclusively on Marvel. I soon became interested in obtaining back issues. I largely wanted to read older stories that were referenced by ones I was currently reading (that was when there were “editor’s notes” and an actual continuity to the Marvel universe). So, my first visit to a real comic shop that sold back issues was Dragon Lady Comics on Queen Street West. The famous Silver Snail was only a few blocks away but I liked the atmosphere of that Dragon Lady shop much better. I would take the transit there every second or third Saturday to buy new comics and some carefully selected back issues (as money was tight). On occasion I would splurge. I bought a Hulk 181 from the back issue bins for $5, and, my biggest purchase, an X-Men 94 that was on display behind the cash register for $30. That was big money in those days.

 

My biggest back issue score was at a flea market that I would regularly trek to in the late 1970’s. A flea market was held every Sunday at the Dufferin Drive-in, which was located in farmland on Dufferin Street north of Steeles Avenue (for those of you who know Toronto). The drive-in is long-gone and that area has developed into a large suburb over the last 25 years. There were some vendors there that sold comic books cheap. One lucky Sunday, I bought a box of 20 cent Thors, Daredevils, Iron Man, etc., at half-price (10 cents a book!). There were over 100 books! I felt like I was Chuck at Mile High! To this day those John Buscema Thor books still strike a nostalgic cord in me.

 

Those were the days. Comics were cheaply produced, distributed widely, and could be found on newstands everywhere. As a kid you couldn't avoid them, and they were affordable. Nowadays they're too much money and only available at select retailers. No wonder today's kids have no interest in collecting comics.

 

[dupont2005]

 

My biggest back issue score was at a flea market that I would regularly trek to in the late 1970’s. A flea market was held every Sunday at the Dufferin Drive-in, which was located in farmland on Dufferin Street north of Steeles Avenue (for those of you who know Toronto). The drive-in is long-gone and that area has developed into a large suburb over the last 25 years. There were some vendors there that sold comic books cheap. One lucky Sunday, I bought a box of 20 cent Thors, Daredevils, Iron Man, etc., at half-price (10 cents a book!). There were over 100 books! I felt like I was Chuck at Mile High! To this day those John Buscema Thor books still strike a nostalgic cord in me.

Moments like that are the best.

[BeachBum]

In the Eighties - The old Forbidden Planet on 14th St. in NYC - not to be confused with the new store down the block.

 

I remember getting my X-Men 141 & 142 Days of Future Past off the wall as a kid. New comics were in racks along the back wall, and back issues were downstairs.

 

I used to get all kinds of weird Japanese robot models there as well. Cool stuff.

[letsgrumble]

 

My biggest back issue score was at a flea market that I would regularly trek to in the late 1970’s. A flea market was held every Sunday at the Dufferin Drive-in, which was located in farmland on Dufferin Street north of Steeles Avenue (for those of you who know Toronto). The drive-in is long-gone and that area has developed into a large suburb over the last 25 years. There were some vendors there that sold comic books cheap. One lucky Sunday, I bought a box of 20 cent Thors, Daredevils, Iron Man, etc., at half-price (10 cents a book!). There were over 100 books! I felt like I was Chuck at Mile High! To this day those John Buscema Thor books still strike a nostalgic cord in me.

Moments like that are the best.

Amen, brother.

[batman_fan]

Let me list out my memories of places where I bought comics over the years

 

1st Versailles, IN - local drugstore. They had a spinner rack where we use to buy comics but got rid of it when I was about seven. We mostly bought funny animal comics from Gold Key.

 

2nd Osgood, IN - local drugstore. Here is where I switch to only Super Hero books. Remember buying X-men 99 and 100 and my all time favorite Jungle Action 23 ! This is when I started collecting comics. I still have most of those books.

 

3rd Madison, IN - used book store. Comics where 1/2 cover price or 2 for 1. One time when my mom took me there someone traded a huge run of Daredevils, I grabbed all of them.

