Comic Books

[Helltown]

Okay, to avoid beating around the bush... The other gaming store in town is going under, and they were _the_ place to get comics in the area without having to drive down to Portland, up to Augusta, or over to Lewiston. I was a weirdo in that I drove to Augusta to get my fix of funny books, but that was 2-3 years ago when I was reading them with any sort of seriousness. Now faced with this sudden revelation, my business partner and I have decided to take over comics in the Brunswick area but we've hit a snag... He's never really read comics with the religious zeal that makes Wednesday (or Thursday depending on store) a sacred day and I've been reading the off-beat, small press stuff lately to avoid the multi-title, universe spanning story arcs that are so popular in the mainstream books when I feel like reading them at all. See the problem? We have no clue what's hot, what's not, and well... the other gaming store's owner is asking a teensy (a lot) more than we're willing to pay for their subscriber list, so... I gotta ask the 'big question':

 

What comics do you read?

 

I can kick it off:

 

Any and all ElfQuest that is published (whopping 3 issues last year, I hope for 4 this coming year)

Bone

Lil' Gloomy

Daredevil

JSA

[CuCulain42]

I currently only subscribe to John Constantine: Hellblazer.

 

I used to read Elfquest, I didn't even realize they were they were still publishing new issues. I am considering getting into Proof, but my FLG&CS sold out of it quickly. Issue 3 comes out this month so I'll check that out when it comes in.

 

My wife gets all the 30 Days of Night series that she can get her hands on.

 

I'm in with my FLG&C guy I could ask what titles he's got the most subscriptions too. He's only been open since Halloween so he's still building customers but it could help.

[Jen]

Mostly I stick with the 'graphic novel' format -- collections of stuff that have been bound into larger books. Individual comics are so short I read through them in just a few minutes, which I find unsatisfying.

 

So, I'm not real up on what's popular in subscriptions these days, but for what it's worth here's what I've been reading:

 

Buffy (The one traditional format thing on my list)

The Walking Dead

Sandman

Marvel Zombies

Marvel 1602

Girl Genius (Online comic, but print versions are available. Not sure if it's available in stores.)

[tabascojunkie]

Every once in a while I'll go to the nearest comic shop and pick up a stack of Star Wars books to catch up from the last time I did it about a year before.

 

I haven't been a regular comic reader in probably close to 15 years now.

[haldir]

I only read Bone, but since it's over I guess I don't read anything comic related now. I used to be a comic junkie, mostly Marvel & little bit of DC, but got tired of the constant "guest stars" in a particular title, even thou I probably read that "stars" book anyways, not to mention I got tired of the various cross-over, special cardboard cover variation issues (mind you this was the early 90s when I was into it big), then I found Bone, simple comic with simple art but a great story, it hooked me enough to say "#@*$ _)" to the other books.

 

RM

[tanker22]

I dont get much into comic books at all but another area to consider is the more adult graphic type stuff like Heavy Meatal magaizen and those Japanese anime novels, Menga or something like that? The store here in town carried them and they seemed to do rather well. I know this isnt really your sort of thing but it does open up a new customer base

[Star Drifter]

Ideally:

Captain America

Nightwing

New Warriors

Avengers: the Initiative

Doktor Sleepless

Newuniversal

Batman

Hulk

She-Hulk

Marvel Adventures: Spider-Man

Marvel Adventures: Avengers

Marvel Adventures: Hulk

Wolverine Origins

Ghost Rider

Nightmare on Elm Street

 

I don't get a lot of exposure to less popular titles or smaller labels, due to my comic book store really sucking. Whereas your store is trying to fill the need, the last comic book store in South Austin is trying to continue with business as usual. Thus, this is my ideal list. The real list of titles I get to read every month is about half of that.

[Lars Porsenna]

The only 2 I read regularly are Wolverine and The Punisher. I recently started reading Thor after Straczynski took over the writing, and its been fabulous! I'd read more Manga, but most of the stuff I find these days is pretty insipid. USED to collect Miyazaki's Nausicaa series (over now, but FANTASTIC; highly reccommend getting the back issues or the omni versions if you can find them), and a few other titles off-and-on. It just seems like the import Japanese stuff has been pretty uninteresting lately...

 

Damon.

[Prophet_of_Menoth]

Its kinda sad but I haven't read a comic book series since Sonic the Hedgehog in the mid 90s. I seem to migrate towards the Omnibus volumes that I can find. Although Bone made me want to get back into comics.