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  1. #1
    Astonishing Member Timothy Hunter's Avatar
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    Default Bad Experiences at Comic Shops?

    Tell me your horror stories.

  2. #2
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    My only "horror" story related to a local comic shop would be:
    I was a regular subscriber at a local shop for years, where I was subscribing to 10 or so a month. After having our first kid, I wasnt able to get back up there as regularly, but they held everything for a couple months at a time.
    When we had our 2nd child, we went up there to pick up my subscriptions with kids in tow. The owners were lovely people and enjoyed seeing the kids, etc.
    The owners gave me a box (not a comic box) to place the books in for the ride home. We loaded the kids and headed for home.
    Ended up leaving the box of comics on top of our van, got out of the parking lot and onto the busy street. 1/4 down the road i saw papers all over the road in my rearwiew mirror. Complete loss. Went home and just went about dealing with basically throwing away over $100.
    That said, my parents and sister actually went back to the shop and told them of the story, to which the owners pulled about 80% of the books i had in my subscription, and gave them a huge discount to get those books back to me.
    So, although the horror part was depressing, it turned out really well and I obviously stayed loyal to that shop until the original family of owners eventually sold to a more "corporate" ownership.

  3. #3
    Astonishing Member LordMikel's Avatar
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    I worked at a comic store, there are many stories I could share, but Gen 13 kid is the funniest.

    Sunday phone call from a kid: Do you have Gen #4?
    Check, "No we don't."
    Monday phone call from same kid: Do you have Gen #4?
    Me, knowing we don't, doesn't need to check, "No we don't."
    Tuesday phone call from same kid: Do you have Gen #4?
    Me, knowing we still don't, doesn't need to check, "No we don't."
    Wednesday phone call from same kid: Do you have Gen #4?
    Me: Checks the order, "no it didn't come in this week"
    Thursday: phone call from same kid: Do you have Gen #4?
    Me: You know we only get new comics on Wednesday right?"
    Kid : "Oh no."

    Next Wednesday phone call from same kid: Do you have Gen #4?
    Me :Yes we do."
    Kid "Cool, thank you."

    Next Wednesday phone call from same kid: Do you have Gen #5?
    Me: No, no we don't.

    So by now, everyone on staff has taken at least one call from the kid. He is polite enough. But we realized, we didn't know who he was.

    Wednesday phone call from same kid: Do you have Gen #7?
    Me: "Yes we do, but I don't recognize you from coming in. So will I be seeing you later?"
    Kid: "No"
    Me: "But aren't going to come buy Gen 13 #7?"
    Kid: "No."
    Me: "Then why are you calling and asking about it?"
    Kid: "I don't know."

    Sadly, that was the last time Gen 13 kid called. Still not sure about his fascination with a comic he never bought.
    I think restorative nostalgia is the number one issue with comic book fans.
    A fine distinction between two types of Nostalgia:

    Reflective Nostalgia allows us to savor our memories but accepts that they are in the past
    Restorative Nostalgia pushes back against the here and now, keeping us stuck trying to relive our glory days.

  4. #4
    Ultimate Member Phoenixx9's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Timothy Hunter View Post
    Tell me your horror stories.
    I do not have any. Tell me yours.
    [Quote Originally Posted by Thor-El 10-15-2020 12:32 PM]

    "Jason Aaron should know there is already a winner of the Phoenix Force and his name is Phoenixx9."


    Like a Red Dragon, The Phoenix shall Soar in 2024!

  5. #5
    Fantastic Member ERON's Avatar
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    When I was in college, there was a comic shop within walking distance from campus that I would hit up every week. The owner/operator was a really nice guy, and we'd get into conversations some times. After I had been going there for nearly two years, he sold the shop, and the new owner hired a bunch of college kids to operate the place. The new employees would just sit around and play Magic: The Gathering all the time, and would get noticeably pissed off when a customer would come in, as it interrupted their games. After the time they made me wait at the checkout counter for close to ten minutes while they found a good stopping point in their Magic game, I never went back, and started driving to the next nearest shop instead.

  6. #6
    Mighty Member TriggerWarning's Avatar
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    Goes back to the early 90's. I had Ghost Rider on my pull list and it was the very beginning of the speculator era and gimmick covers. Ghost Rider was a hot comic and came out with a glow in the dark cover. The shop owner immediately marked every copy of this Ghost Rider issue to $15. He was butt hurt and acted like he was doing me a huge favor by letting me have the comic that was on my pull list for its actual price instead of his marked up price. Wasn't doing it in a joking way but a real snotty way. I moved away to college a month later and his shop was gone by the next summer when I was home again.