 

4th - moved to Wyoming. Bought new issues from City News (still there today!)

 

5th - convinced my folks to take me to Ft Collins, CO to Mile High Comics. This was my first visit to a real comic book store. I bought entirely Silver-Age

 

After that trip, I started going to Mile High Comics in Denver (anyone remember the 308 S Broadway store?)

 

good times ...

[mikenyc]

Mine was Mike's Comic Hut, on Northern Blvd. in Queens, NY. Right next to the UA Quartet movie theater. Got my first SA Ironman, #3, for $5 at the time. Got it after going to see Animal House with my dad, It wasn't very close to my house, but, a only couple of buses or subway trains away. Used to make a trip every couple of weeks, after school, to see what new and exciting things I would find. I remember the owner being quite patient with my incessant questions and what must have appeared as loitering as I looked thru all the bargain boxes. Sadly I heard he passed away a few years back and the theater was torn down. Spent many weekends sneaking into movies there.

 

Mike's Comic Hut was by far the best shop in NY. The long boxes of back issues were a thing of beauty. That's what a LCS should be. Every shop I go into that claims to have a huge back issue selection, but they pale in comparison. 50 to 100 long boxes doesn't do it for me. Mike's was a huge cavernous rectangle that held row after row of gorgeous gems. The walls were papered with keys that would make you weep. This was in the early 90's and thinking back to the issues that were on the wall and the prices makes me sick.

 

Unfortunately Mike passed away from cancer in the nineties and his shop was liquidated.

 

Also, at least from the late eighties, it was much further down Northern. The Quartet was torn down much later on and had a true life Pimp as a manager. Hat, fur coat, and lots of swagger.

[Subliminal]

My favourite store was The Olde Curiosity Shop in Pickering , Ontario.

It was on the east shore of Frenchman's Bay and I lived on the west shore but I was self sufficient at an early age and had paper routes and other jobs starting at 12 and books were the treasures I sought, even if it meant walking or biking for miles to visit every store around me. This store had used books and comics and even a spinner rack.

When I started working at a local mall at 14 they had the best flea market around on sundays when most of the stores were closed and the mall was filled inside and out (in the summer) with those who bought a spot for just that sunday and unloaded their pickup truck or trunk with what nowadays is sold at garage sales.

This was a much better way to sell stuff than the way it is now where you have to drive a 100 miles and navigate cul-de-sacs just to visit these sort of sales.

Nowadays flea markets are full of pirated videos, cheap imported and have none of the unique stuff I would find when I was a kid.

When I worked in the mall the magazine shop I frequented died in the early 80's at the same time my interest want in the quality of the comic being put out and the owner gave me the wooden magazine racks that I bought so many comics and magazines from.

I also used to play hockey in Scarborough leagues and made sure my Dad stopped at comic shops on the way to look for old and new books.

[aszumilo]

Mike's Comic Hut was by far the best shop in NY. The long boxes of back issues were a thing of beauty. That's what a LCS should be. Every shop I go into that claims to have a huge back issue selection, but they pale in comparison. 50 to 100 long boxes doesn't do it for me. Mike's was a huge cavernous rectangle that held row after row of gorgeous gems. The walls were papered with keys that would make you weep. This was in the early 90's and thinking back to the issues that were on the wall and the prices makes me sick.

 

Unfortunately Mike passed away from cancer in the nineties and his shop was liquidated.

 

Also, at least from the late eighties, it was much further down Northern. The Quartet was torn down much later on and had a true life Pimp as a manager. Hat, fur coat, and lots of swagger.

 

I missed the new store, since I moved out to Vegas in 81, The biggest thing I hated about going to Mike's was not having enough money on me. There was always something about the original store that was awesome. It wasn't the big cavernous one that you speak of, it was a fairly small store, but, he found a way to pack it full of cool stuff. I still remember the cool paper bags that he would put your purchases in. If I remember right, the art was done by George Perez. Damn, I miss that place.

