Help Me Support My Local Comic Shop?

[sarthaz]

Epilogue on this adventure:

Shop #1: Special ordered TZ#2 over 6 weeks ago. Never heard back, so I drove to the store the other day ... and they had 5 copies! I didn't say anything -- just grabbed it and started to check out.

THEM: Oh, you like Twilight Zone?
ME: Yes. I actually special ordered this from you, but no one ever called me to let me know it was here.
THEM: Oh yeah -- we forget all the time.
ME: Could you put me on the list to get a call when TZ#3 comes out?
THEM: Sure. Just give us your name, address, phone number, next of kin, first grade teach--
ME: Whoa ... can't you just reuse my info from last time?
THEM: No, we lose that info all the time. Better to just get all your info for each order.
ME: Oooookay .... I'll just check back later ...


Shop #2: Special ordered Ten Grand #2. It was supposed to arrive last Monday. Went in on Tuesday and ... (imagine stoner voice here) "Oh yeah ... I forgot to order that, dude. Come back next week?"

So, I go in yesterday, and they have it! Holy crap -- they have it! And here's the hilarious part. There's a label with my name on it ... taped to the front cover with super-cheap, residue-leaving, paper-tearing bulk scotch tape. 4 pieces. Not "Magic Tape" or "Gift Wrap Tape" -- industrial-grade junk tape. So a battle begins between the hipster girl at the counter and this clear duct tape. Lots of pulling and grunting as the cover bends and warps and tears until finally, mercifully, she liberates the TPB from its straight-jacket of tape and expects me to now pay for it. I decided not to make a big deal out of it and just bought it and left, but it was shocking to observe. I wish I had been recording it. This is a business that caters to a mint-in-box, certified grading crowd, and here she is mangling the crap out of my book before my eyes.


Anyway, this is my epilogue, because I won't set foot in either store again.

[Jan]

Wow! Guess I've been spectacularly lucky.

At least you tried.

Jan

[Ubik]

So, I go in yesterday, and they have it! Holy crap -- they have it! And here's the hilarious part. There's a label with my name on it ... taped to the front cover with super-cheap, residue-leaving, paper-tearing bulk scotch tape. 4 pieces. Not "Magic Tape" or "Gift Wrap Tape" -- industrial-grade junk tape. So a battle begins between the hipster girl at the counter and this clear duct tape. Lots of pulling and grunting as the cover bends and warps and tears until finally, mercifully, she liberates the TPB from its straight-jacket of tape and expects me to now pay for it. I decided not to make a big deal out of it and just bought it and left, but it was shocking to observe. I wish I had been recording it. This is a business that caters to a mint-in-box, certified grading crowd, and here she is mangling the crap out of my book before my eyes.

Great maker! This makes me thankful for the amazing LCS I have on my doorstep. I would have either refused to buy that or would have asked for discount for the defacing, at least 30% off the cover price. Jeez. Some people.

Find a good reliable mail order and use them! Fairing that just get your TPBs from Amazon, it

[sarthaz]

Just a postscript to this whole story. Ultimately, I ended up giving both comic shops my info to sell me Twilight Zone TPB Vol. 3 when it comes out. This was more of a curiosity than an expectation. Anyway, the trade's been out for like a week now ... and ... ?

[Jan]

How long ago did you give them the info? I know that the usual order date is at least a few weeks before the title comes out. At least for the individual issues.

Jan

[sarthaz]

How long ago did you give them the info? I know that the usual order date is at least a few weeks before the title comes out. At least for the individual issues.

Jan

5-6 weeks for one of them, maybe 3 weeks for the other.

Don't worry -- I don't genuinely expect to hear from these shops. I just thought it was amusing.

[Jan]

That sucks. But just for fun, you should keep an eye out and see if they'll have anything you want for Free Comic Book Day next month. If they wouldn't let you spend your money, maybe they'll let you cost them money! (I'm a brat...)

Jan

[sarthaz]

That sucks. But just for fun, you should keep an eye out and see if they'll have anything you want for Free Comic Book Day next month. If they wouldn't let you spend your money, maybe they'll let you cost them money! (I'm a brat...)

Jan

LOL! Sounds like a plan. I'm not sure I've encountered any businesses so reluctant to take my money before this.

[sarthaz]

Since I know you're all dying for an update ... there is no update! Neither shop has called me to sell me a comic book in exchange for my money. How do these places stay in business?!?

[Jan]

I thought of you too late to post - Free Comic Book Day was this past Saturday. You could have cost them some of the money they wouldn't take from you.

Jan

[sarthaz]

I thought of you too late to post - Free Comic Book Day was this past Saturday. You could have cost them some of the money they wouldn't take from you.

Jan

Ha! I actually planned to go, but it was my daughter's birthday, so I had other plans during the morning. We called on our way to dinner, and they said they were out of free comic books, so we never went by. Hope it works out next year ... if they can stay in business wither their model of NOT selling comic books to people who want to buy them.