Tales from the Comic shop

[pubmonkey]

great stories! keep 'em coming!!

 

 

[MrBedrock]

Had a guy walk in with a large box and plop it down on the counter. "Do you buy comics?" "Let me take a look." So I open the box...and like a Penn and Teller trick...giant cockroaches come flying out. Big one. Palmetto bugs. Huge monster flying cockroaches. Tons of them. Amid my screaming like a little girl (sorry Sharon) I tried to close the box. "Get these outta here!" Never saw what was in there...other than tons of huge bugs.

 

That is pretty gross. I bet he had a couple copies of action comics 1 in there, a few Tec 27's, and a a dozen AF15 though.

All covered in roach poop.

[MrBedrock]

Heard once - "She's pretty hot...for a green chick."

[DrWatson]

Roach poop isn't considered restoration.

[MrBedrock]

Got a call from an old sounding lady who was positive she had a Superman 1. I gave her the whole spiel about size, concerned that it might be a Famous First Edition. It was pretty obvious over the phone that that was what it was. But she would hear none of it. "I'll bring it to you. It's real and you'll buy it."

 

Next day an 80-some-odd year old women comes in saying she just took the train from Corpus Christi (150 miles south of here), and she had a Superman 1 that she bought at a flea-market for $300. Sure enough it's a Famous First with the cover torn off. "I'm so sorry ma'am. But your Superman #1 is a reprint. It's practically worthless." This old women starts to pitch a fit. "I can't believe you gonna try to rip off an old woman. I came all this way and I ain't gonna get ripped off! I'm gonna git my money for my Superman!"

 

We had a pretty nice Famous First behind the counter. I picked it up, tore the outer cover off, and handed it to her. "Ma'am, now you have two Superman #1s. Good luck with them. Thanks for stopping by."

[DeliBebek]

Had a guy walk in with a large box and plop it down on the counter. "Do you buy comics?" "Let me take a look." So I open the box...and like a Penn and Teller trick...giant cockroaches come flying out. Big one. Palmetto bugs. Huge monster flying cockroaches. Tons of them. Amid my screaming like a little girl (sorry Sharon) I tried to close the box. "Get these outta here!" Never saw what was in there...other than tons of huge bugs.

 

That is pretty gross. I bet he had a couple copies of action comics 1 in there, a few Tec 27's, and a a dozen AF15 though.

All covered in roach poop.

Is that a pressable defect?

[This is water]

Had a guy walk in with a large box and plop it down on the counter. "Do you buy comics?" "Let me take a look." So I open the box...and like a Penn and Teller trick...giant cockroaches come flying out. Big one. Palmetto bugs. Huge monster flying cockroaches. Tons of them. Amid my screaming like a little girl (sorry Sharon) I tried to close the box. "Get these outta here!" Never saw what was in there...other than tons of huge bugs.

 

 

I would have burned it. I despise bugs.

[InvstmntComcSuply]

"Ma'am, now you have two Superman #1s. Good luck with them. Thanks for stopping by."

 

Sad, but well played.

[Davenport]

Heard once - "She's pretty hot...for a green chick."

Testify.

 

[Ryan.]

 

Awesome! You owned that shop when you were 23? That's pretty impressive.

[Shaven Kev-migration]

MORTALLLLLLLLLLLKOMBAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTT

 

Oh snap. I used to have that lobo poster that they show in your commercial. He is standing on a pile of shells, but they just show his manly chest

[ChrisInBaltimore]

Love the thread!

 

So my story isn't as great and happened fairly recently.

 

My LCS guy hired me one summer to help inventory and re-arrange his books. It was a blast and I ended up working mostly for comics which was sweat. My LCS has been dealing books since the early 70s and he's owned a store since the late 70s. Needless to say he's been in the business for a long time. It was great hearing his stories.

 

I was going through helping him count mass books he was selling to clear space. He had two entire books of Batman Legends of the Dark Knight from the 90s. He said he even remembered the guy coming in and buying the box and issues off the rack. He said 10 years later he bought them back from the guy for a nickel an issue. He talked about how in the early 90s he'd sell close to a thousand copies of a singly issue. Now he'd be luck to sell 80.

