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I've been reading comics for over 30 years, and I've seen the inevitable demise of several comic shops in the numerous places where I've lived. It became an all-too-often occurrence in the late 90s and early 2000s after the speculator bubble burst. But this latest one was different.
I got married 12 years ago, I have a good job, and I've put down roots in the area. The city in which I live is a small one (about 48,000 people) but with two colleges in the vicinity, there always seemed to be a plethora of comic book fans around. My LCS always seemed to be busy. The owner was a middle-aged, enthusiastic guy, going so far as to name his son "Clark" after a certain famous alien, who was content with running the store. I thought the place had a lot of life left in it, but looks can apparently be deceiving. With my job and 2 kids, life can get pretty hectic, so I missed the announcements about the store closing and subsequent sales. I went to the shop a week ago, with the usual exciting building on the 20-minute drive. I arrived in the parking lot to find the shop ominously dark. When I approached the door, I saw most of the merch gone and the walls stripped of their usual frantic colors. I tried unsuccessfully to convince myself that the shop had just moved. When I arrived back home and checked the store's Facebook page, my fears were confirmed.
Yes, I'm well aware that there are much worse things happening in the world. I read or watch the news just about every day, and it's often difficult to process the horrors that don't come from a Hollywood effects studio. However, comics have always been a stabilizing force in my life. I feel connected to the past and the unfettered wonder of my childhood thoughts when I read them or when I open an expertly-crafted comic figure. Moreover, I took both of my kids to this shop to give them the unique experience that can't be replicated by a corporate bookstore or comics arriving in the mail. This pill, she is bitter to the tongue.
I got married 12 years ago, I have a good job, and I've put down roots in the area. The city in which I live is a small one (about 48,000 people) but with two colleges in the vicinity, there always seemed to be a plethora of comic book fans around. My LCS always seemed to be busy. The owner was a middle-aged, enthusiastic guy, going so far as to name his son "Clark" after a certain famous alien, who was content with running the store. I thought the place had a lot of life left in it, but looks can apparently be deceiving. With my job and 2 kids, life can get pretty hectic, so I missed the announcements about the store closing and subsequent sales. I went to the shop a week ago, with the usual exciting building on the 20-minute drive. I arrived in the parking lot to find the shop ominously dark. When I approached the door, I saw most of the merch gone and the walls stripped of their usual frantic colors. I tried unsuccessfully to convince myself that the shop had just moved. When I arrived back home and checked the store's Facebook page, my fears were confirmed.
Yes, I'm well aware that there are much worse things happening in the world. I read or watch the news just about every day, and it's often difficult to process the horrors that don't come from a Hollywood effects studio. However, comics have always been a stabilizing force in my life. I feel connected to the past and the unfettered wonder of my childhood thoughts when I read them or when I open an expertly-crafted comic figure. Moreover, I took both of my kids to this shop to give them the unique experience that can't be replicated by a corporate bookstore or comics arriving in the mail. This pill, she is bitter to the tongue.
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