As I come to a close on “The Geek Stop” blog I realize that I have truly learned a lot about these comic book stores and the owners’ histories over the course of the semester. One thing I never knew was just how many comic book stores there are within my small area of South Jersey. I thought I’d be looking all over Philadelphia/PA to find what I needed but instead most if not all were right in my backyard basically!
When deciding if I will continue the blog, I have decided it is best to put it on hold at the moment. Although I have truly enjoyed doing these interviews and checking out/shopping at these comic book shops, I know that I will be back to visit them, and feel a burning hole in my pocket for geeky merchandise! My reasoning is that the pandemic is still flowing heavily within the US until the covid vaccine hopefully starts to change that! By then I hope to continue the blog or take up my own version in some way whether it’s through Instagram, another blogging platform, or WordPress! I have a bigger collection of Funko Pops due to this project after all, and my first two comic books (which I’m sure will continue to grow)!
The most rewarding aspect of all of this was learning the stories behind these owners’ shops and the individual community each store has. Another thing I’ve learned about comic book shops is exactly what I had assumed at first; there is a niche community similar to comic/anime conventions where there is tradition, passion, and a hobby at the root of it all. This has been so special for me to uncover as a journalist, despite being difficult at times trying to reach out to small business owners, and getting them to talk to me in the middle of a pandemic! It seemed almost impossible at first because I wasn’t able to be as involved with the community/shoppers as I would’ve liked, but the stories I got from the owners were so worth it!
Overall, I feel that I have grown in terms of editing, interviewing, and writing! This has been a very rewarding experience all in all, and I hope to keep my connections with these owners and other individuals within the collecting/geek culture community for future projects whether individual or professional!
I believe my top three posts were:
The Geek Stop 