Comic Shop: The Retail Mavericks Who Gave Us a New Geek Culture

by Dan Gearino

The modern comic book shop was born in the early 1970s. Its rise was due in large part to Phil Seuling, the entrepreneur whose direct market model allowed shops to get comics straight from the publishers. Stores could then better customize their offerings and independent publishers could access national distribution. Shops opened up a space for quirky ideas to gain an audience and helped transform small-press series, from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to Bone, into media giants.

Comic Shop is the first book to trace the history of these cultural icons. Dan Gearino brings us from their origins to the present-day, when the rise of digital platforms and a changing retail landscape have the industry at a crossroads. When the book was first published in 2017, Gearino had spent a year with stores around the country, following how they navigated the business. For this updated and expanded paperback edition, he covers the wild retail landscape of 2017 and 2018, a time that was brutal for stores and rich for comics as an art form.

Along the way he interviews pioneers of comics retailing and other important players, including many women; top creators; and those who continue to push the business in new directions. A revised guide to dozens of the most interesting shops around the United States and Canada is a bonus for fans.

Genres: Nonfiction, Comics, Business, History, Pop Culture, Graphic Novels

300 pages, Paperback

First published October 13, 2017

Reviews

[Robert Greenberger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really was looking forward to this but finished it feeling that it was too thin and lacking in meat. For a book on the direct sales market and the retailers who thrived, it is missing some names starting with Bill Liebowitz and Golden Apple Comics, who was the right retailer as Hollywood was just beginning to embrace geek culture.

There should have been some profiles on those who tried and failed and what happened. Moondog's in Chicago would have been a good example as they were the ones in the 1990s who were dreaming of being the first nationwide chain. And why isn't there a national chain? Dunno, he doesn't explore this.

While I appreciate him shining the spotlight on Phil Seuling and Carol Kalish (how I miss them both), he ignores other people from the publishing side who were influential to the retailers. DC countered Mike Friedrich with Roger Slifer and Mike Flynn before replace them with Bruce Bristow and Bob Wayne (the latter certainly had an impact). And David Scroggy should be here.

Black September is entirely absent which is a shame as is the fight for a uniform release date, once Fridays and finally Wednesdays. The need for the CBLDF is underplayed and deserved prominence.

The history and profiles are fine, but I really, really wanted something authoritative.

[Michael Neno · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dan Gearino's Comic Shop: The Retail Mavericks Who Gave Us a New Geek Culture is a fine addition to recent comics industry history books, a snapshot of the industry at the time it was published, and an addictive read. The Comics Reporter's Tom Spurgeon even supplies an introduction.

Gearino's story starts in the early '60s and, by capturing memories of primary sources, gives a more complete picture of comic shop history than any yet written in book form - especially helpful is his biographical sketch of direct market entrepreneur and all-around advocate for comics Phil Seuling. I would have liked to have learned more about early comics dealers and distributors, though, like Robert Bell for example, and especially the mysterious Schuster brothers and their Irjax/New Media. I'm surprised there weren't more memories accessed from longtime dealer Robert Beerbohm, a veritable fount of retailer experience and knowledge. I do appreciate the inclusion of '70s photographs of the scene.

Comic Shop gives a good summing-up of the mid-'90s comic distribution war, which, while reading it, seems like yesterday. I'd argue the monopoly (effectively, if not legally) Diamond Distributors maintains over the comics industry has not been in retailer's or reader's best interest, but it's probably here to stay until the end of comic shops.

A good section of the book is spent describing shops the opposite of what I prefer as a browser. Hipsterish, bright shops which under emphasize back issues are the future for the industry, I know. What I love are old, dimly lit, crowded shops that smell of pulp paper and carry a dense treasure trove of artifacts to search through. Shops like these were my earliest memories of buying back issues and are the kind of shops I search for. Gearino intersperses the history of comics retailing with the ups and downs of one particular shop, The Laughing Ogre, applying the microscope to its origins, employees and survival tactics. Anyone considering opening a comic book shop should read these sections, incorporating a wealth of advice and caution.

At 250 pages, I think that more could have been written about the '60s-'80s and less about what's happening now. I know that's on me. I was awaiting, for example, the point in the story when retailer Chuck Rosanski discovered what became his Mile High collection, something I'd love to read about in detail, but it's only mentioned in passing. I'm also very interested in learning about early dealer Howard Rogofsky (only mentioned on one page) and I'm surprised retailer Jake 'Buddy' Saunders' censorious conflicts with publisher's subject matter, affecting what was available for purchase in his chain of Lone Star Comics shops, wasn't mentioned (the conflict continues to this day on Saunders' MyComicShop.com, which recently stopped selling a Garth Ennis horror series).

