Popular Post picon3 Posted May 14, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted May 14, 2018 I'm curious about other people's experiences with their first trip to a comic book shop in the 1970s where I'm guessing most of us Bronze Agers live. So I'll start. It was 1977 and I had just moved to an area about 7 miles or so from Citrus Heights in California. Up to that point I had never been to a shop that only sold comic books, but I quickly learned through some new friends that there was a store called Comics and Comix in the Sunrise Mall. So my friends Ron and Skip decided we'd take the bus up to Sunrise Mall and see if we could find this mythic place. It was only a 7 mile trip, but we were pretty excited and it seemed like every stop went on forever as people loaded and unloaded. And then we were there in front of the store. It was like finding the Lost Temple of Gold. I remember clearly going inside and they had shelves with all the new books on them, stuff behind the counter (I recall Avengers Annual #7 which was already a hot book then with the whole Thanos/Starlin story arc), but most importantly back issues in bins at the rear of the store. I recall I made one purchase that day, Doctor Strange #4 with a fantastic Frank Brunner cover (and a three year old back issue that I had been looking for for a while!). It was my Golden Age as a kid and one which still gives me fond memories today. Paul~ speedcake, 1950's war comics, Ken Aldred and 4 others 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post aardvark88 Posted May 14, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted May 14, 2018 (edited) Was around 1972 and I read an article about a comic book back issue shop in the weekly Entertainment section of the Vancouver Sun newspaper. It was too far for my buddies and I to ride our bicycles there from Chinatown, so we took the trolley bus on the weekend to West 4th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, Canada. It was a dark dingy store still currently called The Comicshop. Pretty scary in there, as it was run by 2 tall hippies, and I was a tyke. Saw an Avengers #1 for the princely sum of $40 that I later found out was above Overstreet once I realized you could buy an Overstreet in 1976 once the Guide was better distributed. Before The Comicshop opened up, I would walk down to the used book and porn shop in low rent Chinatown to rifle through loose back issues like Mr Miracle #2 that I bought for 10c, as I could not afford 'the good stuff' like Silver Surfer #1 hanging on a clothes line above the cashier for a monstrous price of $10. I will never be able to save up that many dimes ! Edited May 14, 2018 by aardvark88 sp. Ken Aldred, KirbyJack, Jimbo749 and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Black_Adam Posted May 14, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted May 14, 2018 (edited) 4 hours ago, aardvark88 said: Was around 1972 and I read an article about a comic book back issue shop in the weekly Entertainment section of the Vancouver Sun newspaper. It was too far for my buddies and I to ride our bicycles there from Chinatown, so we took the trolley bus on the weekend to West 4th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, Canada. It was a dark dingy store still currently called The Comicshop. Pretty scary in there, as it was run by 2 tall hippies, and I was a tyke. Saw an Avengers #1 for the princely sum of $40 that I later found out was above Overstreet once I realized you could buy an Overstreet in 1976 once the Guide was better distributed. Before The Comicshop opened up, I would walk down to the used book and porn shop in low rent Chinatown to rifle through loose back issues like Mr Miracle #2 that I bought for 10c, as I could not afford 'the good stuff' like Silver Surfer #1 hanging on a clothes line above the cashier for a monstrous price of $10. I will never be able to save up that many dimes ! The Comicshop was my first, too! But by then (1981) it had moved to 4th and Arbutus. I only learned the store existed from their ad in OSPG #10, which I had begged my Dad to buy me earlier that summer. I remember walking up the stairs to the second floor and having my mind blown. The most comics I had ever seen in one place would be as many as you could fit on a spinner rack, and the only back issues I had ever discovered had been at Pacific and O'day Used Books on Lonsdale in North Vancouver and they were always beat up copies with the new price (1/2 cover price) scrawled across the cover in blue crayon. I remember seeing near mint copies of FF #1 and AF #15 at mind-blowing prices (mid three figures) and always dreamed of owning an X-Men #94 ($75 at the time - to this day I have never owned one). But I still have many of the comics I bought there, including a sweet X-Men #18 that my Dad told me I was nuts to buy (I think I paid $15 - birthday money) that CGC has since graded as a 9.4 White. To this day I still can't hear the Beatles' White Album (which always seemed to be playing whenever I went there) without thinking about all those comics and all those hippies. Edited May 14, 2018 by Black_Adam 1950's war comics, batmiesta, jimjum12 and 8 others 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picon3 Posted May 15, 2018 Author Share Posted May 15, 2018 The photo is fantastic. That looks like me (no kidding) circa 1980/1981. I had let my hair grow for six months to irritate my USAF dad and had that same style. Paul~ Kramerica and Ken Aldred 