Ode to Local Comics Shops

I recently looked through my journals from the 1970s (small, spiral-bound notebooks) and found the answer to a question that had been bugging me for a while, ever since I found out Forbidden Planet NY hasn't existed as long as I'd thought. FPNY dates from the 1980s and in the 1960s through the early-'70s, I bought my comics at a local drugstore. So where did I buy them during the rest of the 1970s? The answer, I discovered, was Supersnipe Comic Book Emporium.

When I read that name in my journal, I got so excited. It was familiar! I hit up Google for info and was disappointed to look at photos that didn't further jog my memory. I shopped there. I wrote about going every week, walking over from college, to get my comics. I'm sure this is where I discovered comics-related publications, and yet, the actual memories of the place elude the conscious me. Still, it was clearly my first comic book shop experience, so I'm glad to finally have that mystery solved.

In the early-'80s, I got my comics from a little store called Action Comics (the owner said he'd licensed the name from DC), a few blocks from my apartment, and Forbidden Planet NY (FPNY), which had two locations for a few years and where I could also buy books (science fiction, some fantasy), calendars, and other related items. In the '90s, I alternated between FPNY and Jim Hanley's Universe before settling on FPNY and establishing a pull list there. Nowadays, it feels like a second home.

In all of these shops, never have I felt unwelcome. I might've been one of the few women who shopped in those stores, but I was never treated with anything less than respect as a paying customer. And visiting FPNY weekly is like visiting with friends, where I can discuss movies, favorite comics and characters, and action figures. And I've been able to entertain the younger-than-me staff at FPNY with my stories of going to comic cons in the '70s and getting to meet and get autographs from such big names in comics like Steve Gerber and Joe Kubert. All comic book readers should have a shop like that to visit.

Shoutout to my LCS

I suppose LCS is a bit of a misnomer since Forbidden Planet NYC is not exactly all that local to me. It's a 40 minute subway ride away, but it's where I've got my subs and where I've exclusively bought my comics for the last 15 years (I used to alternate with another shop, Jim Hanley's Universe across from the Empire State Building.). And they've just moved into their new location, which I visited today and it's awesome. Third location (not counting the 2nd store they had for a while in midtown) and this is the best. It really captures the feel of the old store on the other side of Broadway. And it's sure better than the corner store they just vacated which was too narrow and too cramped. Even better, everything's on one floor now and they've been able to move out more stock, too. So. Many. Toys.

They've only been in the new location a week, so they're still ironing out the kinks, but it's already got so much going for it. I love the old wood floor; it has so much character. The display cases with the sculptures and toys are so much easier to view now and the new comics are in the back with plenty of room to move around. If you're in NYC and haven't seen it yet, check it out.

Edited to add: Nice article on the move in Publishers Weekly.