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094 - It Was A Difficult Decision
Jul. 14th, 2016 08:34 amThe recent awesomeness of DC Comics has forced me to the point where I needed a Subscription Box so I wouldn't miss an issue. Yes, they're THAT GOOD, and local shops have been selling out on a pretty regular basis.
Before I go on, what is a Subscription Box? In exchange for x-amount of dollars and the agreement that you will come in at least once a month or so, they will take a list of comics you want and pull a copy of each new issue as it hits the stands so you are guaranteed a crisp, mint-condition copy of each and every issue so you never miss one again. There's also usually a few perks that go along with owning a Subscription Box, which varies from shop to shop.
I had to choose between three different comic book shops.
SUBSPACE COMICS - Located in Lynnwood, this is the comic shop I have spent the most time in. They were the last place I ever had a Subscription Box, back when they were "The Comic Stop". Since the weird, unknowable split between the owners, though, going in there always feels like visiting friends that you only ever knew through your ex. They're friendly and they're always glad to see me and they know my name, but... it just feels *weird*. It's a very professional shop, located near the Alderwood Mall, so it has the look and feel of a "We're Just In This For The Money" shop (even though I know for a fact that they have comics in their blood and soul). Minimal back issue sellection, limited mostly to recent issues (they focus more on current product). Offers a 10% discount to Subscription Box customers.
MILL GEEK COMICS - A "shop" that you need to know about in order to find. No signs, located in the back of a non-descript business office behind a 7-11, this place is everything I used to associate with comic books before the boom of the 1990's. A real speakeasy type of a vibe where people talk about HARD CORE comics history and other geekiness. A nice assortment of back issues including the largest and possibly last ever Quarter Bin assortment I've ever seen outside of a convention. They don't have much in the way of new comics, though, and they tend to focus more on Magic The Gathering cards because it makes them money. As far as I can tell, they do not offer a discount to subscribers but they DO give subscribers any and all the promotional posters that they don't use.
CORNER COMICS - The "Smack Dab In The Middle" shop. Kind of awkward location but better than it used to be, decent selection of back issues that go back to Silver and Golden Age, minor amount of the shop dedicated to merchandise and/or Magic The Gathering cards. New issues are hard to browse because of the size of the shop (small). My biggest problem with this shop is that one of the guys who works there, has literally NO IDEA what he's doing. You ask him if they have a certain title, or if he knows where something in the shop is, he'll mumble "I dunno, if it's not on the shelf..." The other two folks who work there, though, are *excellent* and know their product and know their inventory and if they don't have it right now they can have it for you in three days. They offer a 10% discount to box holders.
Eventually, after much internal debate and struggle (Go with the Nostalgia, support The Little Guy or go with the median), I chose Corner Comics in Kirkland. It all boiled down to their attitude towards Free Comic Book Day; they treat it like Christmas. The other shops treat it like an obligation or a favor that they're doing for their customers, but Corner Comics has this wonderful feeling of CELEBRATION and THANKFULNESS where they even have people smiling at the doors to greet people and thank them for coming! They advise outsiders about what they might enjoy! It's really quite wonderful :)
Before I go on, what is a Subscription Box? In exchange for x-amount of dollars and the agreement that you will come in at least once a month or so, they will take a list of comics you want and pull a copy of each new issue as it hits the stands so you are guaranteed a crisp, mint-condition copy of each and every issue so you never miss one again. There's also usually a few perks that go along with owning a Subscription Box, which varies from shop to shop.
I had to choose between three different comic book shops.
SUBSPACE COMICS - Located in Lynnwood, this is the comic shop I have spent the most time in. They were the last place I ever had a Subscription Box, back when they were "The Comic Stop". Since the weird, unknowable split between the owners, though, going in there always feels like visiting friends that you only ever knew through your ex. They're friendly and they're always glad to see me and they know my name, but... it just feels *weird*. It's a very professional shop, located near the Alderwood Mall, so it has the look and feel of a "We're Just In This For The Money" shop (even though I know for a fact that they have comics in their blood and soul). Minimal back issue sellection, limited mostly to recent issues (they focus more on current product). Offers a 10% discount to Subscription Box customers.
MILL GEEK COMICS - A "shop" that you need to know about in order to find. No signs, located in the back of a non-descript business office behind a 7-11, this place is everything I used to associate with comic books before the boom of the 1990's. A real speakeasy type of a vibe where people talk about HARD CORE comics history and other geekiness. A nice assortment of back issues including the largest and possibly last ever Quarter Bin assortment I've ever seen outside of a convention. They don't have much in the way of new comics, though, and they tend to focus more on Magic The Gathering cards because it makes them money. As far as I can tell, they do not offer a discount to subscribers but they DO give subscribers any and all the promotional posters that they don't use.
CORNER COMICS - The "Smack Dab In The Middle" shop. Kind of awkward location but better than it used to be, decent selection of back issues that go back to Silver and Golden Age, minor amount of the shop dedicated to merchandise and/or Magic The Gathering cards. New issues are hard to browse because of the size of the shop (small). My biggest problem with this shop is that one of the guys who works there, has literally NO IDEA what he's doing. You ask him if they have a certain title, or if he knows where something in the shop is, he'll mumble "I dunno, if it's not on the shelf..." The other two folks who work there, though, are *excellent* and know their product and know their inventory and if they don't have it right now they can have it for you in three days. They offer a 10% discount to box holders.
Eventually, after much internal debate and struggle (Go with the Nostalgia, support The Little Guy or go with the median), I chose Corner Comics in Kirkland. It all boiled down to their attitude towards Free Comic Book Day; they treat it like Christmas. The other shops treat it like an obligation or a favor that they're doing for their customers, but Corner Comics has this wonderful feeling of CELEBRATION and THANKFULNESS where they even have people smiling at the doors to greet people and thank them for coming! They advise outsiders about what they might enjoy! It's really quite wonderful :)