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian48 Posted May 16, 2018 Share Posted May 16, 2018 (edited) I guess it might have been around 1977 or 1978. My access to purchase comics up to that point was pretty much limited to newsstands, spinner racks in convenience stores, and the late, great Robert Bell in Hauppauge, NY. One day a friend of mind showed me this great back issue of this one title (Don't remember exactly what that book was) and told me he got it from a "comic book store". I was really amazed at the concept of a store entirely devoted to comics and just had to see this for myself. Anyway, a few weeks later, we make the trip across the city via public transportation and I was introduced to Superhero Universe in Cambridge, MA. My eyes just about popped out when I walked in and saw all the wall books and isles of comic bins. Must have spent hours in there every available weekend I could get away. They eventually openned up a couple of other stores in the next few years, including one in downtown Boston. Pretty much hooked after that and visited as many other shops as possible within my travel range. My favorite was always the Million Year Picnic (also in Cambridge, MA). Back to Superhero Universe, the owner of the store was a real sleazeball, but I didn't realize that until later. Back in '83 when I officially left comics, I sold my collection to him and the scumbag made every attempt to delay payment to me, despite me giving him a really great deal. I made so many damn visits to the Boston store to ask for my money, I wounded up getting hired to work the store. Always thought it was ironic that I'd wind up working in a comic shop as soon as I gave up comics. Bob Layton used to stop by the store every now and then as he was living in Boston at the time. I remember one of my female co-workers really wanting to get into his pants every time he stepped into the store. I guess Bob was a real rock star in those days. Anyway, I stayed there for almost 2 years before hanging it up and left for the Marines. SU chain went belly up a just a few years later, which didn't surprise me. The Million Year Picnic is still operating to this day. Edited May 16, 2018 by Brian48 picon3, Larryw7, Ken Aldred and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Pirate Posted May 17, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted May 17, 2018 Besides the Local 7-11 in the 80's, I used to take a 2 hour + bus ride to the Smithhaven Mall on Long Island to visit a small shop called Serendipity Comics. All i remember from that shop is they had a FF #1 for $300. As I got into my teen years, mid to late 80's, I started going to Port Comics in Hauppauge, NY I think. They had a subscription service and got great back issues from a source in the city. They had a quarterly 50% off sale and I would get my dad to drive my friend and I up to. I remember one sale we got there 1st to make sure we got the books we wanted. My buddy snagged an ASM 121 for $10 and I went and got Hulk #181 for $20. Those half price days were great. Larryw7, 1950's war comics, comicdonna and 4 others 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picon3 Posted May 17, 2018 Author Share Posted May 17, 2018 Thanks to everyone who has shared a great story so far. Paul~ Kramerica 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kramerica Posted May 25, 2018 Share Posted May 25, 2018 (edited) My first trip to a comic store was in 1981 to the Aquarius Bookstore on 4th and Wilshire in Santa Monica, CA. I purchased a TTA #83 which I still have to this day for $3.25. Amazing that I remember the price (and still have the comic). Then it was off to the races...... Edited May 26, 2018 by Kramerica Grammar correction picon3, KirbyJack, Ken Aldred and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post KirbyJack Posted May 25, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted May 25, 2018 75 or 76, Bob’s Comics ( now Dragon’s Lair ). My comic- brother, Bobby Atherton, talked his mom into taking us. The store was upstairs, and to this day I can still see in my head that first glimpse inside, from below, as I was still on the stairs. It was overwhelming, and I can’t remember any individual comic (maybe FF 82?). But I do remember a poster; Silver Warrior. It was the first time I had ever seen the work of Frank Frazzetta. FoggyNelson, 1950's war comics, Ken Aldred and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post 1950's war comics Posted May 26, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted May 26, 2018 6 hours ago, KirbyJack said: 75 or 76, Bob’s Comics ( now Dragon’s Lair ). My comic- brother, Bobby Atherton, talked his mom into taking us. The store was upstairs, and to this day I can still see in my head that first glimpse inside, from below, as I was still on the stairs. It was overwhelming, and I can’t remember any individual comic (maybe FF 82?). But I do remember a poster; Silver Warrior. It was the first time I had ever seen the work of Frank Frazzetta. same time frame for me going to my first LCS in East Lansing Mi , the store is still there but they don't hardly have comics anymore , just books and i am surprised they are still in business.. i remember DD #1 was $20.00 but that was a lot of money to me back then Ken Aldred, Lucky Baru, FoggyNelson and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1950's war comics Posted May 26, 2018 Share Posted May 26, 2018 a few years later(probably 1977) i sold my Howard the Duck #1 for $20.00 and bought