 

My LCS guy kind of seemed pessimistic about the Market and disalusioned by comics in general. He got into reading books during the early run of FF. That same summer someone came in and bought his copies of FF that he'd bought of a rack in a grocery store. He used to tell me how he and his best friend (a guy who also worked in the store) would ride the bus into Baltimore city and ride their bikes our 140 hitting every story with comics buying them. It was fun hearing all these stories. The guy who bought his copies of FF that he'd had since a kid had never read a comic and just simply woke up one day and decided he'd buy FF books as he liked the movies (odd- I know).

 

Well, one day this lady comes in with a list of books she wants to sell him. I'm just sitting there counting out comics that I'd bought at cover price two years earlier that he is now selling by the box for 10 cents an issue (Ultimatum #1 *shakes fist*). While looking at the list he pauses, he then tells the lady that she shouldn't move these books as they could be worth thousands of dollars. Needless to say I jumped up and started eyeing this list. He offered to come look at them or told her to be sure that if she did move them she should be very careful.

 

After she left he explained to me her list was mostly 70s books, but she oddly had some early 60s books like AF 15 and other keys. He said it seemed odd, and they could have just simply been reprints. He gave her his card nonetheless. He NEVER heard from her again.

 

What was even more disheartening about this experience was that he says this, or something similar, happen almost every week or more. Often he never hears back from these people claiming to have Golden and Silver books.

 

It makes you wonder how many copies of AF 15 are sitting out there...or early TEC...

[bronzejunkie]

Your story was exciting and reminded me of how I felt about comics as a kid. The end just made me feel sad and crummy. I always feel for small business owners.

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

Ya, it was kind of sad. I should have added in that the owner was truly a among men back in his heyday. You know that whole 'bad winner' thing you always hear. Well, that was him from about 1988 to about 1993. So-- In the end, I didn't feel exactly terrible for him.

 

Telling that story made me remember so many old collecting stories from that time, great fun and exciting times for a young collector. I was really into cool 70's books and being 15 with a part time job, I was starting to make enough money to actually attain a few of them. There was a comic slash used book store I used to hit up and they had Conan issues 1-14 on the wall. They we're like a freaking holy grail to me. Those stunning covers. I drooled over then, well--- One day after reading Wizard and seeing how rich I had suddenly gotten buying Valiants(stupid lucky break) I stepped into the store and proceeded to attempt to trade a stack of 'mega hot' Valiants for Conan number one, but when he saw the stack and looked up the prices he offered me the entire run of 1-14 before I could say I just wanted number 1.He thought he was totally ripping me off too, he had this sly smirk while he pulled the books down and handed them to me, like a fox. Gawd, I remember all my friends thinking I was insane at the time. I felt like I had made the big time. When I got home, I watched night court and just stared at those issues like I was some 'big time collector' from the states that I read about in Overstreet. It was a cool time to be a kid. (I have no idea why I was watching night court--haha)

 

I do know that the owner did really well with those valiants, they sold at %150 wizard guide within a couple days to one guy. (they literally cooled off the next day price wise) -- (I still got stuck with quite a few myself though)

 

Another funny memory-- I do remember a great little store we had called 'Comic City' that one day just 'all of sudden' had a whole lot key issues from DC and Marvel starting around 1966 all the way to 1988 or so. (the keys faded off a bit past 1980 haha) But he did have two 1st prints of TMNT#1(which was kind of a big deal). Anyway, I asked him the 'where and when's' of how he got them and he said a Father came into the store with his son. His dad was furious cause he caught his son smoking pot. Well, he made the kid sell his entire collection for a song. The funny thing is I knew the kid that sold it, and he wasn't a kid... I am pretty sure he was in his late 20's/early 30's. years later I ran into someone who knew the 'kid' collector and told me his dad didn't just catch him smoking pot. he busted him dealing pot. It was how he made so much money to gather together such a solid collection. and he had a pretty lucrative business going on-- I thought that was pretty funny-- Even if it was a wildly_fanciful_statement story or not, it was like legend in my town. -- Either way, Comic City had a wonderful season parting me from my hard earned money as I tried to buy as many copies of the collection as I could. haha! Which wasn't very many, but it was a good run.

