I Wish I Worked In A Comic Shop.

[Donal DeLay]

I like comics. I like art. I like geeky shit.

Really, I'd welcome the pay cut to work in a fun environment.

Wish I had some comic shops around me that were hiring.

:(

[Black Roman]

yeah . . . me too. :?

[SeanC]

It really is fantastic. Yeah the pay is awful and sometimes Wednesday can be the most stressful situation ever, but in general it's a really fun job.

It's like getting paid to hang out and talk nothing but nonsense all day long.

[The Cheap-Arse Film Critic]

I've a feeling I'd end up killing someone.

[ZombieSpeedball]

I've a feeling I'd end up killing someone.

Oh man, that wouldn't be a matter of "if" for me, rather of "when". My local shop gets packed by Yu-Gi-Oh players and hip-hop dicks. I'd be getting fired/arrested my first day.

[YouStayClassy]

Oh man, that wouldn't be a matter of "if" for me, rather of "when". My local shop gets packed by Yu-Gi-Oh players and hip-hop dicks. I'd be getting fired/arrested my first day.

Add RPG freaks and you've got the LCS I used to go to.

[Black Roman]

Oh man, that wouldn't be a matter of "if" for me, rather of "when". My local shop gets packed by Yu-Gi-Oh players and hip-hop dicks. I'd be getting fired/arrested my first day.


I used to love my OLD comic shop. I don't like the ones around here too much. and I used to like Yu-Gi-Oh and other RPG stuff so I'd be fine, even if I don't do them now anyway.

[AAlgar]

Jesus, are you kidding? It'd be like being in the worst threads of this board all day long. Only you can't sign off.

[YouStayClassy]

Jesus, are you kidding? It'd be like being in the worst threads of this board all day long. Only you can't sign off.

The Michael Moore and Ann Coulter threads? Wha-?

[RebootedCorpse]

It seems like a cool idea, but it really sucks. You quickly realize that all the horrible stereotypes of comic book fans have a firm grounding in objective reality.

[GrandeMaestro Fünke]

Add RPG freaks and you've got the LCS I used to go to.

That's pretty much my LCS. They even moved the new comics table to make room for a table for the Yugioh nerds to play on during the weekends.

[Jen Grunwald]

I loved working at the comic shop!!! Of course you get some super weirdos, but on the whole comic peeps are way better than your average retail customers. Nerdier, sure, but less assholes.

And you get to read the all the comics you want! And you ALWAYS know what's new...I've kind of fallen out of a lot of indie/small press comics because I'm not there on Wednesday putting out all the comics and seeing everything that came out. :-P

:rogue:

[Black Roman]

Oh, I'll totally work at one if given the chance and hell you can ALWAYS QUIT if it turns out to suck anyway so what's there to lose?

[AAlgar]

The Michael Moore and Ann Coulter threads? Wha-?

I just realized I have no earthly idea who you are. Your post count tells me I should. :?

[bartleby]

I just realized I have no earthly idea who you are. Your post count tells me I should. :?

His avatar should tell you enough.

[changingshades]

Add RPG freaks and you've got the LCS I used to go to.

yeah, well my LCS is filled with zombies and nuclear mutants

[ZombieSpeedball]

yeah, well my LCS is filled with zombies and nuclear mutants

Eh, I can deal.

[AAlgar]

His avatar should tell you enough.

I have them turned off.

[YouStayClassy]

I have them turned off.

D'oh!

[ZombieSpeedball]

I have them turned off.

It's you. You're Vaginy whoever.

[Black Roman]

It's Upgrayyed. (Well no one else was gonna say anything)

[changingshades]

I have them turned off.

and how is this his fault?

[YouStayClassy]

It's Upgrayyed. (Well no one else was gonna say anything)

UpgrayeDD. The Double D is for a double dose of.... well, you know.

[Black Roman]

UpgrayeDD. The Double D is for a double dose of.... well, you know.

Daredevil? Double Dragon? Darkwing Duck? :?

[YouStayClassy]

Daredevil? Double Dragon? :?

