Comic Mania

[Tnerb]

My second comic book store in the same day.

 

On the way back from the Baltimore Aquarium and after a couple hours at "Comics to Astonish" my friend and I headed to another comic book shop. At Phillips (where we ate) we used Google.com and "Comic Mania" was listed fourth by distance and the second by choice. The first one we picked was closer but closed at eight. By MapQuest's calculation it was an hour and 37 minutes away. It was 6:30; we would never make it. "Comic Mania (2 minutes farther) closed at 9 and that gave us time.

 

We pulled into the parking lot and walked into a spacious well lit store. In the approximate center was a life sized replica of a Predator. It had a large gaming area in the back of the store with an equally impressive amount of stock. I was told the back issues only went back to the early nineties and the few silver age books they had were displayed on the wall. Bronze era books seemed to be non existent. The staff was young (which made me feel slightly older) and when I asked about CGC they replied they really didn't sell silver age books and pointed to the wall I already saw. I decided not to clarify.

 

Did I mention the awesome life sized replica of the Predator behind plexiglass helped compliment the small phenomenal collection of Statues (some by Sideshow Collectibles). I was tempted to purchase the Daredevil statue priced to sell. Damn budget.

 

Since I was in a new comic books shop I had to purchase a comic book. I picked up a new issue, one I purposely did not get at my LCS. If you're looking for a large selection of back issues predating the nineties this store is not for you. If you're looking for a store for new issues, statues, and games then you can't find a better place.

 

Thanks for Reading.

 

Tnerb

 

PS. Now off to the Philadelphia Comic Con.

 

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[namisgr]

I live 20 minutes from this store, and know it well. At least I used to, when Bill Woo was the owner. Bill started the store by purchasing a couple of massive collections of SA and BA material, along with a couple of high ticket GA keys - I recall his Tec27 was an 8.5 restored and was a Sothebys or Christies auction win.

 

In its early days (early nineties), the store had long runs of sweet SA comics, stored in the back room and accessible only by request, after as a customer one had established themselves as a serious buyer. Some of my favorite purchases came from that back room, and at prices that in today's market seem like fiction.

 

Bill got married, started a family, and may have sold the place. I do know for sure that all the great back issue stock is long gone.

[surfer99]

There's a shop like this that opened up not too far from me. They only sell new comics and statues...I mean, they have back issues but like you said they're all from the 90's. One thing I thought was cool and different though is that they have their own espresso bar in the middle of the store, and they have a back room with 5 X-box 360s and small flat screens with game chairs. Pretty cool place for the kids to hang out I'd imagine (dude, I sound all old and stuff, "the kids", ).