I am a Comic Book Fan

Today, after an almost 2 month abscence, I went to my comic book store. I even have a subscription service where they pick out the comics I read and put them aside in my very own pile - or folder - or whatever contraption they have behind the counter. My comic book dude's name is Howard - who, I am ashamed to say - name I did not know or remember for the first three months I went there. Wow - so I've been going there for about a year now!

My comic book store is in Old Town. It is basically a hole in the wall - one room with one street facing window. Every inch of the 2 shoppable walls are taken up by comics (books, trades, graphic novels), the space in front of the window is stacks of older comics; the other wall is where the cash register is, and in the middle are two spinning racks overstuffed with the latest issues of the books. Somw would call this cramped, or charming, maybe even a mess - I call it heaven! no, not that cheesy - I call it awesome. My comic book store isn't a polished, hip, neon lights, inuyasha display thing - its just a comic book store, make that strictly a comic book store. Where could they possibly fit that wretched manga?!? And that's why its awesome - it's got a humble 'lived in' feel to it.

Howard - my comic book dude - is also the coolest comic book purveyor ever. He quickly memorized my name (which probably wasn't too hard as I think I'm the only female black 20something that is a regular customer). Whenever u walk in during the week there's always this obscure-old-hard-to-find live recording of music from Howard's collection - and its all great! He's so cool! So that adds to the whole lovability to the place.

I've had about 1 1/2 other comic book stores in my life. The first was the Newsstand on the highway - which had absolutely no rhyme or reason to display its comics. I was never picking up the same series, I just got whatever looked cool - something to spend my allowance on. Then there was Universe - something Universe? I think it was called - in Springfield Mall. That was the first proper comic book store I remember seeing. To go along with the boom/peak of comics in the early 90's the store was shaped like a star trek spaceship, had neat lookin displays, they even sold Pogs! ahh pogs, remeber those? sigh, anyhoo - in the end who needs all those doo-dads and gizmos? my comic book store now is the greatest

yeah, so I guess this should've been called why I love my comic book store - o well