  7. #7
    Ultimate Member Phoenixx9's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TriggerWarning View Post
    Goes back to the early 90's. I had Ghost Rider on my pull list and it was the very beginning of the speculator era and gimmick covers. Ghost Rider was a hot comic and came out with a glow in the dark cover. The shop owner immediately marked every copy of this Ghost Rider issue to $15. He was butt hurt and acted like he was doing me a huge favor by letting me have the comic that was on my pull list for its actual price instead of his marked up price. Wasn't doing it in a joking way but a real snotty way. I moved away to college a month later and his shop was gone by the next summer when I was home again.
    I love it. KARMA.
    [Quote Originally Posted by Thor-El 10-15-2020 12:32 PM]

    "Jason Aaron should know there is already a winner of the Phoenix Force and his name is Phoenixx9."


    Like a Red Dragon, The Phoenix shall Soar in 2024!

  8. #8
    Ultimate Member babyblob's Avatar
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    Ive got a couple. One was a big comic book store in my area about 12 years ago. They had three stores. I went to the flag ship store and my friends and I bought a couple starter packs and boosters to some card game we had never heard of but it was a fantasy game and we liked the art so why not. I guess it was not a popular game because they were marked down. There was a huge selection but we only bought a few. We played the game and really liked it. We went back the next day. But the boosters and starters that were marked down the day before had been repriced to three times the amount we payed the day before. We asked the owner was it a sale we got. He said no the price was the normal price. We asked why the mark up? he never did give and answer. Just said well you wanted them yesterday so do you want them today or not? We put them back and never went to the store again.

    The second one was more recent. Before I found my normal comic shop two towns over. I went to one in the mall near my house. I was excited because it was the first shop I went to after I got out of prison. But the comics in the back bin were all disorganized. Not in any order. Wonder Woman were mixed with Captain America. When I asked the workers a question about if they have a comic I wanted they said man if we got it its in there some where just have to look. My dad who loves Archie comics asked about those. A worker was rude to him and said they do not sell kiddie books. Never went back. Talking to people who had also gone there this was not an uncommon thing. Was not unhappy to hear they did not survive Covid.
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  9. #9
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    I went to one and had to wait ten minutes whilst a girl in front of me was detailing why she loved Loki (just after Thor came out). She meant no harm but she was clearly obsessed with Tom Hiddlestone.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by ERON View Post
    When I was in college, there was a comic shop within walking distance from campus that I would hit up every week. The owner/operator was a really nice guy, and we'd get into conversations some times. After I had been going there for nearly two years, he sold the shop, and the new owner hired a bunch of college kids to operate the place. The new employees would just sit around and play Magic: The Gathering all the time, and would get noticeably pissed off when a customer would come in, as it interrupted their games. After the time they made me wait at the checkout counter for close to ten minutes while they found a good stopping point in their Magic game, I never went back, and started driving to the next nearest shop instead.
    This is pretty much the norm at the shop I just canceled my pull list at (though not for that reason, more that I can't get there often enough after they moved much farther away to justify the trips), to the point where it doesn't even register anymore. Just say, "Hey I'll be browsing but when you get a sec."

    In my experience most businesses like this (gaming shop/comic shop/nerd stuff) are started by someone with a passion for the hobby but mayhap so much in the business sense department. While they're often friendly and enthusiastic and some are willing to go above and beyond to help you out, the people they hire tend to be a mixed bag. Usually shop regulars who share the passion for the hobby and are willing to work part-time for store credit or not much pay. A lot of times first jobs, seen as a way to game or shoot the s##t with their friends/fellow nerds for a few hours (which is true 90% of the time) and get paid in credit. Sadly this means that when they do have to work it's seen as a hassle, and rarely makes them helpful (again, usually first time employees not used to interacting with the public professionally).

    The story that sticks out to me (though not rising to the level of horror, more confusion and annoyance) happened at the same shop when it was at its original location. Even when the shop was in my area I'd often take a few months before stops, and at the time I was collecting something like 40 different titles a month so I'd built up quite a pull box. When I came in to grab my books one day there was a very young kid who came up to the counter from one of the gaming tables. He asked how he could help me, I gave him my name and he grabbed my books for me. I looked them over to make sure everything was there, then said "Okey doke". He looked at me for a sec and then said, "Oh, how much?" That threw me for a second, not sure if he thought I was selling these books to him so I said, "Oh I'm buying them from the shop". He said, "I know, how much money is that?" I chuckled, still confused but not wanting to be rude and said "I don't know, usually the guy behind the counter rings them up, applies the discount, and I hand him my card."

