Can we talk about how we used to gatekeep comic shops?

I remember back in the 90s, the shop I went to in Portland felt like a clubhouse where you had to prove you knew enough to belong. I'd see new folks get quizzed on obscure X-Men runs and feel that pressure myself. Now, after seeing how welcoming my local shop has become with free first issues for kids, I just hand a new reader a copy of 'Ms. Marvel' and say 'start here'. What was your local shop's vibe like when you first started going?

3 comments

3 Comments

kellyj231mo ago

My shop's vibe was a pop quiz I was always failing. The owner once asked me to name all five original New Mutants and my brain just blue-screened. It's a miracle I stuck with comics at all.

stellag211mo ago

Man, remember when some shops acted like a secret club? My buddy tried to get into comics in like 2005 and asked about Batman at this one place. The guy behind the counter just sighed and said "Which Batman?" then started grilling him on post-Crisis continuity. My friend just put the book down and walked out, totally turned off. He didn't try again for years, which is such a shame. That kind of vibe just killed the fun before it even started.

morgan_jenkins906d ago

Find a shop that wants your money, not a resume. That's the golden rule. If the clerk starts testing you, just say "I'm new, recommend something good." Real shops will hand you a stack of trades and let you browse. The gatekeepers are dying out. Most places now just want people reading. Walk out if they give you attitude.