*now wishes he had a picture of Daredevil dressed up like a pimp*

[changingshades]

Daredevil? Double Dragon? Darkwing Duck? :?

Doctor Diehard?

[jason hissong]

UpgrayeDD. The Double D is for a double dose of.... well, you know.

YouStayClassy!

[Lord Jermaine Retail]

I like comics. I like art. I like geeky shit.

Really, I'd welcome the pay cut to work in a fun environment.

Wish I had some comic shops around me that were hiring.

:(
Never, ever forget that working in a comic book store is still working retail. So despite the product being something that you care about (I couldn't sell shoes like I do comics) every single soul-killing thing about working retail is still in play. You're at the mercy and whim of the general public at large. As well as the distributor. Don't get me wrong, I love my job and I'm lucky to do what I do and get paid for it. But whenever someone says to me that "it must be fun to work here" I remind them that retail is still retail.

[AAlgar]

It's Upgrayyed. (Well no one else was gonna say anything)

I wish you hadn't, Todd. I was keen to guess.

[Black Roman]

I wish you hadn't, Todd. I was keen to guess.

I said I was back to Hellboy Jr. as soon as Alysha will let me. :mad:

[YouStayClassy]

YouStayClassy!

Ahh, good times.

[changingshades]

Ahh, good times.

It is my favorite of your nom de board

[bartleby]

Ahh, good times.

You should really change it to YouStayVasily.

[YouStayClassy]

It is my favorite of your nom de board

Yeah, I really miss it. But to me, that name represents optimism and a sunny outlook on life, and that just ain't me anymore.

[Donal DeLay]

yeah, well my LCS is filled with zombies and nuclear mutants YOUR LCS has fish and scorpions.


Never, ever forget that working in a comic book store is still working retail. So despite the product being something that you care about (I couldn't sell shoes like I do comics) every single soul-killing thing about working retail is still in play. You're at the mercy and whim of the general public at large. As well as the distributor. Don't get me wrong, I love my job and I'm lucky to do what I do and get paid for it. But whenever someone says to me that "it must be fun to work here" I remind them that retail is still retail.
I meant fun more for the employee aspect of being able to talk to people with similar interests, read comics, and probably draw while at work without getting yelled at.

Right now, I work in a retail warehouse and 99% of the people there are sports fans or typical weekend partiers, or middle management wannabe's.

At my LCS, they're Vans-wearing, Anthrax listening, comic reading geeks with tattoos. GUESS which one I get along with.

I can always deal with the customers there the same way I deal with them at Lowes. Ignore them, then complane about them to my co-workers, but at least I'd be complaining to people like myself.

:D

[ZombieSpeedball]

Yeah, I really miss it. But to me, that name represents optimism and a sunny outlook on life, and that just ain't me anymore.

You should change your name to The Todd if you no longer feel the light of happiness in your life. :)

[changingshades]

Yeah, I really miss it. But to me, that name represents optimism and a sunny outlook on life, and that just ain't me anymore.

aw what's the matter my friend from up nort?


need to get out of SD? want to move to Chi with me?

[changingshades]

YOUR LCS has fish and scorpions.

:D

this is true

[AAlgar]

So is that a reference I should recognize? I got the last two. :(

[YouStayClassy]

You should change your name to The Todd if you no longer feel the light of happiness in your life. :)
:lol:

aw what's the matter my friend from up nort?


need to get out of SD? want to move to Chi with me?

Oh man, you have no idea how much I'd love to! Damn chains of responsibility....

[changingshades]

:lol:


Oh man, you have no idea how much I'd love to! Damn chains of responsibility....

I'm not moving until Feb

BREAK THOSE CHAINS OF LOVE

[Nick Spencer]

I have always dreamed of this job, too. I have a good amount of retail and sales experience, so I always feel like I could do it well enough. After all, it's not they're gonna pay you to sit around and just read the product... are they?

My thing is I don't really care much for the LCS selection in my area. Now I would kill to work at a place like Isotope. I would move to SF just to do that.