 

Thats it for cool stories-- I have a bunch of extreme nerdy moments that involve me finding a run of Fangoria's at the tender age of 14 that still warms the cockles of my heart.

 

This is a fun thread. Love reading the stories.

[DiceX]

This past summer on vacation in Monterey CA and stopped by the LCS to have a look around.

 

While I'm in there several odd...Californians came through the shop.

 

I'm almost ready to leave when yet another odd duck walks in carrying a shoebox. He asks the store owner if he buys sportscards. The owner says that he doesn't and that he doesn't know of any other stores in town that still buy them.

The guy opens the box and I'm starting to walk up to the register to check out, so now I'm standing right next to him.

He says "All of these are rookie cards from when I used to buy them. I really need the money. See, I have Montana rookies, Magic rookies, Elway rookies, Marino rookies, Jordan rookies..."

And he's flipping through them and has anywhere from a half dozen to upwards or 15-20 of each one of these. At least a dozen Jordan RCs straight from the pack fresh.

I used to collect so what I'm seeing is legit.

 

So I look at dude and ask him how much he wants for them. I only had $20 in cash on me and knew I couldn't afford them but thought I'd ask.

He looks at me with this stupidly blank look and pauses motionless for about 10 seconds.

Then he slowly blinks and says, "I'd like to get fifty bucks for them, man."

My eyes open widely and I'm trying to figure out how I can find an ATM to get the cash without this...stoner wandering off.

 

Mid conversation another patron had walked in and was listening to our conversation while looking over our shoulders. Before I can say a word in reply to the guy he says, "I'll take them, and I'll give you $100 for them."

 

I'm like...what just happened? Completely rattled as to being in the situation I was in. Looking at the golden goose and my hands completely tied as to being able to do anything about it.

 

I mourned over it for days. It was heartbreaking.

 

 

[goldust40]

Great stories. This thread should be stickied.

[batman_fan]

Got a call from an old sounding lady who was positive she had a Superman 1. I gave her the whole spiel about size, concerned that it might be a Famous First Edition. It was pretty obvious over the phone that that was what it was. But she would hear none of it. "I'll bring it to you. It's real and you'll buy it."

 

Next day an 80-some-odd year old women comes in saying she just took the train from Corpus Christi (150 miles south of here), and she had a Superman 1 that she bought at a flea-market for $300. Sure enough it's a Famous First with the cover torn off. "I'm so sorry ma'am. But your Superman #1 is a reprint. It's practically worthless." This old women starts to pitch a fit. "I can't believe you gonna try to rip off an old woman. I came all this way and I ain't gonna get ripped off! I'm gonna git my money for my Superman!"

 

We had a pretty nice Famous First behind the counter. I picked it up, tore the outer cover off, and handed it to her. "Ma'am, now you have two Superman #1s. Good luck with them. Thanks for stopping by."

 

I was wondering where mom got that second copy

[ChrisInBaltimore]

This past summer on vacation in Monterey CA and stopped by the LCS to have a look around.

 

While I'm in there several odd...Californians came through the shop.

 

I'm almost ready to leave when yet another odd duck walks in carrying a shoebox. He asks the store owner if he buys sportscards. The owner says that he doesn't and that he doesn't know of any other stores in town that still buy them.

The guy opens the box and I'm starting to walk up to the register to check out, so now I'm standing right next to him.

He says "All of these are rookie cards from when I used to buy them. I really need the money. See, I have Montana rookies, Magic rookies, Elway rookies, Marino rookies, Jordan rookies..."

And he's flipping through them and has anywhere from a half dozen to upwards or 15-20 of each one of these. At least a dozen Jordan RCs straight from the pack fresh.

I used to collect so what I'm seeing is legit.

 

So I look at dude and ask him how much he wants for them. I only had $20 in cash on me and knew I couldn't afford them but thought I'd ask.