some smoke , i also sold my X-men #94 for $20,00 ... that was a lot of money back then when minimum wage was $2.10 Ken Aldred, Lucky Baru, FoggyNelson and 1 other 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KirbyJack Posted May 26, 2018 Share Posted May 26, 2018 (edited) 6 minutes ago, 1950's war comics said: a few years later(probably 1977) i sold my Howard the Duck #1 for $20.00 and bought some smoke , i also sold my X-men #94 for $20,00 ... that was a lot of money back then when minimum wage was $2.10 My first ever trade was an older kid ripping me off. He got my $10 Howard The Duck #1, I got his 50 cent FF #90. I still run into the guy (appropriately named Rob), we both still love comics, and we still laugh about that deal! Edited May 26, 2018 by KirbyJack FoggyNelson, 1950's war comics and Ken Aldred 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Ken Aldred Posted May 26, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted May 26, 2018 (edited) The first true comic shop I went to was the original Forbidden Planet in London; a fantastic shop and a treasure trove for me as a kid, and far different to the boring, soulless, corporate entity it later became. I'd never seen such a wide range; so much imported new material not distributed to the UK, independent books I previously didn't know existed such as Cerebus and Richard Corben undergrounds, and my first exposure to original EC comics, with a long wall dedicated to them. Whenever we had a school genealogy trip down to London my teacher would, after an hour or so, and very liberally, allow me to go off around the city, and I'd quickly rush over to the shop and spend most of the afternoon there, meeting up with the group again at the railway station around 4pm. Also, I hated school even though I tested well, and would have a 'day off' each term when I'd go down on the train from Manchester to buy another stack of new imports and a few back issues. Great, magical memories. Edited May 26, 2018 by Ken Aldred picon3, Jayman, ADAMANTIUM and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aardvark88 Posted May 26, 2018 Share Posted May 26, 2018 14 hours ago, KirbyJack said: My first ever trade was an older kid ripping me off. He got my $10 Howard The Duck #1, I got his 50 cent FF #90. Since I spent my allowance on chocolate milk, I had almost no spare change for a 20c new comic. My first trade was to my buddy in grade 2 that took place in neutral territory: school playground. Gave up my ASM # 121, as I disliked Spidey/Peter Parker, straight across for a nice Capt America 111 for Steranko goodness. Hindsight, not a good trade in terms of book value but I was such an art snob at 7 years old ! KirbyJack and picon3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David-Lance Roten Posted May 26, 2018 Share Posted May 26, 2018 (edited) First trip to a real comic book shop was in 1983, The Green Dragon in North Charleston. Had never seen anything like it. Great looking comics going way back to the 40's. Now, our local Book Exchanges always had a comic section. Some better than most. The one nearest to me, in Summerville, had a whole back room devoted to comics. On the wall there were Dell 4 Colors, numerous X-Men, Hulk, etc. Loved that place. Still have many comics remaining from there bought with gift certs or Mom & Dad's $$ back in the day. These were bought in 1982(among others), and remain with me to this day: Edited May 26, 2018 by PinkRoseCollection batmiesta, 1950's war comics, Ken Aldred and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky Baru Posted May 26, 2018 Share Posted May 26, 2018 Mid-1980's. I was amazed at how much comics had changed since I had stopped reading them. FoggyNelson, 1950's war comics and Ken Aldred 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aszumilo Posted May 27, 2018 Share Posted May 27, 2018 My first trip to a comic shop was back in 1978. My dad took me and my sister to see Animal House. After the movie I saw my first comic shop right next door to the theater, Mike's Comic Hut in Flushing, Queens, and talked my dad to going in. He bought me an Iron Man #3 for $5.00. It was the oldest comic I owned at that point in time. Still have it to this day. picon3, ADAMANTIUM and jimjum12 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picon3 Posted May 29, 2018 Author Share Posted May 29, 2018 (edited) On 5/26/2018 at 3:07 PM, PinkRoseCollection said: First trip to a real comic book shop was in 1983, The Green Dragon in North Charleston. Had never seen anything like it. Great looking comics going way back to the 40's. Now, our local Book Exchanges always had a comic section. Some better than most. The one nearest to me, in Summerville, had a whole back room devoted to comics. On the wall there were Dell 4 Colors, numerous X-Men, Hulk, etc. Loved that place. Still have many comics remaining from there bought with gift certs or Mom & Dad's $$ back in the day. These were bought in 1982(among others), and remain with me to this day: When I moved to Summerville in 1988 for my first "real job", I quickly found The Green Dragon. Great store. First time I saw the Comics Buyer's Guide (and read it religiously until they stopped publishing). Also, picked up Stephen King's Dark Tower Signed/Limited #238 for both the Drawing of the Three and the Wastelands at list price! Wished I still had those. Nice books by the way in the pics. Paul~ Edited May 29, 2018 by picon3 changed text Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...