That's it... James Sime, if you're reading this, I will move to San Francisco for you. I swear to God, I'll do it. Because I'm sure you're facing a shortage of potential employees out there.

[Donal DeLay]

I have always dreamed of this job, too. I have a good amount of retail and sales experience, so I always feel like I could do it well enough. After all, it's not they're gonna pay you to sit around and just read the product... are they?

My thing is I don't really care much for the LCS selection in my area. Now I would kill to work at a place like Isotope. I would move to SF just to do that.

That's it... James Sime, if you're reading this, I will move to San Francisco for you. I swear to God, I'll do it. Because I'm sure you're facing a shortage of potential employees out there.
I've already asked before.

I'd totally find a way to move tomorrow.

[Nick Spencer]

I've already asked before.

I'd totally find a way to move tomorrow.

Yeah, that's why I put that last line in. I'm sure there's a prospect list a mile long.

[EasyE726]

UpgrayeDD. The Double D is for a double dose of.... well, you know.

Your chest size?

[chazbot]

I used to work in the paper department of an art supply store. It was a great part time retail job, and I got to actually learn/understand all the art supplies that comic artists are talking about. Plus I got to talk about whatever crap all day.
Then, when I first moved to go to Grad School, I got a part time job in a bowling alley... I thought it might be like "Ed." It was not, it was much, much worse. The customers made me want to punch myself in the face...
I've been in my lcs several times at times when the clerk was having to deal with customers as bad or worse than I dealt with at the bowling alley. No amount of fun chit chat and free comic browsing could make up for that.

[Pat Loika]

Unless I own a shop, I wouldn't want to work a comic shop ever again.

Dead bodies, malls, and inventory issues killed the fun for me.

P.

[c. page]

Unless I own a shop, I wouldn't want to work a comic shop ever again.

Dead bodies, malls, and inventory issues killed the fun for me.

P.

i'm starting to wonder if the strange things that happen around you aren't necessarily a result of the places you work, so much as as the result of being pat loika.

[bradical]

I like comics. I like art. I like geeky shit.

Really, I'd welcome the pay cut to work in a fun environment.

Wish I had some comic shops around me that were hiring.

:(

emerald city is always looking for part time help. seminloe and saftey harbor/clearwater locations.

[Pat Loika]

i'm starting to wonder if the strange things that happen around you aren't necessarily a result of the places you work, so much as as the result of being pat loika.

It ain't my fault I was born this way!

P.

[c. page]

It ain't my fault I was born this way!

P.

did crazy shit happen to you as a kid, too?

[Pat Loika]

did crazy shit happen to you as a kid, too?

Did I ever tell you my circumcision experience?

P.

[c. page]

Did I ever tell you my circumcision experience?

P.

yes, yes you did.

i mean aside from that. (although, i don't know if that alone wouldn't make up for an entire childhood of normalcy.)

[ZombieSpeedball]

Did I ever tell you my circumcision experience?

P.

All ears, boss, all ears. :eek:

[c. page]

All ears, boss, all ears. :eek:

you really don't want to hear this.

[Pat Loika]

yes, yes you did.

i mean aside from that. (although, i don't know if that alone wouldn't make up for an entire childhood of normalcy.)

I think it's been normal, but the moment I started working, though...

P.

[ZombieSpeedball]

you really don't want to hear this.

:mistrust: That bad?

[Pat Loika]

All ears, boss, all ears. :eek:

Heh.

All I will say is that it involved a butcher knife.

P.

[c. page]

:mistrust: That bad?

it's pat (think about all the other stories you've heard from him) and circumcision.

do i need to say much more?

[ZombieSpeedball]

Heh.

All I will say is that it involved a butcher knife.

P.

Yeah I'm done.


it's pat (think about all the other stories you've heard from him) and circumcision.

do i need to say much more?

I guess you're right.