 

When I moved out to Vegas, I found a store, but, nothing like Mike's. Seemed it was always a bit on the dark side and didn't have the selection that Mike had, but it was about the only one in town that was close enough to me.

[alrioart]

Oh man - in the early/mid 70s when I did the most of my comic buying it was at the 7-11.

Anyone remember 7-11's?

For just a few bucks I could load up on 1/2 dozen comics to take back home and read and trade with "cool Roy."

I had a dresser drawer *just for comics* and it was loaded. Mad, Sick, House Of Secrets/Mystery, Batman, Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Thor - I just loved comics and the 7-11 was *loaded* with them.

 

Terry

[mikenyc]

Mike's Comic Hut was by far the best shop in NY. The long boxes of back issues were a thing of beauty. That's what a LCS should be. Every shop I go into that claims to have a huge back issue selection, but they pale in comparison. 50 to 100 long boxes doesn't do it for me. Mike's was a huge cavernous rectangle that held row after row of gorgeous gems. The walls were papered with keys that would make you weep. This was in the early 90's and thinking back to the issues that were on the wall and the prices makes me sick.

 

Unfortunately Mike passed away from cancer in the nineties and his shop was liquidated.

 

Also, at least from the late eighties, it was much further down Northern. The Quartet was torn down much later on and had a true life Pimp as a manager. Hat, fur coat, and lots of swagger.

 

I missed the new store, since I moved out to Vegas in 81, The biggest thing I hated about going to Mike's was not having enough money on me. There was always something about the original store that was awesome. It wasn't the big cavernous one that you speak of, it was a fairly small store, but, he found a way to pack it full of cool stuff. I still remember the cool paper bags that he would put your purchases in. If I remember right, the art was done by George Perez. Damn, I miss that place.

 

When I moved out to Vegas, I found a store, but, nothing like Mike's. Seemed it was always a bit on the dark side and didn't have the selection that Mike had, but it was about the only one in town that was close enough to me.

 

The new shop was huge. All back issues and a small section of new issues. Nowadays most shops have all new issues and barely any back issues.

 

Now maybe I'm ignorant but it seems that the margin on new books would be much smaller on what you would get on back issues. And yes I know not all back issues are created equally, but still for the major titles, I would think the pricing is much more flexible hence the margin has a greater opportunity to rise?

[aszumilo]

I would figure the margin on back issues vs. new issues would be similar to used or new cars. Dealers make more money on used cars then they do on new ones. Makes no sense to not have a decent selection of back issues.

[mikenyc]

I would figure the margin on back issues vs. new issues would be similar to used or new cars. Dealers make more money on used cars then they do on new ones. Makes no sense to not have a decent selection of back issues.

 

Maybe it's me or maybe it's a supply vs. demand issue, but most LCS in Queens don't have a real selection?

 

 

[aszumilo]

I don't think it is just an issue with most LCS in Queens not having a supply. It seems that problem happens everywhere. Most of the shops I have been to in Vegas don't have a very big selection either.

[innocuous]

Thanks for a great thread Foolkiller.

 

My first regular store for buying comics was 7-Eleven. I remember first buying Archie comics from the spinner rack. Then, I moved my way up to superhero comics. Although I think I got a Warlord from here once.

 

7-Eleven

 

In 1981 we moved from Oxnard to Ventura. I don't know how I came across it, but I discovered Ralph's Comic Corner. Which, at the time, literally was a corner in the back of an antique shop downtown. It was no longer than 8 feet wide and 12 feet long. He had 2 spinner racks, a counter and a couple of small tables with long boxes. He could fit no more than 5 customers at a time. I would ride my back there and hang out until I was kicked out. It doesn't look like the shop is there anymore.

