Can you believe a whole year has passed since my 21 Years Working For You post? The passage of time is always strange if you’re a comic book reader. If you have twelve issues in front of you, that is one year. Or more likely in today’s market, if you have twenty four issues of the same series in front of you, that is one year gone by. Or, if you like, two graphic novels. Just some thoughts to put into perspective on how time passes for me.
This one will be a little brief as this anniversary has caught me by surprise and I should be helping put preorders way and various other things to prepare for new release Wednesday circa 9/19/18.
Still not really up for picture taking..
What I’d like to get into in the time that we do have is a little backstory on how September 23rd 1996 came to be my first official day working at Acme Comics. As you know, or maybe you don’t know, I was a customer at Acme Comics since somewhere between 1986 and 1987. I say that because I remember seeing some of the iconic Watchmen covers on the newer release shelves. I wasn’t interested in Watchmen, but the covers stuck with me even as a kid who was no doubt looking for Star Wars, Transformers, or G.I. Joe comics. I saw all that to let people know that I was a kid back then because some people think that I was working at the store back then. I’m not that old, people!
By 1994, I’d graduated from Grimsley High School (Go Whirlies!) and over that Summer became a familiar face around Acme Comics. I’d shopped other places, but Acme had become my shop of preference. Not just because of the merchandise available, a lot of the merchandise was available at other stores or flea markets or conventions. I’d say that was the least of it at the time now that I think about it. What kept me coming back was the atmosphere, the camaraderie, the conversation. On a side note, I hope that some of you feel the same way from time to time now. Joe Schram was the actual employee at the time, but a little group formed around him and I was a part of that group. Some customers have told me that they do remember seeing me around before 1996. There were guys around before me and I think before Joe. Reuben M., the shop kid Stephen B., they come to mind as being in place as regulars who were haunting this place well before me. We introduced each other to new things. Joe championed Mike Mignola’s Hellboy stories. I brought my knowledge of Marvel back issues to the table. Reuben M. introduced me to Mike Allred’s Madman. Dan M. was the DC Comics expert. I learned about series like Stray Bullets and Strangers in Paradise from Stephen B. There came a point where it wasn’t just about hanging out talking about comics and action figures and movies. There was work to be done and we all wanted to help. Bagging comics, filing unsold overstock comics away alphabetically, etc. What we really wanted though was to help connect people to the stories we knew to be good and in some cases had recently learned to be good. There came a day when it was time for Joe to move on, an official spot came open, and I was recommended for it. I was already a known quantity by that point and it was my turn at bat.
Flash forward to 2018. Acme Comics is still here and going strong. This is actually year 35 for Acme as a Greensboro institution. The Oldest and Largest Comic Book Store in the Triad (regionally known as the cities of Greensboro, High Point, and Winston Salem). I’m still here too. Multiple satellite locations, multiple Will Eisner International Spirit of Comics Retailing award nominations, multiple economic fluxes, multiple highs and lows later. We are still here. They say if you stay in the same place long enough, people will wander back to you. In the last several months, so many people I haven’t seen in years have come through the door and that has been a great thing. They seem to really enjoy knowing that Acme Comics is still here and so am I. But I don’t exist in a vacuum. Here in 2018 it takes a lot of people to make sure that I don’t stay at work too late, or forget to eat, or lose track of what day it is. Continued thanks to the official and unofficial Acme Comics Lord Retail Support team who keeps this show on the road to 2019!
Speaking of Lord Retail, I did some research and I actually know the official birthday of “Lord Retail.” But that’s a story for another day.
And now the moment you’ve been waiting for….
We don’t do back issue sales often and when we do we like for them to be worth while to you. Significant. Worth the drive. About something. I had something in mind, but then I lost track of time and this whole thing is super last minute. So I’m going to do something different than what I had planned. Let me know if this sounds good.
CELEBRATE 22 YEARS OF JERMAINE AT ACME COMICS
Friday September 21 10AM-7PM Saturday September 22 10AM-7PM Sunday September 23 Noon-6pm
- General Bagged Back Issues shall be 80% (eighty percent) off marked sticker price.
- Wear your “Lord Retail” button to be able to buy 1 hardcover of your choice for 50% (fifty percent) off. This can be used ONLY once per business day for a total of three times.
Discount NOT applicable on:
- New Comics unbagged on shelves
- Variant Edition comics
- Silver/ Bronze Age Boarded Vintage Comics
- Preorder comics on reservation
New to comics? This is your chance to get up on what came before you began? Been out of comics for a minute? This is your chance to get your collection going again.