    He literally gave an *ugh*, and said "I don't want to do that." I laughed out loud. I said, "well alright, what do you want to do here?" He was silent and looked down and shrugged. I was actually kind of amused at this point, but I wanted my books so I suggested we call Steve (the owner) and see how he'd like to handle it. He seemed annoyed but said, "No it's fine. I'll do it." He rang them up, I handed him my card, and business was done. I did later tell the owner about the incident, and he seemed unsurprised but apologized. The kid didn't last very long, but like I said most employees without a stake tended to have as much enthusiasm for customer service as he did. Which is a shame, I imagine that probably drives off a lot of potential customers or repeat customers who aren't as addicted to the hobby as I was.

  11. #11
    Ultimate Member Deathstroke's Avatar
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    Every comic store that I've ever been a regular at has never provided me with a horror story of any level. Whether it was Park Nostalgia II, Bob's Cards & Comics, Gateway Comics, (store who's name I can't remember), New England Comics (New Bedford) I've always been treated well by the staff.

    The only time I came close to a horror story was when I did a one off stop at a shop where it was like others have said, I was interrupting their card game. Nothing reaching to the point of wanting to punch the punk in the face or anything but I never went back.
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  12. #12
    Extraordinary Member Zero Hunter's Avatar
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    I have always been really lucky when it comes to stores I go too. There are 3 I used to frequent quite a lot and all of them were great. The owners were friendly and knew their stuff when you had questions. One owner even offered me a part time job out of the blue one day. I would have taken it if I had not already been working a full time job at the time.

  13. #13
    Extraordinary Member From The Shadows's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ERON View Post
    When I was in college, there was a comic shop within walking distance from campus that I would hit up every week. The owner/operator was a really nice guy, and we'd get into conversations some times. After I had been going there for nearly two years, he sold the shop, and the new owner hired a bunch of college kids to operate the place. The new employees would just sit around and play Magic: The Gathering all the time, and would get noticeably pissed off when a customer would come in, as it interrupted their games. After the time they made me wait at the checkout counter for close to ten minutes while they found a good stopping point in their Magic game, I never went back, and started driving to the next nearest shop instead.
    I kinda had this happen as well. They were very affronted looking just seeing seeing someone come through the door but they were close to the back and there was a guy at the counter so I didn't understand it. I was wondering if I interrupted a secret meeting. Bizarre.

  14. #14
    MXAAGVNIEETRO IS RIGHT MyriVerse's Avatar
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    Can't really recall anything truly horrible happening at any of the shops I frequented. The worst were nights when the books were late. A few times, back in the Capital City days, I had to wait around the shop until like 9pm. Mom was furious.

    Generally, LCS's are oases of awesome happiness where nothing bad happens.

    Um... well... a semi-friend once thought he'd make his own LCS... but all of his profits ended up supporting a drug habit, and the shop lasted 6 months. But I wasn't very closely involved in that. I had completely forgotten about this until right now.
    Last edited by MyriVerse; 01-19-2021 at 10:13 AM.
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  15. #15
    Astonishing Member CellarDweller's Avatar
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    I haven't had a true horror story, the closest I can think of was this experience.

    I went into a comic store, I can't recall which one, sometime in the early 2000s. I got a few different TPBs, and the guy at the register started ringing me up. Since it was a variety of books from different companies, he was curious about who I liked, there wasn't an overload of X-books or Bat books, so I guess that piqued his interest.

    So he made conversation and asked who my favorite hero was.

    I chuckled and replied that he wouldn't believe me. (I knew what would come if I said the truth).

    He replied with "Oh come on, it can't be that bad." So I told him my faves were the Wonder Twins.

    He got a serious look on his face, raised an eyebrow, pointed at me, and said in a loud voice "WHAT!?!?! I mock you, sir! I mock you!"

    I remember thinking "Oh, fun, dramatics at the comic store"

    Like I said, no big deal, but I never went back. LOL

    I found a new store to shop at, and the people there happily got me the Wonder Twins books, the TPBs, and the hardcovers of the Super Friends, and were always polite and friendly.

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