Recently I was afforded the opportunity to check out a new comic shop. I got the afternoon off from work as the result of a holiday party and took that free time to take a stroll through undiscovered territory. But, if I am being completely honest, it’s not a really a new shop because they were just down the street and simply moved into a different space. But, in my mind it was still a new shop. Bigger space, more comics, and more things to look at. Also, this shop is nowhere near my house, so that’s why this was a big deal for me. But, I digress.
It took me a half hour to get to the shop from work; traffic wasn’t too bad and parking was pretty easy too. Once I gathered myself, and walked into the shop, I found myself experiencing things that I hadn’t in awhile: excitement as well as fear of the unknown. I let these emotions wash over me and just enjoyed the heck out of the experience. It is not too often these days that I find the time, or the opportunity to spend a good amount of time in a shop just looking around. So for one afternoon, I felt like I was home again as the trivial worries of daily life were washed away as I flipped through book after book. All around it was great experience and worth the drive even though I didn’t end up buying anything, but that’s not the point of my story.
Most of my time looking for print books these days is spent in second hand stores like Half Price Books. I consider going in there as part of “the thrill of the hunt” because you never know what you’re going to find; and, that is definitely part of the fun for me. Also, you can’t really beat the prices. So needless to say, I don’t go to “true” comic shops that much anymore and that’s a conscious decision I made when I decided to go digital for monthly floppies. And, it may seem like I miss going there, and I suppose I do to a degree. But gas isn’t cheap, and I almost never go to a shop and not buy something (that can be bad or good, depending on your perspective). What can I say? I like comics. Don’t you too? (wink wink).
Being an adult nerd in a comic shop is akin to being kid in a candy shop. Sometimes you need to feed that addiction. And on that day simply being in that atmosphere again was enough for me to feed my addiction. Because that’s the thing, even though I am mostly digital now, comic shops still do hold a special place in my heart. And, I will always find time (somehow) to revisit them. They are special places, and sometimes people forget that.
So before I sign off for the holidays, I encourage you all to feed your own personal comic addictions and go to your local shop. Or, if you are feeling adventurous like me, take a drive and discover the unknown. It’ll be worth the drive. I promise.
Happy reading and happy holidays.
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