My name is Julia Riffle and I’m a senior at Rowan University studying communication with two minors in new media and journalism. I have a passion for pop culture merchandise collecting, gaming, anime, and cosplay! You may think, why someone who isn’t an actual comic buff making a blog about comic stores? Well, I have a strong desire to share this geeky culture with others and learn more about it myself. Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic I found things to keep me busy being at home. I realized that my childhood geek was still inside of me and started a Funko Pop collection! I also spent most of my time thinking of conventions to attend when this was all over. My mission and content for this blog is to showcase what the South Jersey and Philadelphia area comic book stores exclusively hold and have to offer for customers. For example, comics, pop culture merchandise, games, etc… Customers and owners will also be photographed (along with the merchandise), interviewed, and asked about the store and what they find appealing about it/ why it is important to them. My desire for this blog overall would be to give the comic book stores themselves and the communities a newfound appreciation through sharing their stories. Today with the COVID-19 pandemic “geeks” don’t have much of a place to join together in their love for pop culture like they once did at Comic Cons and anime conventions. Comic book stores are the one place still around after all of these years that give a place for fandom communities to come together like conventions did before the pandemic. Despite comic book stores not being as popular as they once were my goal is to highlight niche items and communities in order to change that.
Florida-Based Collector and Cosplayer Shares What the Hobbies Mean to Him
I met Mike via a video game we both play called “MyVmk.” It is a fan-made recreation of the popular MMO RPG called VMK AKA Virtual Magic Kingdom. The original VMK was created in 2005 by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and Sulake Corporation, and released by The Walt Disney Company. The game would go on to close though in 2008 since it was originally only supposed to be a short-lived promotion for Disneyland’s 50th anniversary Celebration. To this day fans of the original come to MyVmk.com and frequent the discord and forums, which is how I found out about Mike’s collecting and cosplaying hobbies.
Full Name: Michael A. Janda | Socials: @VirusElite524
When did you begin the collecting hobby and what got you first into it?
“A lot of my current collections started within the past few years when I started college since I got a job and could afford them. Although I started collecting at a young age around 6 or 7 when my family would go to local malls around Orlando and I would pick up theme park maps from these travel agency kiosks and with my passion for Disney, I had a lot of Disney ones. To this day, I’ll pick up a park map when I do visit and I have a large container of maps that I’ve been collecting since I started back then.”
What is your biggest passion right now in your hobby? (genre, brand, etc). What drew you to this subject?
“Prior to the pandemic, I was in a Star Wars craze with all the new movies and content going out and the new land at Disney World but I’ve slowly receded from it. Right now has been a mix of anime and video games. With the pandemic going on in the past year, I had a lot of time to catch up on both of these and also exploring new ones as well.”
Where do you see yourself 5 years from now in your hobby? Is there anything new you’d like to branch out with (other collections, cosplay, etc)?
“Well as of right now, my room is filled with collectibles. I would say maybe 80% of my wall space has been filled, all my shelves are mostly full, and whatever space I have on my computer desk and the dresser is mostly filled up. I do plan on adding more wall shelving to add more stuff in the near future but I would start focusing on very exclusive items that would be displayed on those shelves instead of collectibles that are mass-produced. As for cosplays, I have an Ezra Bridger cosplay from Star Wars and a Roxas cosplay from Kingdom Hearts II that are currently ongoing, and I have a Kirito cosplay from Sword Art Online on my wish list on Amazon.”
Tell me something unique about your collection(s) (display, DIY, anything you can think of).
“My collection spans a wide variety of different mediums from Disney, RoosterTeeth, animes, video games, comics, shows, and even to some YouTubers. Probably the most unique set of my collection is the stuff I got from the Disney Parks since I’m a local and also a Cast Member (aka employee). I would say half of the belongings in my room are either from the Disney Parks while the other half is all the geeky and nerdy stuff. Otherwise, I have a wide range of things from posters and wall scrolls, artwork, different figures, plush, novelty items, weapon replicas, autographs, and even shirts which range from special events at the Disney Parks, anime shirts, or annual events from RoosterTeeth.”