I understand that my interests in the history of comics retailing differs from others and no one book can completely cover sixty years (and more) of a retail industry. Comic Shop is a good book, a well written book and a needed book. I believe, though, there's more to be researched and written about the subject. Maybe there's an even more expanded version or a sequel in the future. I'd buy it!

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comics are my life, and my local comic shop Ground Zero Comics is, at times, like a second home. It's a place where I know I can just pop in, look through some of the old comics, get some drawing done, and expose myself to new books and creators I hadn't encountered before. I realize though how fortunate I am to have such a shop like this in my home town, and Dan Gearino's book has brought that point across even more so.

Comic shops are a fundamental part of the American culture and landscape, because even if one does not read comics they at least understand what comics are and what role a comic shop plays in a community. Dan Gearino's Comic Shop takes a deeper look however, showing his reader that despite whatever cartoon character or stereotype exists, comic shops actually play an interesting role in the economic structure of the retail industry and many have gone bust due to the sheer chaos that is the comics and card industry. This book is as much a study of retail as it is a study of the comics industry, and we're living in a period when retail is suffering more and more because of larger shipping industries this book becomes a chance to observe people on the lower rung of the capitalist structure and to just see how the larger events affect people on the ground level.

Not every comic shop is a Mom and Pop, home-owned business, but every store is subject to the whims of their customers and the market and so Dan Gearino's book is a chance to observe how comics has affected people and capitalism, and the crazy fools who fell in love with men (and women) in tights and decided to try an open a comic shop.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dan Gearino's COMIC SHOP is well researched, comprehensive and thoughtfully structured, and serves as a great, top-line look at the history of the comic book direct market - or what layman's call "comic shops." Before comic book stores sprung up, most fans got their books on the newsstand. Over time, a desire for back issues - older comics - and more reliable title availability lead to comic-themed stores to pop up, which, in turn, created a new distribution and sales channel for comic book publishers - one that took stock on a non-returnable basis and catered to the hardcore, lifelong fan. Soon, the direct market was the main revenue stream for companies like Marvel and DC, and the newsstand faded away. Gearino does a nice job of interspersing more embedded stories - like those chapters that profile aspects of his local comic shop and its staff, The Laughing Ogre - with straight historical recap, and while the shifting from one to the other didn't always work for me - sometimes I felt like we hadn't learned about something yet in the main story before we were introduced to it on the more contemporary sequences - but I admired the effort and felt Gearino's diligent research and professional, crisp writing style made for a smooth, enjoyable book. Like any history that spans decades, there are people that were under-served. You can't really write a book about the direct market and not mention Bob Wayne, for example, but I also imagine Gearino had many balls to juggle on this one, and the end result is a strong, memorable and impressive piece of reporting. I suggest anyone who loves comics and is interested in the business of the medium check it out.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellently written, lovingly researched, and well sourced love letter to the business of comic book stores. Many years ago, I had the opportunity to work the dream job of a comic book guy. The store I worked at is long gone, but the memories of standing behind that counter and greeting every regular by name, of developing a friendly relationship with the UPS folks who greeted me and the competition every Wednesday morning when we'd show up to get our books (lord knows you can't wait for delivery), and of celebrating FCBD (including the first one!) with like minded people will stay with me forever.

This book does much to document the history of how something as bizarre as a comic book store could even exist. It is a niche within a niche. While the history there is fascinating, the real gems here are the quotes from interviews with people who have lived and breathed every peak and every valley of an industry full of them for the last 50 years. You can almost hear the blood, sweat, and tears these people happily shed for a profession that has close to a zero percent chance of making them rich, and an only slightly higher chance of allowing them to ever retire. It's a labor of love, and Gearino's love of the subject matter shows by very clearly presenting each thought and quotation in a way that makes everything feel incredibly authentic to my experiences of working behind that hallowed counter.

Equally important to the passion shown here is the quality of the writing. I've read many books about the comic industry, and the writing can be a little uneven (much like the comics themselves). Gearino's a very talented writer and I look forward to reading more from him.

The only drawback is that this book was written before COVID and before the end of Diamond's stranglehold on distribution. Obviously the author is not to blame here, but I'd love a publishing model that allows documentary style books to be regularly updated for a small price.

[Osvaldo · Rating 4 out of 5]

An informative and breezy read that puts names and personalities to the history of the American comic book shop and the development (and failures) of the "direct market" era. It seems well-researched, but relies mostly on the testimony of those involved and their memories, which leads to a couple of places where perspectives conflict. Nevertheless, Gearino does a good job of depicting more than one side to an argument.

