Previously, on The Comic Shop Life:  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, sub-7, 7, and 8.

The Comic Shop Life:  Day 9, Thursday

10:20-  Three deposits later and I’m done.  That’s  more banking than I’ve done in three years.

11:00-  Brought flowers for the boss.  No, not because I messed up a credit card; because I’m nice!  (Or so goes my story.)

11:05-  Giant SUV’s window is reflecting the sun right in my face.  I can’t see!  I can’t possibly readjust my chair; that’s crazy talk.

11:25-  “Would an inaugural Sonic the Hedgehog shirt be worth anything to ya?”  Um…  I don’t think so?  We only sell new shirts.  And we don’t sell videogames.  So I’d guess no?  (The most expensive Sonic shirt I see on eBay is $23.  So if there is a market, it’s a very hidden, underground, indie market.)

11:37-  Does there need to be a videogame Adam West suit?  I think not.  But there must be an audience for it, right?

12:36-  Readin’ lotsa comics, readin’ lotsa comics.  It’s the last day to read lotsa comics…

1:00-  Took a break to make a little note for the boss

1:51-  Wait.  Comics bringing the nations together?  It’s true!

2:00-  I already like this more than the “real” Justice League movie.

Area 52.  Heh.  Double-meaning!

2:01-  37% of internet bandwith in North America is used by Netflix.  Daaaaang.

3:30-  This week’s crop of Secret Wars is “Eh”.  Secret Wars 2099 is solid if you like David’s stuff and Old Man Logan is interesting.  The rest?  Nuh uh and niet.

3:34-  I’m not much for boycotting or petitions.  If I think a show or product is in bad taste, I don’t partake.  But hey, Freedom of Speech, yes?

Norman Rockwell (1894-1978), “Freedom of Speech,” 1943. Oil on canvas, 45 3/4″ x 35 1/2″. Story illustration for “The Saturday Evening Post,” February 20, 1943. Norman Rockwell Museum Collections. ©SEPS: Curtis Publishing, Indianapolis, IN.

Be sure to visit the Norman Rockwell Museum’s website.  🙂

4:00-  Got an e-mail that my favorite 105 year-old is moving away.  He’s too old to move!  Make ’em stay!  What’ll I do without my resident Wizard Shazam watching over the Rock of Eternity?

4:35-  Fight Club 2; interesting and quite messed up.  You decide if that’s good or bad.  It ain’t “pretty” either way.

4:41-  “You’re fired.  Dealth penalty will be administered.” -my boss.  She’s joking.  …I think.

6:01-  Okay, some parting bits of “wisdom” from somebody who’s been reading comics since ’94 and working in the field off and on since ’96.

*No one ever gets rich off of comics.  Yes, if you spend years testing the market you can make some money.  There are one or two people in the world who sell a copy of Action Comics #1 for every one or two million collectors.  Learn from the 90’s (and all their speculation buying of X-Men/Spawn/Death of Superman which are all worth $5.  Maybe).  You may make a buck or two, but you’ll never be “The Bill Gates of Comics” because there is no such guy.

*If you don’t want it, don’t buy it.  This is possibly the hardest lesson for longtime fans or completists.  You don’t have to keep buying a series just because you “have every issue”.  It took me a while to learn this lesson myself.  But A: that’s money you could be spending on something else and B: more and more comics are getting collected.  So if you miss out, you can go back and get the trade paperback.  (The caveat here being that if you have a subscription set up with your store, make sure you buy all the comics you have agreed to buy.  Don’t leave the store hanging; it’s just courtesy.)

*Related to that, buy what you want, not what you’re “supposed” to want.  If I were a “true nerd”, I would read Preacher.  Or Sandman.  Or Alan Moore’s Swamp Thing.  But I have not.  My to-read list is quite lengthy, but Preacher will never be on it.  I know I don’t like Watchmen while every other nerd swears by it.  It’s okay.  Really.  Better to spend your time, money, and bookshelf space on stuff that you prefer than what others browbeat you into.

*You can always check out stuff from the library.  More and more library shelves are being filled with comics.  Tintin, Donald Duck, Walking Dead, Fables; they’re all on the shelves if your library is spiffy.  Reading for free is still reading.  You’re still a fan.  And it is much better to use a library than to spend a small fortune figuring out what you like or downloading comics illegally off the internet.  (Libraries= Neato.  Pirating= Terrible.)

*The comic shop folks are there to help you.  If they’re rude or jerks, go somewhere else.  Only quality stores should be supported.  If they are snobbish and laugh at your tastes or generally refuse to be nice, ditch ’em.  Comics are supposed to be enjoyable.  The comic shop person is supposed to be making your life easier.  They should be that little bridge that connects you to the stories you’ll love.  If they aren’t doing their job, detour around them.

*Enjoy.  Have fun with it.  Ya wanna cosplay?  Fine.  You a fellow that likes My Little Pony Comics?  Okay.  You a girl that likes Walking Dead and Wolverine?  Fair enough.  Whatever floats your boat.  There is no such thing as a “normal” comic fan.  We’re all goofy.  So do what works for ya.  Trades or singles, Batman or Iron Man, variant covers or used copies.  It’s supposed to be fun, darnit.

So there ya have it.  Two-ish weeks of running a comic shop.  No crazy people fighting over the last issue, no folks offering me comics worth a million dollars, and nobody dressed up in an authentic Punisher costume.  We’re all just here for a good story.  (That being said, I’m quite fine going back to being a part timer who only works a day a week.  Too much time in this seat makes me lazy.  “Oh, I’ll read that tomorrow.  What’s on the ‘net?)

And remember, dreams really do come true.  My yearbook is proof of that.

6:44- Guy shows up to break in his new credit card limit. Buys the fanciest Iron Man statue we have. Takes at least ten minutes to carefully get Tony into his packaging/ surround him in plastic bags and bubble wrap. And while the entire transaction has me stay until 7:05, it also nearly doubles the store’s income for the day. The boss will be happy that my nine days ended on a high note.

“So it goes.”