A Collector’s Opinion: Keeping Your Figures Out of the Box
Many collectors I know, especially Funko Pop collectors keep their figures in the box. There is more value to the figure within the box, which is well known throughout the collecting community, and by most who have a general knowledge on collecting. It has been something I’ve debated since I began collecting. Even now, after deciding to display my figures out of the box (because I enjoy being able to see all of the details and save more space), I still didn’t know whether to keep the boxes or not.
There is always a possibility that maybe I will need the money and space one day and have to sell off some of my collection. I worry it won’t be worth much without the box. What it came down to was getting rid of many boxes. I just simply didn’t have the room for both the boxes and the Funko Pops. Still, I have some figures in the box and some boxes I have kept, but if you don’t have a place to store the boxes it becomes a whole other collection just of boxes! My view is if the collection is something you love and wouldn’t just decide to sell than there isn’t really a point in keeping all of the boxes or all of the figures in the box. There is so much joy that can come from seeing just the little intricacies of the figures better or closer up. Next time you debate keeping a figure in the box, consider letting them be appreciated for what they are, a 3D piece of art!
Thank you for reading! Let me know in the comments what kind of collector you are, in or out of the box?
How to Buy Reliable Anime Figures Online (3 Best Websites)
Starting out an anime figure collection is often quite expensive but also a hot commodity for anime lovers and collectors so, often you will need to preorder figures. Additionally, you will want to know where you can trust to have your items in stock on time, adequately shipped, and manufactured by the official/authentic brand!
Here is a list of reliable websites I have found during my anime figure search:
- Crunchyroll has a variety of all kinds of anime figures in stock and for presale from scales, prize figures, Figma, and Nendoroid. They had fast, on time shipping when I ordered my Zenitsu Agatsuma Nendoroid figure and the box and figure came in mint condition!
- Boxlunch I know from experience to be reliable and ship authentic merchandise often with reduced prices! They do not have a huge variety of anime figures but regardless are reliable and have free shipping for purchases of $60.00 USD or more.
- AmiAmi is probably the most well-known website for authentic anime figures and anime collection pieces. Shipped from Japan they do ship internationally, and at least for those in the US it allows you to get a bit of a discount based off of the price in Yen to USD. Their stock of items is probably the biggest you will find and you can also save some money by looking at what pre-owned and sale items they have available!
Thanks for reading, I hope you discover some good Otaku find!
How to Save Money Collecting Funko Pops (My Top 3 Ways to Save)
- Target is one of my first stops for Funko Pop releases. Often, Target carries regular Funko Pop lines for $8.99 USD with the exception of 10 inch or Movie/Television Moment Funko Pops. On top of this, if you have a Redcard, there will another 5% taken off and free shipping. Compared to Hot Topic and Boxlunch’s normal price for Funko Pops ($10.99-$12.99 USD) you will save at least $2.00!
- Boxlunch is still on my top 3 list despite their Funko Pops being priced a bit higher than Target’s. This is because I get the most out of my Funko Pop purchases from Boxlunch. They do an awards program called “Boxlunch Money” where for every $30.00 USD spent on an order you receive a $15.00 off coupon. Along with this, often Boxlunch’s website is 20% off or offer buy 2 get 1 free Funko Pops.
- Local Comic Book or collecting shops! Please support your local shops during this time of need during COVID-19. Many small business shops in my area will offer sales or sell their Funko Pops for $10.00 USD or less and you’re directly supporting them through your purchase!
Thank you for reading, I hope these tips can help you save a few bucks during your Funko Pop hunting!
It’s Not Goodbye, It’s See You Vader, May the Force Be With You!
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:
An Inside Look at One of the Oldest Comic Book Shops in the US: Fat Jack’s Comiccrypt
For almost 44 years now, Fat Jack’s Comiccrypt has been providing comics to readers of all ages in Oaklyn, NJ and Philadelphia, PA. I got a chance to talk with the owner, Mike Ferraro who told me about the history of the store, where he’s seen the industry go, and how today’s generation can get more involved. On Sunday nights you’ll find comic book sales on Fat Jack’s FaceBook page. You can also find them on Twitter as well. Be sure to keep an eye out for events as Fat Jack’s just recently had Batman legend Tom King in the store giving away free comics and autographs to all who voted this past election day! In the past Fat Jack’s Comiccrypt has also distributed to about 60 stores in the Philadelphia area; they have a rich history, and hope to keep the comic book tradition going for generations to come! Check out this video below and be sure to support your local comic book shops during this year’s difficult holiday season for small businesses.
