Here is a unique comic/game store problem...

[Ogami]

How much less?

 

as in, "not at all".

 

Oh, so you couldn't care less.

 

[mica]

How much less?

 

as in, "not at all".

 

Oh, so you couldn't care less.

I couldn't care less about your smarmy *spoon*

[drice6900]

Maybe contact the CBLDF? They may have some good info.

 

Excellent suggestion, OG. I will check it out

 

I really don't see this as a political issue, but I can see why others do. I judge it as simple harassment by a misguided person or two. The store holds gaming events all week, usually attended by 3-4 dozen locals, and most are teenagers/early 20s. I guess having these kids bored and out running around and potentially causing trouble for the community is preferable to some, as is having one less successful storefront in an already economically shaky downtown area.

 

Sad really. Will keep you updated...

[deathlok]

How much less?

 

as in, "not at all".

 

Oh, so you couldn't care less.

You shouldn't get careless, that's how accidents happen.

[Mac Man]

I think it's disappointing. While I haven't played RPGs (of the non-PC type) since middle school, early high-school, I hardly see it as evil. Go back to the 50s and 60s, and you'll see the scare that comic books used to cause giving rise to the Comic Code. What people don't understand can often become subject to fear and reprisal.

 

While I don't really brag about D&D days, I AM a well-known comic book, LOTR, and Star Wars fan. My father-in-law is a Methodist pastor and he and my mother-in-law bought me a copy of ASM 238- Hobgoblin's 1st Appearance. Soo.... if he's not particularly concerned, I don't think I need to be either.

 

You CAN be conservative AND enjoy non-mainstream hobbies and interests. Shocking? For some, but not at all unusual.

[krazy_kenny1]

Oh, come to find out she is a local child psychiatrist.

 

What do you think?

 

I think you should see if you have a local group of Scientology nutcases and get them to go to her psychiatry practice and do the same thing to her.

[Moondog]

Back in 1981-82 I had a strange fellow come into the store on a Saturday afternoon. He said he was from England and wanted to look at some GA and SA. I showed him some books, he wasn't interestd in them and left.

 

A week later he comes in again and asks me to return a $100 bill that he claimed he left on the counter during his first visit. As absurd as this sounds he was serious. I explained that I found no $100 bill but that if I had I would surely return it to him. I even checked the paperwork from that day to make sure we weren't $100 over on the cash register - and showed it to him. It didn't matter. He raved on and on about how I was ripping off "foreigners". Eventually he left and I thought that was the end of it.

 

About 2 months later the police came into my store with a letter postmarked from England that claimed I was a child molester and that I had a thing for "young boys." He also sent this letter to 6 or 7 different businesses on my street.

 

The cops said they had to check things out. After about 30 minutes of asking questions and looking around they left. My neighbors came in holding the letters and said they didn't believe any of it and that it was all garbage.

 

All I could do was hold my breath.

 

The cops came back a week later and said that there was no evidence of any foul play and that they had heard nothing but nice things from my neighbors and some customers they had interviewed. I was relieved but still couldn't shake the feeling that I was an eyelash away from personal and business disaster.

 

A few years later a woman came in and checked out the displays of new comics. It was our policy to NEVER carry a book that contained nudity or over-the-top violence without bagging it first. We had conspicuous signage everywhere that said we would not sell these bagged new comics to anyone under 18 and that they were not even available to be looked at by underage kids.

 

Two days after the woman comes in the police come in to check out a complaint about selling pornography to underage children. After I explained that any comics containing nudity or hard violence were bagged and not sold to anyone under 18, the cops looked around and left. They came back a week later and said my policy was sufficient and they thanked me for being responsible.

 

These policies of being a good businessman in the community, of reaching out to my neighbors, of understanding the values and morals of the community in which I did business - of being responsible - saved my butt.

 

I urge all comic store owners to take a similar view when it comes to First Amendment issues and common sense. There will always be a do-gooder who will view you as the enemy - as evil. The only way to combat that stuff is to show the community that you're responsible, sensible and an asset. Get involved. Hold an open house and invite everyone in. Explain your policies and post conspicuous signage. And don't hire anyone who doesn't believe in these policies 100%. The wrong type of employee can really get you in trouble.

 

End of rant. Sorry for the length...

[mica]

There will always be a do-gooder who will view you as the enemy - as evil.

As a card carrying do-gooder it sounds as if these are Pure Spoonheads posing as do-gooders.

End of rant. Sorry for the length...

Don't be. It was very informative and quite eye opening.

 

To accuse someone of being a child molestor is indefensable. The sinking feeling you must have had worrying if just one person believed it about you must have been horrible.

[Paratrooper]

Or at least I think it is unique Anyway, my brother opened a comic and game store in mid-Michigan last summer (as many of you know). I have been helping where I can and doing a bit of Ebay sales for him.

 

Yesterday morning I was at the store helping him send out some auction items, when in walked this middle aged mother-type. She walked around the store, and passed me muttering "Evil...". She stopped in front of the D&D books display and then walked back to the exit. My brother aksed if she needed any help, and her response was: "This place is evil! Don't think the pastors in this town don't know about this store!" And then slammed the door.

 

We obviously were stunned. Seeing as my brother has attended the local catholic church for going on 20 years and is a Knights of Columbus member, and has two local pastors coming into the store playing the games on game nights - we just shrugged it off as a nutcase.