I doubt this book would have much interest to anyone not already interested in the business side of comics, and if there is one thing absent that I would have personally liked, it is a reflection on how the direct market and business practices shaped the comic book stories themselves.

The end of the book is given to reviews of some of the best comic shops in the U.S. (and at least one in Canada). I found this less interesting because my interest in comic shops tends to be academic, not the kind of place I like to spend much time - but as someone who occasionally checks out comic shops in cities I visit it is nice to have a list to check out. Heck, I had already been to one or two of them listed.

[Pat Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a terrific book. More than just being about comics ,it is about a segment of retail that has never been taken over by big business. There is no Best Buy for comics.(There could be several Amazons ,however.) I thought that the listing of comics shops was unnecessary at first,but it really does give you a fuller picture of what's out there and the many varieties of shops there are.

[Paul Spence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dan Gearino’s “Comic Shop: The Retail Mavericks Who Gave Us a New Geek Culture” examines the rise of comic shops as the local of fan communities after the development of the direct market of comic sales through case studies of various comic book stores in the United States, including The Laughing Ogre in Columbus, Ohio and distributors like Capital City Distribution. Discussing Phil Sueling’s creation of the direct market, Gearino writes, “Here was the new business model: retailers could order comics from Seuling and get shipments from the printing plants, bypassing the old-line distributors. This meant the comics would arrive sooner than at other outlets, and in precise quantities…This was possible because the major publishers did their printing with the same company in Sparta, Illinois. The printer would collate the orders and ship them to Seuling’s customers, just as they did for hundreds of news distributors” (pg. 33). Seuling entered the comics business full-time after he gave up his teaching job, following his arrest for “selling indecent material to a minor” on 11 March 1973 (pg. 26). This stemmed from a campaign in which church groups tried to ban comics after a story in Robert Crumb’s “Zap Comix” #4.

Discussing figures, Gearino writes, “In 1977, there were about two hundred comics specialty shops in the United States” (pg. 38). Further, “From roughly 1979 to 1982, comics distribution was thrown wide open and the number of comic shops grew tremendously, although numbers are difficult to verify…the number of outlets rose from about two hundred in 1977 to five hundred in 1987. In addition, many small shops became big shops” (pg. 84-85). Gearino continues, “The number of retailers ballooned during this period, going from about one thousand stores in 1990s to an all-time high of about ten thousand in 1995” (pg. 133). By 1997, “the direct market that had begun with Phil Seuling and had grown to dozens of competing distributors was now down to one option for retailers. And many retailers were not happy about it. The Diamond exclusive era had begun, and continues to this day” (pg. 148).

In terms of demographics, “When comic shops began to proliferate in the late 1970s, women customers tended to gravitate toward independent titles, such as ‘Elfquest’ and ‘Cerebus,’ according to shop owners from that era. In the early 1980s, women were a key part of the audiences for alternative publishers, with titles such as ‘Love and Rockets’” (pg. 75). Gearino continues, “Since the underground days, black-and-white printing had been an inexpensive way for artists to get their ideas to the public. By the mid-1980s, this had grown into a lively alterative comics scene, with groundbreaking titles such as ‘Love and Rockets’ from Fantagraphics. And now the greed of the black-and-white boom had been typified by products that seemed, to an untrained eye, similar to alternative comics” (pg. 106).

Gearino concludes, “The shops began to proliferate in the 1970s when comics were shifting from a mass medium to a niche. Now, with the popularity of comics aimed at young readers and the growth of graphic novels as a publishing category, comics are again moving toward being a mass medium…The comic shops that thrive will be the ones whose spaces and people are best able to attract customers, even on items that may cost less somewhere else. This is far from easy, but many store owners and staff are doing it already” (pg. 151).

[Michael Rhode · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite the title, Comic Shop focuses at least as much, if not more, on the growth of the Direct Market distribution network that gave rise to independent comic shops and sustains them today. Gearino is a journalist and has written an accessible popular history that relies largely on interviews, much like Slugfest, which we recently reviewed and which works well as a complement to this book.

Gearino focuses on his local comic shop, Laughing Ogre, perhaps slightly too much at times, but it's understandable that he chose a long-lasting, respected store as one of the pillars of his book. He returns to the store's history time and again, while recounting a chronological history of the transfer from comic books as a mass media product sold everywhere on newsstands to one that requires a visit to a specialty shop.