A Hobby Turned Lifestyle: A Conversation with Secret Origins Comics & More Owner Bill Haas
William (Bill) Haas, 35 years old, grew up around comics with his dad being a collector, and recalls that he probably knew who Batman was before he knew who a religious figure was because in a sense superheros and comics were kind of like his church.
Way back in 2014, Bill’s wife Miranda Haas was tasked within her department at Rutgers Camden to create a Comic Con at the University. So for about three years they ran Camden Comic Con which went from 200 kids to at their height about 4,000 attendees, ending this year due to covid.
In 2015 Bill lost his job and started selling all of his comics and toys that he had accumulated over the years out of necessity. As he continued to sell his collectibles he was also accumulating new items in return, and running shows. In May of 2017 by the time Bill and Miranda had opened their first store they had plenty of merchandise to put into it. Today, you’ll find Bill and Miranda’s store, Secret Origins Comics & More tucked away at the end of Haddon Ave in Collingswood, NJ.
While Bill fills more of the management position within the store, working with the orders and customers day to day, Miranda is behind the website which she designed, and other creative aspects such as: finding different aesthetics of the store, merchandise displays, planning events, and helping out with their weekly Facebook live videos, AKA “the nerdy QVC.”
When I asked Bill his favorite part of the store he answered with the community immediately. What he enjoys the most is the diversity, getting to know individuals, what brought them into the industry, and what keeps them in it.
“Some people might be just collectors, they want to buy a book and flip it, they like the thrill of the hunt, the gambling aspect, and you get other people who just love the stories, they want to talk to their kids about it, they love reading it, they’ve been reading it since they were kids, and then you have people who may never care about superhero books but they love the indie stuff. There’s something different for every person that comes in here, and I think it’s generally just the ability to connect with people and to find them something in here.”
Secret Origins Comics & More’s mission is simply focusing on the diversity and accessibility of comics and collecting. Bill feels it’s of the utmost importantance to try and make the store accessible for all ages and walks of life, so they do not cater to just one customer but all genders, races, and ethnicities; while also trying to genuinely get to know each person and their likes and dislikes.
“You’re not going to be treated badly if you’re a man and like My Little Pony, that’s not a problem here. If you’re a young woman and you like Star Treck, it’s not a great seller, but guess what I’ll get it for you, absolutely you could like whatever you want. We’re here to find something for people to read and welcome in the community, it’s not about gatekeeping. That’s another thing we tried to do away with, we’re not keepers of the hobby, we’re trying to bring new members in.”
Listen below to hear Haas talk more about the mission behind Secret Origins Comics & More and his personal favorite moment.
Thanks for listening!
A Look Inside the Animated World of ‘That Comic Girl’
Are you a ‘DC’ fan, ‘Star Wars’ fan, or just a comic fan in general? Mars has got you covered! Full name, Marsden Sturtz, 27 years old, and from Middletown, Delaware. She has been running her blog ‘ThatComicGirl‘ for about a decade now! Full time you will find Sturtz doing what she calls “a boring desk job” working for the Delaware Division of Revenue, but in her spare time you’ll find her blogging, posting videos on her Youtube page , or on social media (Twitter and Instagram) reviewing and sharing her passion for comics.
People started coming to Mars because they too wanted to get into comics, but needed recommendations. Her blog originally started on Tumblr but got moved over to BlogSpot. Sturtz described her desire to get into her site as a true passion. “It’s just that passion, it’s just wanting to get other people into comic books.”
She admitted feeling overwhelmed in the beginning, describing how big this world of comics seemed.
