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Seeing as I still can't bring myself to read Infinity Inc or Metal Men, the art is hurting my eyes; I feel like procrastinating a bit on some schoolwork; and I'm attempting to remove the mental stain that the KP Finale left I felt like writing a bit about the comic book shops I visit.
My two main shops are Fantasy Escape & Trilogy, with Atlantis Comics as a back-up. There's a fourth one in the area though it's so low key and, despite a rather well-lit clean enviroment, completely lacks a substantial enough comic selection to suit my needs. That being said let's start with my first comicbook store... Trilogy.
I first came by Trilogy in that it's on the way to my fencing class at Virginia Weslyn. It's a great place and with the recent expansion it's even better. The only reason that this instead of Fantasy Escape doesn't act as my primary 'first-stop' shop is that unlike Fantasy they don't have the discounted pull-list(to my knowledge), and unless I'm going to fencing it's rather out of the way. Back on the good points though they carry a literal mountain of back issues in which I have lost many an hour skimming through, and have yet to see it all, as well as (nearly)all the recent big name & indy comics. They have most TP; a wide selection of figures(I got my 52 ones, as well as my Batman Wave II & III ones there) at reasonable prices with discounts on whole sets; they carry manga & some japanese lolita mooks; a modest selection of posters; and lots of other things you won't find most anywhere else(Batman pencil holder, *grin*). Though sometimes the guys working there can come across as a little creepy, I wonder if anyone's ever told them this, but all in all it doesn't really take away from how awesome this store is. A definate 5/5.
Fantasy Escape was a store I found through the online 'comicbookstore locator' when trying to find issues of the 52 series that Trilogy was out of & hadn't gotten in yet. I was desperate & reading the issues crazy fast. It's your basic superhero comic book shop. At least 95% Marvel & DC with a bit of Vertigo & the occational smaller name comic. Though the shop itself is small and goddess forbid you try to go in there when they're hosting a card tournament the staff is fantastic and I'm far from complaining about the 10% discount & pull-list options. Now before you go thinking with the mention of the cards that this is what the place is more about, the staff does know their comics and are good on making suggestions and helping you if you want to know more about a particular series. Also aside from comics & cards they also have a modest selection of TP; shirts; & figures. Shop rating 4.25/5.
Now I mentioned a third shop, Atlantis. Though they have two walls when you first enter covered with comics don't let this fool you, it's a cards & tabletop games shop more than anything. I only go there because of their seemingly low comic customer base they tend to have alot of the more recent backissues still up on their walls, DC/Marvel/a bit of indy. Found this shop when, like Fantasy, I was looking for back issue 52s. Also like Fantasy it's unlikely you'll see it just driving down the road. Being in a shopping center you need to look for it, not that you should go out of your way for it. Rating 2.25/5
Moving along, because I'm such a nice person, try not to kill yourself laughing over that, I'll review KaBoom as well. It sucks. Despite boasting itself as being a comics & collectable shop it carries hardly any of either. Though as I'd mentioned in the first paragraph it's well-lit & clean I think it's more because of the lack of merchandise that it's like this more than anything. I stopped going there because of how pathetic it is I felt bad not buying something to help out. Not to mention the parking lot really sucks getting in and out of. Shop rating 1/5(because I'm such a nice person)
So there you have it, the shops(and a bit on the shopping habits) of the gargoylekitty. Sure none of them measure up to something like Comic Oasis but given the area they aren't half bad, not to mention without them I'd be mail ordering/waiting a month for my comics rather than getting them weekly/biweekly. So here's some love for my local comicbook shops: <3 <3 <3
Gargoylekitty out.
My two main shops are Fantasy Escape & Trilogy, with Atlantis Comics as a back-up. There's a fourth one in the area though it's so low key and, despite a rather well-lit clean enviroment, completely lacks a substantial enough comic selection to suit my needs. That being said let's start with my first comicbook store... Trilogy.
I first came by Trilogy in that it's on the way to my fencing class at Virginia Weslyn. It's a great place and with the recent expansion it's even better. The only reason that this instead of Fantasy Escape doesn't act as my primary 'first-stop' shop is that unlike Fantasy they don't have the discounted pull-list(to my knowledge), and unless I'm going to fencing it's rather out of the way. Back on the good points though they carry a literal mountain of back issues in which I have lost many an hour skimming through, and have yet to see it all, as well as (nearly)all the recent big name & indy comics. They have most TP; a wide selection of figures(I got my 52 ones, as well as my Batman Wave II & III ones there) at reasonable prices with discounts on whole sets; they carry manga & some japanese lolita mooks; a modest selection of posters; and lots of other things you won't find most anywhere else(Batman pencil holder, *grin*). Though sometimes the guys working there can come across as a little creepy, I wonder if anyone's ever told them this, but all in all it doesn't really take away from how awesome this store is. A definate 5/5.
Fantasy Escape was a store I found through the online 'comicbookstore locator' when trying to find issues of the 52 series that Trilogy was out of & hadn't gotten in yet. I was desperate & reading the issues crazy fast. It's your basic superhero comic book shop. At least 95% Marvel & DC with a bit of Vertigo & the occational smaller name comic. Though the shop itself is small and goddess forbid you try to go in there when they're hosting a card tournament the staff is fantastic and I'm far from complaining about the 10% discount & pull-list options. Now before you go thinking with the mention of the cards that this is what the place is more about, the staff does know their comics and are good on making suggestions and helping you if you want to know more about a particular series. Also aside from comics & cards they also have a modest selection of TP; shirts; & figures. Shop rating 4.25/5.
Now I mentioned a third shop, Atlantis. Though they have two walls when you first enter covered with comics don't let this fool you, it's a cards & tabletop games shop more than anything. I only go there because of their seemingly low comic customer base they tend to have alot of the more recent backissues still up on their walls, DC/Marvel/a bit of indy. Found this shop when, like Fantasy, I was looking for back issue 52s. Also like Fantasy it's unlikely you'll see it just driving down the road. Being in a shopping center you need to look for it, not that you should go out of your way for it. Rating 2.25/5
Moving along, because I'm such a nice person, try not to kill yourself laughing over that, I'll review KaBoom as well. It sucks. Despite boasting itself as being a comics & collectable shop it carries hardly any of either. Though as I'd mentioned in the first paragraph it's well-lit & clean I think it's more because of the lack of merchandise that it's like this more than anything. I stopped going there because of how pathetic it is I felt bad not buying something to help out. Not to mention the parking lot really sucks getting in and out of. Shop rating 1/5(because I'm such a nice person)
So there you have it, the shops(and a bit on the shopping habits) of the gargoylekitty. Sure none of them measure up to something like Comic Oasis but given the area they aren't half bad, not to mention without them I'd be mail ordering/waiting a month for my comics rather than getting them weekly/biweekly. So here's some love for my local comicbook shops: <3 <3 <3
Gargoylekitty out.
