I'm taking a break from my current video game series to give the update for my 2024 series on comic book buying locations. (I would have done one on series, but so many have had multiple volumes over the decades, that it would be difficult for a non-fan to understand all the differences. Besides, the series is about the experience of getting the comics, not the enjoyment of reading and collecting them.) I have a lot to update about, so let's get started with the biggest news.- Page 3 Game Zone: After over a year of not having new books, Page 3 finally started getting new comics in March. I restarted my weekly pull in April. They still haven't been able to establish connections with all distributors/publishers, but I will be able to get the majority of my books from them. They had a soft re-opening last fall, with being almost full time this spring. Because they had to stop all orders after last year's flood, it took them some time to get back up to speed. Having major changes in the worlds of comic book distribution hurt them as well. That's why they can't get certain titles yet, such as Marvel. Still, I'm doing pretty good for now.
When Page 3 closed last year due to flooding, I waited a few months before trying to find my comics. I had the mistaken belief that they would continue getting the orders they already had, but wait on any new ones. Yeah, I'm overly hopeful. Anyway, when I found out what was happening, I started making plans on getting my missing books. I started with the places I already knew about, then I started researching the entire state for places I could go to. I even looked into a few neighboring states, hoping for a lead. As such, I was able to maintain my hobby for over a year. This meant going to new places or returning to old ones to buy from, finally.
- Super Hero Creamery, Huntington Mall, ✓: After avoiding it on my first trip to the Mall, soon after it opened there, I made a special trip that included my first try to retrieve my comics. I had a long list of books to get, and I wasn't disappointed at what I found. As I mentioned in a post last year, I was able to get over a dozen books, but I could've gotten more. In an effort to save money, I skipped a few series that I felt I could easily get later, as well as some that had gaps. I have since made two more trips there, with me getting about a month's worth of comics last fall. However, I was only able to get one comic this past January, and it wasn't the most current issue. I'm somewhat worried that they might be having financial problems. They don't carry many collectables beyond comics, aside from the ice cream parlor in the rear of the store. (Haven't tried it yet.) Maybe the just moved the current comics to a different place that I missed. (I'm a man; of course I didn't ask for directions. Also, most of the employees were in the back with the parlor.) Still, it is worrisome.
- Cavalier Comics, Norton, VA, ✓: Late last May, I made my first stop in years here to search for comics. While I have been to this store many times, back in the 2010s, I never got anything here, due to Page 3. They had a nice selection, although they were missing quite a few titles I was missing. Still, I was able to pick up a few, as well as almost getting a few more if it weren't for gaps. While fairly close, I decided not to immediately go back. The roads along the shorter route through Knott and Letcher counties were very damaged from the recent floods, making the trip kind of bad. The longer way on US 23 in Pike was took an extra thirty minutes, and was very boring. Also, there wasn't much else to shop at that felt interesting.
- Comic Interlude, Lexington, ✓, + online: Before my annual June trip to Lexington, I researched the various comic book shops to find one to get my missing issues. I settled on this one, due to a reachable location along my usual route. Unfortunately, my travel companion reneged on the deal the last second, thinking I was planning to shop online instead of in person. I missed out on about a dozen comics that had sold out in the time it took me to place the order and have it confirmed. Still, the joy I had a week later getting a package with over twenty comics I was missing was amazing. Not only have I placed multiple orders since that first one, I even managed to visit the actual store last November. I even wrote about how I geeked out about it in a post. If I ever move to Lexington, this is a strong contender for my new store.
- Comic Book World, Florence (and Louisville), KY, online only: After I missed out on a bunch of issues from Comic Interlude, I made another search for other stores in Kentucky. I settled on this one, as it had a wide selection of comics available online. I had to set up an account to buy them though, only to find out that they were changing the way they sold merchandise. I had to email them my order, instead of just clicking. Still, I was able to get almost all of my missing comics. I could have gotten all of them, but comics from their Louisville location weren't available for online sales. (I was finally able to get the three issues I was still down by buying the trade paperback collection they were in through my store.) I've set up a communication chain for the last few months, alternating with Comic Interlude for my orders. While the emails aren't always responded to on time, I've been mostly satisfied. I will probably make my last order with them soon, for the last new issues I'm needing until Page 3 can start ordering them again.
- The E-Bay Store, Prestonsburg: In desperation, I stopped here last summer to see if they had anything. I couldn't see any new comics I got, but they did have a catalog from a publisher I rarely get anything from. Most of their older comics weren't things I liked either.
Finally, I remembered yet another place that I forgot the first time around.
- Unknown collectable store, Pikeville: In the mid-90s, there was a collectable store on 4th Avenue, across from the Hardee's. I think I sent my mom in first, to see what they had, but I don't remember if I actually went in myself. They really didn't have comics, so I never went again. Some time later, the closed. Whether they went out of business or move, I never found out. The building was later torn down, with the space becoming a parking lot, next to the church next door.
And finally, finally, in a few months, expect part two of this update. While writing this year's series on video games, I realized I may have missed a few things about buying comics I should had added. Expect part two in July or so. See you Monday, as I return to video games.
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