[Alasar]

It was a great experience for me to work at a comic shop, though I doubt I'll ever work at another one since, in the town I live in, we only have one shop.
I worked at one for 3 months and my jobs were putting the bags in boards, sorting out comics for everyone's pull list, and filing comics in alphabetical order and putting them into the long cardboard boxes. I got paid once every week and the store owner said that I could come in and work anytime I wanted to.
I had another job at the time, so I came in and worked at the comics shop before I went to my other job. The comics shop owner didn't need me anymore after the 3rd month so I was let go and I continued to work at my first job.

[Ashton]

I don't think the pay would be very good though, aside from that it would be fun.

[Jef UK]

I worked in a comic shop all through highschool.

[Evan the Shaggy]

I worked at my local store for two summers while in high school, it was a blast to be sure.

I'd love to work in one again as my area is super fucking cool in terms of comic collectors but I like money.

[mike black]

Seriously....it's not worth it.

Like any job, you end up hating what you were working in by the time you're gone. And the amount of really really annoying comic fans out there is really hard to ignore.

[RebootedCorpse]

The thing is, to be good at your job, you have to read most if not all the new comics so you can help out customers.
You realize how many god-awful shitty comics exist. I experienced this at the height of the Bad Girl/Gen 13 craze of the 1990s. After I stopped, I couldn't read a comic for nearly two years.

[mike black]

The thing is, to be good at your job, you have to read most if not all the new comics so you can help out customers.
You realize how many god-awful shitty comics exist. I experienced this at the height of the Bad Girl/Gen 13 craze of the 1990s. After I stopped, I couldn't read a comic for nearly two years.

:lol:

I was lucky enough to do it during NuMarvel. I can't begin to imagine what that might have felt like.

[Albert]

It is the most fun job I've ever had. Go comic book stores!

[Brian Defferding]

My friend Scott, to me, is living the dream. He owns a comic shop and lives in a really nice apartment above it, it's in a good area of town (next to a coffee shop, near a college campus, in the downtown area), has awesome friends and his customer base, while geeky and nerdy, are great people to hang with.

[Garth]

I worked in one for about a year. And it does suck, because when you go home, you don't want to see, read or hear about comics. Kind of the same way it was when I worked at Gamestop, I hardly played any video games for that time period.

[artimoff]

Of course you get some super weirdos, :rogue:


& I'm guessing they all hit on you.

[HomerGator]

Seriously....it's not worth it.

Like any job, you end up hating what you were working in by the time you're gone. And the amount of really really annoying comic fans out there is really hard to ignore.

I know that I can't stand half the people that come into my LCS, and that's just the people that come in while I'm in there.

If I had to answer questions about GIJoe and Transformers comics all day I think I'd be pretty pissed.

[bartleby]

& I'm guessing they all hit on you.

Are you saying that Jen attracts weirdos?

[Lord Jermaine Retail]

Seriously....it's not worth it.

Like any job, you end up hating what you were working in by the time you're gone. And the amount of really really annoying comic fans out there is really hard to ignore.

I will never, ever hate working with comics. If I ever grow disillusioned with the job it won't be because of comics or the customers. And there's a large amount of annoying people in the world in general, not just annoying comic fans. At least then there's some kind of context for me. ;)

[mike black]

I know that I can't stand half the people that come into my LCS, and that's just the people that come in while I'm in there.

If I had to answer questions about GIJoe and Transformers comics all day I think I'd be pretty pissed.

It really depends on the clientele. When I worked at RMC we had a really solid customer base full of really cool people. This was around the time when comics were becoming fashionable, so you had quite a few well adjusted good looking folks coming in.

Problem was, you had a lot of caveboys and X-Men fans coming in too.

[mike black]

I will never, ever hate working with comics. If I ever grow disillusioned with the job it won't be because of comics or the customers. And there's a large amount of annoying people in the world in general, not just annoying comic fans. At least then there's some kind of context for me. ;)

I came off really heavy handed. I think the over all problem with it is that it's still retail. And there are a ton of things that really turn 90% of people off from that.

[KingMob]

I dont, mainly because 90% of them smell like someone took a shit in the corner.

[Lord Jermaine Retail]

I came off really heavy handed. I think the over all problem with it is that it's still retail. And there are a ton of things that really turn 90% of people off from that.

