Just found out that due to some sounded-good relocations that didn't work out and the recent hurricanes causing major money-flow problems, the only reasonably convenient comic store near me is closing in two weeks.
My options, since I'm not going to drive an hour to buy my comics, are to just pick up graphic novels and hardback collections in the bookstores or from Amazon, get subscriptions, or start ordering from an online comic subscription service.
Anyone here buy their comics outside of comics stores? How's it work for you?
Posted by eslaine (Member # 5433) on :
Actually, I haven't been able to get up the nerve to buy comics from Bugtown, although Matt Howarth remains my favorite Artist/Writer in the medium.
But I've been tempted. I still have security paranoia about my credit cards....
Posted by Christy (Member # 4397) on :
We had a subscription at a local Champaign, IL shop (G-Mart), but still went to the store to collect the comics. It worked out well, but it took some time to be processed both upon getting and stopping our subscription.
Posted by Altįriėl of Dorthonion (Member # 6473) on :
maybe this is destiny handing you a career change. Buy the guy out, quit your job and run the comic book store. You'll never have to feel remotely awkward about reading comics at work ever again.
That should more than make up for the loss of health insurance and income, accompanied by financial uncertainty and long hours.
[ December 09, 2004, 03:27 PM: Message edited by: sndrake ]
Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
I haven't felt awkward, remotely or otherwise, about reading anything at work for many years. That includes comics, series romance novels, whatever. Although if I plan to read anything that can be identified as erotic from across the room, I leave it at home or read it on my PDA. Not an awkward thing, just inappropriate for the workplace. Also, people keep trying to read over my shoulder.
See, shame at reading something odd at work requires that you care what people think about you, and that takes way too much work for me to bother with. Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
You know, for about a half second I thought about running a comics store. I could do it and be good at it, but I don't have the financial security to essentially buy an entire business andf float it for at least a year.
But I could so be a Comic Book Guy. I'm working on the gut.
Posted by Altáriël of Dorthonion (Member # 6473) on :
buying the store seemes like a good idea, although ou should first tell us why the store is closing.
Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
They were in one spot where they did well, but not great. They moved to another, more heavily trafficked spot, where they did well, but not great. However, this location was close enough to my daily drive that I started my subscription there. They got the opportunity to move next to a movie theater on the same street, which seemed like a good idea until they found out that the slightly increased business wasn't meeting the drastically increased rent. So they moved - rather suddenly - back to their original location. Not at all convenient for me, since now I had to blow a long lunch every week to cross town for my comics, but manageable. Then we got hit by three hurricanes in quick succession. The damages from them, and the loss of revenue due to some steady customers having to drop subscriptions, combined with the money lost during their ill-fated high rent year, put them solidly in the red for too many months in a row. Plus there could well be other reasons I don't know about.
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