“When I first got into comics, because I’ve only been reading comics for about ten or twelve years now, I was very overwhelmed. I had a friend who helped me get into it, but I remember first learning that Batman had more than one Robin, its little things like that that felt very overwhelming, and I didn’t want anyone else to feel like that.”
Not only did Sturtz have a passion to spread more knowledge on some of these storylines, but also feeling as though comics are more than just superheroes nowadays.
“I wanted to be able to show people that there’s independent comics; there’s books that feel like ‘Star Wars’ but aren’t quite ‘Star Wars’ that people could find themselves wrapped up in, and enjoying, which is why I kind of created a central hub where people could go to and see where they could start and why they should get into comics and stuff like that.”
Showcasing more of an indie feel to her blog and YouTube pages she strives to share more than just the mainstream media comics with others. Despite this sort of theme she’s found along the way, Sturtz admits that the most difficult part about running her site has been finding her voice since the very beginning.
“Did I want to be more formative and more almost like a news site, where I was talking about breaking news and things as they happened? Did I want it to be more like a personal lifestyle blog? Because that is what I feel like I originally wanted it to be and to be more talking about my collection and my day to day life as a comic book nerd, and then eventually it just kind of evolved into a combination of the two; where I would do reviews and be talking about the books I loved, and maybe why I was starting to read this type of series, and what got me into that type of series, and things like that.”
She’s had to ask herself important questions along the way, such as,”Am I doing this for other people or am I doing this for me? And, you have to kind of find that really nice cushy medium between the two.” It seems the main cure to these speedbumps for Sturtz has just been balance as I’m sure many of us have felt in life when taking on responsibilites, no matter how fun they can be.
Although there have been challenges, when I asked what has been the most rewarding part of running her site, Sturtz described how the responses she got from others made it all worth it.
“People coming to me and telling me about a book they now love because I recommended it. You know, a book maybe they had never heard of, or maybe they did hear about but maybe was a little bit hesitant about taking a chance on it, and maybe I pushed them over that edge in terms of finally picking it up and reading it. That to me is the most satisfactory thing, is knowing that there’s people out there that now love things because I love them, and because I shared my passion about that particular book or series. And then, even if so they say, I fell in love with this book and now I’ve gotten person x, y, and z to read it as well, and they love it; its just that kind of outreach effect that makes you feel so warm and fuzzy and wholesome, and makes me realize why I’m doing this.”
As mentioned earlier, you can find Sturtz on BlogSpot, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. She finds all of these mediums to be really signficant aspects of her content creating, and shared how they impact it in great detail with me.
“Instagram and Twitter I think are really great in terms of a more marketing standpoint. It’s a way of reaching out and letting people know what kind of content I’m in the process of or content I already have out there. Twitter in particular too is really great for reaching out to creators, specifically, in the comic book industry. I can’t imagine a world without Twitter and still being able to do what I do and still be able to have access to people and the conversations I can have with creators in the way that I do. I mean it’s so simple now to go onto Twitter and find somebody’s name after I’ve read a book and reaching out to them and either asking them for an interview, or just telling them how much I love their book, and when you review something and tag somebody in it, it just makes things that much easier.”
Specifically YouTube has been the medium that Sturtz revealed she’s putting most of her attention into recently in growing her ‘ThatComicGirl’ adventure.
“I’ve been sort of switching over to YouTube, I just feel like a lot of people like to consume their content that way because they can put my videos on in the background while they’re doing something else, and I feel like that’s just the way that people are gravitating towards. To get their information in a more outreaching sense, aside from just reading something, and I do the same thing there that I do on my blog. I’m giving recommendations, I’m sharing my passions, and I feel like that passion can come through a little bit better through video and audio because I’m a very expressive and animated person, and that comes through in video versus say coming through in just text so, that is something I’ve been focusing on a little bit more.”
As far as the future of journalism as a whole, Sturtz believes digital journalism is going to be where the action will be.
“I feel like that’s definitely the way we’re gonna go because again it brings us back to the Twitter conversation where its instant information at your fingertips. If we look at things like Facebook, when we go into the Facebook videos and you’re just sort of scrolling and you see things from Buzzfeed and you see things from NowThis, and things like that, this is condensed information usually within 60-90 seconds or less, and its 90 seconds I don’t even realize is going by; and if I don’t like it within the first 15 seconds, okay I can scroll on and move onto the next. I feel like that is a way especially within the millennial and digital age having shorter attention spans, I definitely feel like that’s the way its gonna be going.”