 

Today, I call my brother and he says she was back, this time with a friend and taking notes - concentrating on the D&D and trade paperback sections of the store.

 

I told him to get in touch with his lawyer and inform him of everything, document everything after they visit (time, who was in the store, what they said, etc), and be prepared for some nasty letters to the editor at the least.

 

Oh, come to find out she is a local child psychiatrist.

 

What do you think?

 

She's as nutty as those folks who think man is the cause of Global warming

[Paratrooper]

Maybe contact the CBLDF? They may have some good info.

 

or NAMBLA

[Paratrooper]

I think it's disappointing. While I haven't played RPGs (of the non-PC type) since middle school, early high-school, I hardly see it as evil. Go back to the 50s and 60s, and you'll see the scare that comic books used to cause giving rise to the Comic Code. What people don't understand can often become subject to fear and reprisal.

 

While I don't really brag about D&D days, I AM a well-known comic book, LOTR, and Star Wars fan. My father-in-law is a Methodist pastor and he and my mother-in-law bought me a copy of ASM 238- Hobgoblin's 1st Appearance. Soo.... if he's not particularly concerned, I don't think I need to be either.

 

You CAN be conservative AND enjoy non-mainstream hobbies and interests. Shocking? For some, but not at all unusual.

 

Are we brothers?

[Ogami]

Moondog, well said and well done.

 

I don't care what my LCS retailer sells, as long as he sells it in a responsible fashion.

[ShoNuff-migration]

Today, I call my brother and he says she was back, this time with a friend and taking notes - concentrating on the D&D and trade paperback sections of the store.

 

Oh, come to find out she is a local child psychiatrist.

 

What do you think?

 

The next time they come in the store, bite the head off a chicken and spit it at her...then punch her friend in the neck.

 

If that doesn't work, pack your butt crack full of peanut butter. Then when she looks at you, reach down your pants, grab a handful of extra chunky Jiff...and proceed to lick your fingers clean.

 

[SolitaireOne]

... pack your butt crack full of peanut butter. Then when she looks at you, reach down, grab a handful of extra chunky Jiff...and lick your fingers clean.

 

 

I shouldn't laugh, but I will...

[Johnny G]

Today, I call my brother and he says she was back, this time with a friend and taking notes - concentrating on the D&D and trade paperback sections of the store.

 

Oh, come to find out she is a local child psychiatrist.

 

What do you think?

The next time they come in the store, bite the head off a chicken and spit it at her...then punch her friend in the neck.

 

If that doesn't work, pack your butt crack full of peanut butter. Then when she looks at you, reach down, grab a handful of extra chunky Jiff...and lick your fingers clean.

 

 

I'd pay to be sitting in the back watching that!

[Moondog]

The biggest problem I see with comic store owners is that they believe it's their right to sell anything they want. That it's a First Amendment freedom of speech issue.

 

What they fail to understand is that it doesn't matter what they believe - when the store's business practices are outside of the community's norm - expect the worse. Bring in the CBLDF. Bring in the ACLU. You may end up avoiding a jail term, but your business is destroyed and your reputation is ruined.

 

All because you think it's legal to sell Cherry Poptart next to Betty and Veronica? (This is a REAL example that happened in 1994 in Connecticut.) Common sense must be used when dealing with emotional issues. Put the Cherry Poptart in a bag and segregate it away from the all-ages books. That's common sense. Not censorship.

 

The second-biggest problem I see with comic store owners is laziness. It's easy and simple to take the books out of a box and put them on the shelf. As far back as 1978 I had a strict rule that NOTHING goes out for sale until every page has been checked for nudity. Back in the 80's and 90's the independents were terrible about featuring nudity on a consistent basis. Books that never had bare breasts would suddenly have a nude scene. We couldn't trust any of them. The last thing you want to have happen is a mom checks her 12-year-olds books and sees bare breasts in what appears to be a harmless title. Take the time to make sure you don't get sub-marined.

 

During an early industry trade show in 1985 I was on a panel regarding censorship. The panel ended up being transcribed in an issue of Comics Interview magazine. I advocated a ratings system and was practically thrown off the podium by the creators and indy publishers. Only Denis Kitchen understood where I was coming from.

 

Today we have All Ages and other ratings on books. They're there more to protect the retailer (which was my argument) than to protect kids.

 

I love comic book retailers. But they're fierce independence and laziness may be their worst enemies.

[Shadow]

Good points, Moondog.

[Ivanko]

The second-biggest problem I see with comic store owners is laziness. It's easy and simple to take the books out of a box and put them on the shelf. As far back as 1978 I had a strict rule that NOTHING goes out for sale until every page has been checked for nudity. Back in the 80's and 90's the independents were terrible about featuring nudity on a consistent basis. Books that never had bare breasts would suddenly have a nude scene. We couldn't trust any of them. The last thing you want to have happen is a mom checks her 12-year-olds books and sees bare breasts in what appears to be a harmless title. Take the time to make sure you don't get sub-marined.

 

Good policy to have, especially when little surprises like Conan:Demons of Khitai #3 show up

[blazingbob]

If American women stopped wearing bra's the entire economy would grind to a halt

[Paratrooper]

If American women stopped wearing bra's the entire economy would grind to a halt

 

I know I would