Retail does...things..to the mind, I always say. But on the positive side it helps me to not be "one of those people" when I'm out at stores. I always put stuff back where I got it and try to be direct and articulate about what it is that I'm looking for.

[Donal DeLay]

emerald city is always looking for part time help. seminloe and saftey harbor/clearwater locations.
:scared:

Who .... are ... you? And how do you know I shop at EC?

wow, is this ever weird that you know that.

[Bryan H]

I don't want to work at a comic shop, I want to own a comic shop.

Working at one can be aggrevating when you see stupid stuff like putting Playboys next to the Archies.

[Lord Jermaine Retail]

I don't want to work at a comic shop, I want to own a comic shop.

Working at one can be aggrevating when you see stupid stuff like putting Playboys next to the Archies.

Do what now?

[Bryan H]

Do what now?

Shop I use to work at. Its hard to explain the setup, but on the second new release table, stuff was laid out like

Row of Archies -> a few new Marvel/DC -> Naked Ladies.

It always bugged me.

[thatguyfromsyracuse]

I love working in a comic book store. Sure, I can't stand some of the customers, but the really great customers outweigh the bad ones. It's laid back, but it's still a job. And, as much as I do love it, I still love being able to go home AND not have to work on weekends.

[Lord Jermaine Retail]

Shop I use to work at. Its hard to explain the setup, but on the second new release table, stuff was laid out like

Row of Archies -> a few new Marvel/DC -> Naked Ladies.

It always bugged me.

That is literally asking for trouble. "Hey person off the street, hassle me about..um..uh..this right here!"

[Bryan H]

That is literally asking for trouble. "Hey person off the street, hassle me about..um..uh..this right here!"

The older Playboys? Those are next to the entrance.

He's been in business over 20 years though, so he must be doing something right. Or paying the right people.

[Nick Spencer]

I don't want to work at a comic shop, I want to own a comic shop.

Working at one can be aggrevating when you see stupid stuff like putting Playboys next to the Archies.

I came really close a few years back. But doing it right can cost upwards of 100k, which is pretty steep obviously.

I've always dreamed of launching a national chain of super-shops. I did a business plan for the concept in college. Sort of LCS meets Borders, with an ice cream/pretzel stand, tvs and lounge areas, plus a huge selection of comics, toys, anime, manga, apparel, lots of imports and novety items, dvds and video games. Hard to find investors for that kind of thing, though.

[thatguyfromsyracuse]

I came really close a few years back. But doing it right can cost upwards of 100k, which is pretty steep obviously.

I've always dreamed of launching a national chain of super-shops. I did a business plan for the concept in college. Sort of LCS meets Borders, with an ice cream/pretzel stand, tvs and lounge areas, plus a huge selection of comics, toys, anime, manga, apparel, lots of imports and novety items, dvds and video games. Hard to find investors for that kind of thing, though.

I think thats the kind of thing that would be incredibly hard to get off the ground. You should start small first, and see where you can go from there. I mean, our store does really well, and it's been around for 11 years, but I don't think the owner would even think about opening another location.

[Nick Spencer]

I think thats the kind of thing that would be incredibly hard to get off the ground. You should start small first, and see where you can go from there. I mean, our store does really well, and it's been around for 11 years, but I don't think the owner would even think about opening another location.

It's only been tried once really, with Another Universe. They came close, but I think their target demo was too small and there were some mistakes made. Personally, I think hobby is the last untapped field of national retail, and I'm sure SOMEBODY will take advantage of that. People never thought mega bookstores would work either, because small business book retail had never been viewed as profitable. The key is a diverse and deep product selection, something most independents can't pull together for capital reasons.

[c. page]

I love working in a comic book store. Sure, I can't stand some of the customers, but the really great customers outweigh the bad ones. It's laid back, but it's still a job. And, as much as I do love it, I still love being able to go home AND not have to work on weekends.

and it smells like farts sometimes!

[thatguyfromsyracuse]

and it smells like farts sometimes!

Yes!!

[HomerGator]

This is the greatest thread ever. More stories!