Still it’s the people and connections she makes that Sturtz really loves about her involvement in digital journalism and running her site.
“Just being able to reach out to the people that I do, and then the connections that its made along the way, and just kind of watching it grow and spiral. When I started this ten years ago I had no idea that now I would have publishers, and people reaching out to me to use my voice to share the books that they’re publishing, or to send me PR packages and talk about the things that I’ve gotten from them. Its really insane that you know, little baby comic me, who was just writing a few good words and a few recommended books on my computer, or on my phone has made it so much more massive. I know with COVID-19 I feel like I’ve kind of scaled back a little bit because I’m not going to conventions as much. I’m not being able to reach out to those publishers and to those creators, and have direct interactions with them, but it just makes me excited for what is going to come about, and how its going to continue to grow as things slowly progress back to normal.”
When it came to advice on how others like myself can get started on this multi-media, blogging journey and can mantain it Sturtz goes back to the theme of balance, but also a steady drive.
“Never quit, honestly I think that persistence and that perseverance are very important. Personally, I know there were a couple times where I wanted to shut everything down and I realized how upset I would be with myself if I did, or even too taking a break and focusing on what it is about the journalism that you really love. Burnout is something very easy that can creep up on you without even realizing it, and I know I personally, especially recently was so focused on pushing out content, and making sure that I had enough pieces every week or every month out there for people, and it was exhausting because as we had mentioned earlier; I do have a day job and I do treat this as my job, but at the same time I have to realize when I can stretch myself too thin because once you’ve done that, and this goes for anyone starting out, once you stretch yourself too thin and you don’t even realize it the quality of your content goes down severely, and I feel like people can see that so its: being mindful of yourself, being mindful of your surroundings, and how you feel so that way you can ensure you’re taking care of yourself, you’re still putting out the best quality content possible, and that you continue to put out that content, and don’t kind of just give up on it because you’re worn out or feeling exhausted.”
The last thing I wanted to touch on with Sturtz was her experiences with comic book stores and conventions since those are my main interests on my site, and her answer didn’t dissapoint. In short she’s been going to shops since she started collecting comics about twelve years ago, and has been very, very involved with comic book stores, their communities, and working with them at conventions. She even worked at a small comic book shop briefly that was built right near her in Middletown, DE about two years ago called, Born to Game and touched on her experiences with them.
“It was really great to see all of that behind the scenes, see how the ordering goes down, see how that relates to the comic books as they come in, and the customer base, and its just a matter of getting people excited, and convincing people to buy books and to get excited about those books.” Still today, Sturtz is faithful to the store and orders her weekly comic book subscription from Born to Game.
Overall, being so involved within the comic book community has allowed Sturtz to be a voice for change, as a part of the LBTGQ+ community herself, and see just how much the comic book community has evolved over the years, especially through comic book shops.
“There is a sense of comic book camaraderie, in that community where its become a very safe space, these nerd type, pop-culture stores have become a safe space for people where people can feel a sense of belonging and acceptance, and I feel like that also too is within the queer comic book community. Again, it’s that safespace and that camraderie that I really, really love about comic shops.”
Sturtz on diversity within the comic book community:
“Comics for the longest time it felt like it belonged to the generic, straight, white man, and those were the characters you saw in these comic books, or you saw the “pretty ladies,” that were full figured, that were obviously drawn and created for “the male gaze,” but now we’re seeing a bigger difference and a bigger wave in comics; not only with the type of stories and representations that we see, we’re seeing all types of diverse stories and queer stories being told, but also seeing that sense of creation. We’re seeing a lot more queer creators and a lot more creators of color, so, its evolving, and its becoming like I said, a safe space for people because its people that are just like one another, and they can converse and read stories about themselves, and finally see themselves in a story.”
