Comics to Astonish

[Tnerb]

How far would you go to see a comic shop that you have never been to before?

 

I don't take vacations time, well at least I haven't in a long time. Next year is the first year I plan on taking a legitimate vacation. I work six days a week and if I am called in for my seventh I usually say yes. My normal day off is Thursday Night. I say night because I work the graveyard shift? My Wednesday into Thursday is an eight hour shift (11pm to 7am). Since I work so much my manager had no problem allowing me to leave at 3am. I went home, slept a few hours, and in the morning I left for Comics to Astonish.

 

As far as MapQuest's calculation it takes me a little under two hours and thirty minutes to drive to this out of the way comic book shop. On Sunday Nov. 20th Comics to Astonish will have a booth at the Philadelphia Comic Con. They would have brought the books I had ordered (My CGC SS 9.8 New Mutants). With hat knowledge why did I travel over 127 miles to a comic shop I have never went to before.....because it was worth it.

 

If you are within 50 miles of this store there is no reason for you not to travel there. I admit it won't seem like much from the picture below but after saying it feels cramped there is nothing left negative to say. They made an area in the back for gaming (Card and "Clix" games), back issues galore, New releases, CGC graded comic books, action figures, game cards, and a knowledgeable proprietor.

 

Keegan and I of course talked about CGC. How slow they have been, the benefits and pitfalls of collecting CGC (my main pitfall is the addiction). He also did something that I can't remember other store owners talking to me about when I first started to collect. He informed me. Some stuff I knew, some I didn't. I even took about ten books up there for him to look at and give my opinions of a grade. He took his time and showed me things I didn't see before. Of course out of all those books I decided to leave one bring fr pressing and grading. If you look back you will see what I think about pressing. I am waiting to see if Keegan will change my mind.

 

The store was well lit and although I didn't spend as much time as I would have liked (I was with a good friend and we were off to the aquarium after this stop). The store is well stocked, not cluttered. Everything had a place and everything was in its place. The trades were in order, the action figures were together and bags and boards could be purchased to protect your collection. I almost wished I lived closer.

 

Thanks for Reading

 

Tnerb

 

PS. I will be writing more about this store and another that I visited. This is no way an advertisement or am I receiving any compensation fr these words. I have been a customer of his through the convention circuit and will continue to be so on the books that I feel are priced right. If they are not then I go somewhere else. The fact is Keegan has treated me well. On the way home, after the aquarium I made another stop to a shop called Comic Mania in Delaware. I will write about them too.

 

Write a journal, tell us about your LCS and maybe "Not So" LCS that you enjoy, and maybe one day I can go and visit

 

See more journals by Tnerb

[surfer99]

Wow that place is way small and jam packed. I imagine it's a mad house on Wednesdays. Really cool to see the inside of another comic store though. Wish I could jump in there and start browsing! Thanks for sharing!

 

 

 

[Tnerb]

There is an aisle on the other side where the trades are. In that same aisle are pre-packs of books with complete story lines too. I only glanced at those. I will be posting a couple more pictures as well of the place over the next few days.

[SippiSteve]

Luckily, this is my local comic store

 

I tried a few of the other stores in the area, and I have to say, Keegan and his staff make this place the best in Maryland.

 

I walked in one day in June two years ago, because a good friend of mine couldn't stop talking about Blackest Night and how amazing a story it was.

 

I went in and was immediately greeted by Kurt (a former employee) and Wabe (current employee). Kurt took the time to answer all my questions, and then made some truly amazing suggestions as to what trades I should read.

 

Later visits led to encounters with Keegan, who has been a tremendous help in my comic addiction. He is fully versed on nearly anything you could want to know. He's made some amazing contacts through the years in the industry, and isn't afraid to use those contacts for the benefit of his customers.

 

Comics to Astonish, and every one that works there get a 10(Gem Mint) White Pages in my book!

[Tnerb]

To SippiSteve...but are they 10(Gem Mint) White Pages with double covers?

[SippiSteve]

To SippiSteve...but are they 10(Gem Mint) White Pages with double covers?

After what Keegan just hooked up for me today, yes. Double Cover!