From the 1920s through the 1970s, comic books were sold in newsstands, mom and pop shops and anywhere a distributor could place a rack. Personally, for me, the 7-11 was the main site. The books were dumped on the store which was expected to rack them, and return them for credit when they didn't sell. The comics had a profit for the store in the pennies, so little attention was paid to them. At many times, the books weren't delivered or racked, but a refund was requested anyway, leading to fraudulent losses for the publishers, or misleading sales figures.

In 1973, Phil Seuling, an early creator of Comic Cons, made a deal with DC Comics to buy books for them at a larger discount but on an nonreturnable basis, and get them shipped directly from the printer. Seuling's new company was Sea Gate Distributors. It was soon joined by many competitors who split the United States up between them. As in most businesses, the early wide-open days with multiple distributors and thousands of comic book shops saw financial peaks and troughs as well as widespread consolidations and bankruptcies. Gearino also weaves through the rise of independent comic books such as Elfquest, Bone, Cerebus and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and talks about the importance of a retailer hand-selling these types of comics. Today, one distributor remains standing - Baltimore's Diamond Comics, and we're currently seeing a lot of independent books, small publishers and tactics such as variant covers that usually precede a bust in the market.

Gearino did a good job in doing interviews for his research on the book, but is lighter on using archival and printed sources. His focus on Laughing Ogre's small chain occasionally slows the book down, but I think proved to be a good choice to center the story. An odd choice was made to add in profiles of various stores at the end of the book - not quite an appendix, but not quite part of the book either. I think those could have perhaps been integrated in more seamlessly, although when he invites guest commentary in the main text, it is set off at the end of the chapter and is rather jarring. On a local note, Joel Pollack of Big Planet Comics has a two-page profile in the stores section.

This won't be the definitive study of the rise of the Direct Market and specialty comic book stores, but it's a good early step and a fine choice for the casually-interested reader. I enjoyed it and would recommend it.

from http://comicsdc.blogspot.com/2017/11/...

[Chris Esposo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A singular and informative study of comic shops as a retail institution. The book follows 3 threads, the first being the birth of the comic shop in Brooklyn in the 1960s and 70s, evolving out of neighbourhood "dime stores" (convenience stores), and this thread specifically tells the story of Phil Seuring, a former high school teacher who networked together the first comic book convention and pioneered the idea of the "direct market" for comic books. The second thread introduced a bit later is focused on the "Laughing Ogre" a comic shop in Columbus, OH, and how they weather the business cycles of comic books and associated collectables in the 90s and 2000s. The final thread, is a general study of how comic books have been viewed as a commodity, first as cultural pablum, then as a store of value during the collecting-bubbles of the late 80s-90s, and now as an accepted art-form and medium of original, non-superhero storytelling, and how these have changed the market for comic book stores in the past 3 decades.

For any regular recent reader of comic books, especially the big tent-pole characters from Marvel and DC, this book has a lot of inside baseball that should prove enjoyable, including an extended analysis of both Marvel and DCs recent strategy of "big event" driven multi-issue, multi-title stories designed to increase purchases of issues, and why these do or do not work in increasing longer-term readership. The book ends right before the start of DCs Rebirth line, putting the writing of the text to late 2016.

A few interesting details included in the book are the descriptions of the margins of many comic book stores, how back-issues have changed dramatically with respect to their declining share of most shops monthly revenue stream, the rise of the trade paperback, and how publishers recent tactic of consolidating all stories to TPB, irrespective of story quality have complicated certain shop owners who dedicated most of their shelf space to those types of publications, the consolidation of suppliers to the current single monopolist, Diamond, and a bunch of others.

In a time of declining physical retail sales, comic book stores are an interesting case study as they emerged organically and have weathered at least 2 economic cycles, each time transforming themselves in ways that have reflected the broader retail transformations in general retail, including the recent strategy of expanding the consumer base to more diverse demographics, enabled both by the acceptance of the art-form for different stories, as well as the rise of manga exported from Japan, whose popularity was enabled by large book retailers marketing these commodities so heavily in the late aughts.

Great read, for both comic book people and people who are interested in retail history.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not a history of comic books, it is a history of the retail comic shop, and a pretty good one. From the invention of the "direct market" (a term I never knew the origin of, despite having worked in a comic shop), to the current day, with the various booms and busts in between.

The book examines the various periods of the history through interviews with retailers and distributors. The final chapter is an examination of some of the best comic stores in the country, as picked by the author.

I am not currently a customer of comic shops (I visit my local shop about once every two years), but I have been one in the past, as well as an employee of one. This book seems to get things right on most of the stuff I experienced myself.