As someone apart of the LGBTQ+ community, advocating for ‘comics for all’ Sturtz’s passion and accountability actively participating in media really spoke to me, and showed me just how far we’ve come within not only the comic book community, but today’s media alone. We’re seeing more and more diversity in the main characters of films, video games, etc… I was so glad to hear Sturtz’s support and awareness of the inclusivity “geek culture” today has, and how she reflects this on her blog ‘ThatComicGirl.’
Adventureland Store: A Place Where Adults Can Be Kids Again
Upon entering this Blackwood location within Gloucester Premium Outlets, you’re greeted with a bright green and blue colored sign with a Spiderman animation on top of where the store name is printed, “Adventureland Store.” Salvatore Fichera has been running the business since 1992, specializing in pop culture merchandise. Sal started out with Adventureland Stores at the Vorhees Town Center Mall (formerly the Echelon Mall) in Vorhees, NJ, but before that worked with a comic book store called Heroes World where his idea for his own store came to fruition. Something I found fascinating about the store compared to other comic book stores is that Fichera specifically searches out WWE wrestlers to do meet and greets at his shop, and it is something he’s specialized in at his store from the beginning. Sal also has worked with the creators of Funko, being one of the first distributors of their products in the South Jersey area.
Adventureland Store’s sign out front showcasing Spiderman in Blackwood, NJ. November 3, 2020, Photo/ Julia Riffle. 
Adventureland Store’s building within Gloucester Premium Outlets in Blackwood, NJ. November 3, 2020, Photo/ Julia Riffle. 
The entrance of Adventureland Store showcasing apparel and a gum ball machine, Blackwood, NJ. November 2, 2020, Photo/ Julia Riffle. 
Merchandise surrounds a life size Spiderman figure at Adventureland Store in Blackwood, NJ. November 3, 2020, Photo/ Julia Riffle. 
Shoppers check out the merchandise at Adventureland Store in Blackwood, NJ while Spiderman continues to greet guests by the entrance. November 3, 2020, Photo/ Julia Riffle. 
Adventureland Store’s manga wall (japanese type comic books) including the popular: “My Hero Academia” and “One Punch Man” in Blackwood, NJ. November 2, 2020, Photo/ Julia Riffle. 
Matt McClellan checks out one of the comic book walls at Adventureland Store in Blackwood, NJ. November 2, 2020, Photo/ Julia Riffle. 
Matt McClellan browses through the Marvel section at Adventureland Store in Blackwood, NJ. November 2, 2020. Photo/ Julia Riffle. 
Matt McClellan observes the DC section at Adventureland Store in Blackwood, NJ. November 2, 2020. Photo/ Julia Riffle. 
Matt McClellan flips through “Batman: Death of the Family” at Adventureland Store in Blackwood, NJ. November 2, 2020, Photo/ Julia Riffle.
Discovering the Passion Behind Comics with ‘A Time Lost and Found’ Owner Frederick Marcus
As I walked down the thin road of Atlantic Avenue, at the end of the street corner was a little comic book store tucked away called ‘A Time Lost and Found.’ Before entering you notice it is a two-story building, which is where Frederick AKA ‘Fred’ lives with his young pup Titian (pronouced Tish). The windows and front door are decorated with Marvel and DC characters along with a sign reading ‘A Time Lost and Found.’
Why comic books? Where did this passion stem from and how did it become what it is today?
Since 1975 Fred has been apart of the comic book store industry. He first started out by putting on shows, but one of his fondest memories he recalled was publishing a portfolio for painter Boris Vallejo. Since a child Marcus has had a love for comics, first it started out as a hobby and then the rest was history.
Listen to hear Fred talk more about how the comic book store industry began and how his passion for it grew.
What do you enjoy about being apart of the ‘geek culture’ movement today? Tell me a story about how it changed over the years.
