COMICS CULTURE SHRAPNEL from CBEM 319
Ah... I have been spending more time in my local comics shop, Jim Hanley's Universe. Um... in all honesty it's not really local, because I have to travel out of the far reaches of Brooklyn up into Midtown Manhattan, for all you non-New York people that's some fifteen miles, maybe more. There are plenty of places I could go to that are closer. But I make the trip because JHU is worth it. Good selection, friendly staff, and there's always somewhere to eat after I leave the store (maybe that part matters only to me). I don't mind the trip because I usually read my comics on the subway ride home anyway.
Yesterday I went there with a friend to pick up whatever was new, though I did end up getting older stuff too. I left with the newest JLA, Brotherhood, and Star Trek: New Frontier - Double Time. I never, ever leave with huge piles of stuff. I've been over this before, I just don't have the money. Which is very hard when I go to JHU because they just have so much stuff to offer. The shelves present me with every title carried in Previews. They even carry mini-comics, stashed away on their own rack in the front of the store. You *do* look at it, I admit. I never bought anything from there... yet, but that's where my boyfriend got "My New Fighting Technique is Unstoppable." The toys stay in their own aisle off to the side, where they should be. Though most of the stuff is alphabetical, a lot of title are grouped together by creator. There's a Neil Gaiman rack, a Warren Ellis rack, an Alan Moore rack. It's really quite helpful.
The staff is also incredibly helpful, though I have little cause to ask them for help. But one employee spent the better part of an hour looking for Giantkiller #1 for me sometime in the past, and they usually try to find out why certain titles are late or missing or sold out or whatever for me. Most of the time I talk to them just because. Movies, television, books, it's all fair game. I've gotten movie vouchers from them (last week I saw Evolution - I cannot recommend it too highly. Go see it!). Yesterday me and my friend ended up looking at one guy's portfolio. There's a definite community spirit going on inside JHU. That's the primary reason I make the trip.
I'm sure many of you have similar praise for your local shop, and just as many would curse out us fortunate ones out for being so lucky. And that's not right, comics buying should be an enjoyable experience, including the actual shopping for and purchasing of said comics. It doesn't have to be pretty and clean, though that certainly improves the situation. And it definitely helps when the employees are *helpful* (and don't take three-hour long lunch breaks, which is what the guy used to do at the store near my house). It's always nice to read stuff in the store. Oh, these aren't requirements for running a comics store, but as a customer they are what I like to see. And that makes all the difference, doesn't it?