 

Location of the old antique shop where Ralph had his shop

 

[BostonAndy-migration]

My first regular comic buying was in the late 70's in Saugus Massachusetts (about 10 miles north of Boston). There was a news dealership in Cliftondale Square and a bookstore/greeting card store called Reading & Greeting where I would pick up my comics every week.

 

Right around the time in the early 80's, 1982 or so, when Marvel switched some of their titles (Micronauts, Kazar,etc) over to direct distribution I could pick these up at the local Waldenbooks. They also had the first independant comics from Pacific Comics there as well, among others.

 

There was also a used book store/comic store in Lynn Massachusetts on Union Street called the Book Shack where I would get back issues around this time.

 

Then I went to the New England Comics on Harvard Ave in Allston/Brighton aound 1982/83, in the original location, for my first real exposure to a true comic shop and buying back issues. Local conventions soon followed.

 

A New England Comics opened in Malden Massachusetts around 1986/1987 and that became my comic mecca for a while. Newbury Comics in Saugus was also around then, they had a great selection before they closed and moved to a new location.

 

The Million Year Picnic in Harvard Square was a key spot around this time. Now I will just stop into Comicopia in Kenmore Square for any comics or trades I need.

 

WOW, I feel nostalgic after writing all this!

[dupont2005]

I'm pretty sure the internet made back issues hard for shops to sell. I know I'm not paying three bucks an issue for 90's X-Men and I doubt anybody else is either. They would get away with it if not for the web though. I don't think it's a bad thing that collectors have an outlet besides getting gouged by the LCS, even if it means we have less bins to sift through when we go downtown. I would still gladly bargain bin dive every chance I get though.

[PovertyRow]

My mostest favoritest was THE OUTER LIMITS in Waltham, MA. Steve Higgins is the owner and still going strong (just chatted with him on the phone a week or so ago.)

 

He turned me on to pre-code in the early 80's. I would go there every Saturday to buy SA and while looking through his extensive back issues noticed some boxes underneath the back issue tables. A couple contained nothing but pre-code horror and these were my first looks at them. Chatted with him for a bit about them and bought a few. The next week I bought a few more. And then a few more. I think I cleaned him out of those books after a few months. I started buying the TALES TOO TERRIBLE TO TELL books that New England Comics had put out and that extensively covered the pre-code horror genre. AMazing books but the series was never finished. Then Steve started setting things aside for me and suddenly I was being exposed to "Xela" airbrush pre-codes. Some amazing stuff there as well.

 

Here are a couple of reminiscences of mine about him and the store from 2004/2005 I had posted here:

 

"Steve Higgins: Outer Limits (LCS in Waltham MA). He will do his best by you. The very first time i met him (around 1984 or so) I went into his shop seeking SA books and saw an X-Men #1 (as I recall) on the wall with a loose staple just sitting in the bottom of the mylar. I said to him "There's a loose staple in the X-Men 1". He replied with a somewhat "Oh spoon who IS this person look "Well, that's the condition of the book." To which I replied "No. There is a staple floating free in the bag ITSELF." To which he looked closely, saw the offending floating metal, and immediately removed it. The book itself had two quite fine staples in the correct place. He looked a bit sheepish and immediately loosened up. Since then I spent most Saturday late mornings at his shop. If I tmed it right (i tended to time it right in later years) I was there when he ordered pizza was assured of a free lunch! Geting to know my interests he would sometimes surprise me by setting aside a GGA or precode horror book he just got in for me to look at first. Overall great guy."

 

"I was at Outer Limits in Waltham one day a few years back (hey Steve Higgins!) and said "Hey. Interesting book there. (or words to that effect)" (It was a Marvel Crypt Of Shadows #1 in nice VF shape). Steve by this time knew my collecting proclivities (pre-code horror and offbeat things like paperbacks by Ed Wood, some horror movie posters etc). Anyway, Steve takes the book, hands it to me and says "Take it. You might find it interesting (or words to that effect)" Just like that. Now it was just maybe $10-12 but still made me feel mighty fine."