For Fred, his enjoyment of the ‘geek culture’ community lies within the art. “Even today I mean I’ve read the storylines and once in a while something pops up that is really good but I’m really into the art, I collect the art, the original art work from the books, and the covers, and the paintings, and whatever. That’s my main interest in it.” Around the mid 70s though the industry wasn’t doing so hot. News industries and stands were the main distrubtors of the comics, but they might’ve preferred to keep what would sell better on the shelves, such as Playboy or Time. Fred mentions how this was when the direct sales business began, and was pushed forward by a guy named Phil Seuling from New York who negotiated with Marvel and DC to start direct sales, which saved the industry at this time. “But, as the individual shops grew the sales grew and it became a viable industry again. I guess that was around 1978 where it really started rolling”, Fred recalled. These ups and downs also affected the art industry aspect of comic books of course. Some of the really good artists at the time wouldn’t stay in the industry because other opprotunities such as advertising were more profitible. “Comics used to be 15, 25, 30 cents an issue and the reason they are 3.99 and 4.99 now is if they want to keep these guys in business they need to do that. If you appreciate art some of the covers are just outstanding. There’s Joshua Middleton, Stanley Lau (AKA Art Germ)…these guys are doing amazing work and I don’t think if they weren’t getting paid that they would stay in this industry.” Another way the ‘geek culture’ movement has changed today in the comics world, is that the value of a comic can become a significant part of collecting in the community, especially when a comic in the right condition can sell for over 1 million dollars at an auction. The ‘geek culture’ has changed a lot over the years and there’s a lot of different reasons now that people may get into comic books.
Listen to hear more about how the comic book community has been shaped over the years.
What is your favorite part of running a comic book store? Is there a specific memory you have in mind?
For Fred, the comic book store industry is more fun than it is work, so it’s more about the passion of it rather than specific memories. As far as the store itself goes, he has built and ran other stores over the years including ‘Comic Crypt’ ,which he built in West Collingswood Heights, NJ in 1978 but moved to Oaklyn, NJ in 1981, and is now known as ‘FatJack’s Comic Crypt.’ Overall though, opening ‘A Time Lost and Found’ in 1994 in Glendora and now in 2010 in Audubon is a favorite memory that sticks out, as it is Fred’s first comic book store to own himself.
Listen to hear Fred touch on his favorite part about running a comic book store.
How has running a comic book store over the years impacted your relationships formed and life itself?
“It’s family. Right now in this store you gotta understand 1975-there’s a few people left from that time period that followed me over here- through the years, those people have had children, and their children have had children; that’s how many years its been. If I had to close this down completely I would miss a lot of those relationships. These are people who I have watched their families grow. I’m kind of related to all of them in a sense, so, yeah it’s family for the most part, in a lot of cases they’re family.”
What would you tell someone makes coming to a comic book store different rather than just shopping for merchandise and comic books online?
“I prefer to shop in person no matter what it is. I want to touch and feel and see and handle. If you don’t have the desire to do that ya know, Amazon you can just get it. I want to go into a department store and look around and it’s the same way with this. You want to be able to buy the book-condition matters for a collector, so you want to get the book that is in the best condition. You don’t want a book with bends or something wrong with it. You trust the person you’re buying from and if it’s a book you really want it’s convenient, and in the age of covid maybe it makes more sense, I don’t know. But, I prefer to go into a store and shop; everybody does what makes them happy.”
Listen to hear Fred’s indepth look on how purchasing from a comic book store can be more fulfilling for collectors rather than shopping online.
How has the corona virus directly impacted the comic book store industry?
“What happened was it hit around March, we got no product. There’s stuff in the store you can sell, back issues, etc… that makes you a little bit of money. Most stores though depend on new product on a weekly basis. There was nothing coming in-0 was coming in. That lasted for about 2 months until Diamond started to come back again. They were offline but the companies weren’t printing comics so we were maybe getting 10, 15, 20 percent of what we normally would get. I have mortgage, I have insurances, I have all these things, and there’s no cashflow coming in, so, you are depending on what you have in reserve. So, it’s still not back on track and what happened was DC decided to pull out. Diamond is our main distributor they distributed everything up until about 2 months ago. Well, DC decided to pull out and DC is a big company. They had maybe 35% of the market so you pull 35% out of any business and you could go out overnight, and my fear was Diamond would go out of business because they wouldn’t have that revenue anymore and they decided to open up their own distributorship.”
The Geek Stop 