My only quibble is that the author is largely pro-Geppi and Diamond Distribution, the monopoly distributor in the industry. I appreciated learning that the consolidation of distributors was a defensive move by Geppi in response to irresponsible actions taken by Marvel, and that for many years after the company struggled, but I still feel that the Diamond monopoly has been one of the big negative factors in the industry. I was there when it happened, and I saw the negative effect the consolidation had on our store at the time. I think that many in the industry are just used to it now as the way things are done (especially since the vast majority of stores described in the book were founded after the consolidation happened).

It's not just an academic issue either, as another Geppi owned company, Alliance Game Distributors, is increasingly looking to sign exclusive distribution deals in the tabletop gaming industry.

That's a small point in an otherwise excellent history of an industry I have fond memories of participating in.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I have any complaint about this book, it's that it did not cover some topics I wanted to know more about, but that's not a fair criticism. The final portion of the book, which profiles particular successful stores, was of some interest, but I think I would have preferred full interview transcripts with some of the central figures in the book, etc. Much of what makes a comic shop an enjoyable place to be is rather intangible, so I did not really feel transported to these places by the author's retelling of his visits.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

For serious fans of comics and the shops that sell them. Very in-depth look at the industry.

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know that scene in Silverado when Kevin Kline's character talks about how he loves to walk into a saloon and loves the feel of a good saloon? That's me and comic shops. I love this book as it deals exclusively with my favorite place(s) to be in the world. Also I do know one of the owners and shops featured in the book.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been a comic book fan for many years. However, I’ve only worked at a comic book store for a handful of years. This book gives great insight on the industry from years gone by to today. A must read for comic fans.

[Joe Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished. Nice overview of the rise of the direct market and our beloved comic stores.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book details the distribution and growth of comic books from the 1960's to the the present. I enjoyed learning a little bit about the industry.

[Nick Tangborn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly readable and compelling for such a niche topic.

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative. Great look into the history of comic shops and how they won't be going anywhere soon

[Jason Sacks · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important and well written book which fills in crucial gaps in written conic book history.

[AJ McGuire · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was a dissapointment. I picked it up because flipping through it it seemed to have a lot of lore about the early days of comic specialty shops, pre-direct market and the first distributors. But that material was thinner than I hoped. And it was framed around the goings on of the author's local comic shop today which opened in the 90s and seems completely and wholly boring and commonplace. I didn't need long chapters about this current local shops recent disagreements with Marvel and DC publishing schemes. I wanted to read more stories like when Steve and Bill Schanes, owners of Pacific Comics, opened a store when they were teenagers in 1974, and Jim Kennedy from Big Rapids distribution tried to strong arm them into switching signing on by offering them whiskey and making sure they noticed the handgun in his briefcase. Thats good tuff. This book is like if Roger Miret's "My Roit" were framed around the recording of AF's 2015 LP "The American Dream Died" and kept returning to discuss issues of downloading and streaming and the loss of record sales, etc. Give us the lore!

[Billy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is fun read for anyone interested in the rise of the direct market comics distribution system. Dan Gearino did a great job researching this book. It seems very prescient right now, as the book really highlights the rise of Diamond Comics to it's position of dominance in the industry, and Diamond is now going out of business this year. Comic Shop has a second section in the back highlighting great comic shops in North America. I've been to a few and can attest to their greatness.

[Drucilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't know anything about the history of comic shops or what the term "direct market" meant before reading this and Gearino does a great job of explaining both. The research he did for this book is very impressive. He also includes a list of the top comic shops in the U.S. and Canada which will have me on the look out if I visit any of those cities.

[Jason Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Gearino does a great job of profiling an industry in which I am now an active participant. It's is well researched and entertaining to read, which can be difficult in this kind of book. If you are interested in the comic book industry at all, I highly recommend this book.

[Thor Aksdal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a good listen, but lacked a narrative. It would make a great long form podcast, but without structure, it made for an uneven story. Still, it’s nice to read/listen to a book about the comic book industry.

[Ty G. Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Educational and entertaining for a long time comics fan. I made trips to comics shops every week from 1988-2012. This book was like learning a secret history that I viewed from the fringes. I’d be interested to hear what non-comics fans think of it.

[Ben Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

First half is great and hugely interesting to a British novice. The second half markedly less useful sadly outside of the US.

[Still Life With Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

A parte de que me ha dejado con unas ganas locas de irme a comprar y leer cómics, este libro me resultará muy útil si alguna vez visito Estados Unidos y/o Canadá 😁

[Elliott Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic history lesson.

[Xavier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book on the retail side of the comic book industry. Would be nice to see another update in 2026, with all the recent changes in distribution.