He looks at me with this stupidly blank look and pauses motionless for about 10 seconds.

Then he slowly blinks and says, "I'd like to get fifty bucks for them, man."

My eyes open widely and I'm trying to figure out how I can find an ATM to get the cash without this...stoner wandering off.

 

Mid conversation another patron had walked in and was listening to our conversation while looking over our shoulders. Before I can say a word in reply to the guy he says, "I'll take them, and I'll give you $100 for them."

 

I'm like...what just happened? Completely rattled as to being in the situation I was in. Looking at the golden goose and my hands completely tied as to being able to do anything about it.

 

I mourned over it for days. It was heartbreaking.

 

 

Wow crazy. How could that guy not know what he had in this day though?

[Jiminy_Cricket-migration]

This past summer on vacation in Monterey CA and stopped by the LCS to have a look around.

 

While I'm in there several odd...Californians came through the shop.

 

I'm almost ready to leave when yet another odd duck walks in carrying a shoebox. He asks the store owner if he buys sportscards. The owner says that he doesn't and that he doesn't know of any other stores in town that still buy them.

The guy opens the box and I'm starting to walk up to the register to check out, so now I'm standing right next to him.

He says "All of these are rookie cards from when I used to buy them. I really need the money. See, I have Montana rookies, Magic rookies, Elway rookies, Marino rookies, Jordan rookies..."

And he's flipping through them and has anywhere from a half dozen to upwards or 15-20 of each one of these. At least a dozen Jordan RCs straight from the pack fresh.

I used to collect so what I'm seeing is legit.

 

So I look at dude and ask him how much he wants for them. I only had $20 in cash on me and knew I couldn't afford them but thought I'd ask.

He looks at me with this stupidly blank look and pauses motionless for about 10 seconds.

Then he slowly blinks and says, "I'd like to get fifty bucks for them, man."

My eyes open widely and I'm trying to figure out how I can find an ATM to get the cash without this...stoner wandering off.

 

Mid conversation another patron had walked in and was listening to our conversation while looking over our shoulders. Before I can say a word in reply to the guy he says, "I'll take them, and I'll give you $100 for them."

 

I'm like...what just happened? Completely rattled as to being in the situation I was in. Looking at the golden goose and my hands completely tied as to being able to do anything about it.

 

I mourned over it for days. It was heartbreaking.

 

 

Wow crazy. How could that guy not know what he had in this day though?

 

Most of it is stolen.

[Brian48]

I actually worked in a comic shop for a year after graduating high school. No really good stories actually. Most of the customers were jerks. The boss was a jerk, and a sleazy one at that. The only reason why I wounded up working there is because he owed me money for my collection and he hired me because I came around so often chasing him to pay me. Man, that place sucked and closed down in the late '80s I believe. Bob Layton used to live in Boston so every now and then he used to stopped on by. All the other employees would be gushing over him (and probably annoying him at that), but I tried to treat him like a regular Joe. After all, I had given up collecting and reading comics by that time and had little interest in the industry.

 

Always thought that was ironic. Working in a comic shop as soon as I got out of comics. Man, I couldn't wait for my ship date to come up for bootcamp.

[Ares]

Got a call from an old sounding lady who was positive she had a Superman 1. I gave her the whole spiel about size, concerned that it might be a Famous First Edition. It was pretty obvious over the phone that that was what it was. But she would hear none of it. "I'll bring it to you. It's real and you'll buy it."

 

Next day an 80-some-odd year old women comes in saying she just took the train from Corpus Christi (150 miles south of here), and she had a Superman 1 that she bought at a flea-market for $300. Sure enough it's a Famous First with the cover torn off. "I'm so sorry ma'am. But your Superman #1 is a reprint. It's practically worthless." This old women starts to pitch a fit. "I can't believe you gonna try to rip off an old woman. I came all this way and I ain't gonna get ripped off! I'm gonna git my money for my Superman!"

 

We had a pretty nice Famous First behind the counter. I picked it up, tore the outer cover off, and handed it to her. "Ma'am, now you have two Superman #1s. Good luck with them. Thanks for stopping by."

What did she say?