A visit to a comic shop (part 2)

To find out what happened last time in part 1, click here


I had just walked in the door of a comic shop for the first time.


The pictures I had found online showed a bright store with turquoise paint on the walls. Instead, I had entered what resembled a dark cave. Batman would have been comfortable there. They actually might have preferred Batman, since he probably has far more money. And cooler gadgets.


The store looked busy. The register, immediately inside the store, had a couple of people waiting in line to check out. A group of 3 or so guys were chatting a few steps further into the store. One, in a white buttoned shirt and jeans, said hi. I figured the next statement was going to be "can I help you?" so I said hi back. Nothing. Then I'm pretty sure he scanned me from head to toe because his gaze slid down to my shoes before he looked away. I guess he didn't like the shoes I was wearing.


I was there to pick up a comic book, not a guy.


I can't be sure I was paying enough attention to know exactly why he needed to look me over, or if he even did. If he did and he wasn't an employee, then it was only slightly creepy to have to deal with that after I had just entered a store. If he did and he was an employee, then it was definitely over the creepy line. I will therefore call him MayOrMayNotBeSlightlyCreepyGuy.


Because I was looked for a name tag or a lanyard or something to signify that he was an employee. I didn't find it. By the end of my visit there, after looking for some symbol of employment on any of the employees who did actually help me, I realized that no one wore anything to single them out of the people milling around the store, so that I could know to ask them for help instead of sending out a bat signal.


I decided to wait in line at the register at the front, to see if the GuyBehindTheRegister could help or point me in the direction of someone who could. The male in front of me finished buying his items and turned to leave. I was next. Another male customer promptly walked up to the front of the store, completely around me, and up to the register to pay for his items. Normally I would say something, and have before in other stores. For some reason, I didn't speak up, maybe because I was out of my element, and maybe because I wanted to see how long it would take an employee (a legitimate one) to actually notice that I was there.


Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw it: the first issue of Ms. Marvel, and right next to it, Captain Marvel #1.


I immediately sent out a silent thank you to all the goddesses of all the universes and pantheons in every comic in the store. Not that I knew who or what they were, which is one of the reasons I never got into comic books in the first place- who can keep track of all the universes, incarnations, and reboots?


I didn't find the second issue of Ms. Marvel, however, and I still had no clue how to find it. I decided I might as well try to venture further into the store. I quickly realized that I had no idea how anything was organized. I did find Batgirl and Catwoman, but I didn't know the backstory or anything about these characters. I really wasn't feeling it, plus I needed to go home and let the dog out.


So I took my Ms. Marvel and Captain Marvel up to the registers, where I asked for the second Ms. Marvel. GuyBehindTheRegister yelled out to see if they had it. Turns out when I called ahead I should have checked on the second issue instead of the first. They were out.


MayOrMayNotBeSlightlyCreepyGuy just happened to be leaning against the desk to my right, and he asked if Ms. Marvel was the same as Captain Marvel. I held up both books, at which point AnsweredTheMs.MarvelQuestionGuy responded directly to MayOrMayNotBeSlightlyCreepyGuy that she was modeled after a (presumably male) superhero named after salad greens. I was pretty sure that I didn't give a fig for the salad greens guy.


Thankfully, the GuyBehindTheRegister pulled a copy that was being saved by another (female) employee for me. I did briefly feel bad for the employee, but AnsweredTheMs.MarvelQuestionGuy assured me that it was standard practice if they didn't pick up their subscriptions right away. So I bought it.


I wondered if I would have felt more comfortable in the store if AbsentWoman was there, but then I might not have scored her copy of Ms. Marvel #2.  Quite the ethical dilemma.


I can't say that I would view this comic shop as a place I would go to browse. Instead, I would have to figure out what I wanted beforehand, including the appropriate back stories, so that I could walk in and buy only what I already knew I wanted. I'm not sure that it's the best approach to running a business: although I try to get an idea beforehand on what I want to purchase before I go into, say, Ulta or Barnes & Noble, I inevitably find other items to buy because I am comfortable browsing (unfortunately for my bank account, but better for the business).


The saving grace in this store was the GuyBehindTheRegister. Although he let someone cut in line, he was really friendly when I did get to the register. He also made the effort to solve the problem of finding a copy of the comic book that I wanted.


I took my bag, got back in my car, drove home, and let the dog out. He didn't mind my shoes.


So there's that.



Next time: I visit a different comic shop