Todd wrote:Todd wrote: That was the most jam-packed comic store around. When Glenn told me he got the boot, I thought it may have been by the fire dept with all the stuff he had in there!!
You got that right!
Wow, it's hard to believe that place is gone. I remember walking through the front door, which couldn't open all the way because there was something behind it. There was a small room to the right packed with back issues boxes all around, bag comics on top of those, and brown boxes all over the place. Then you squeeze by the cash registers (on the left) where Gary sat (That's the only way I every seen Gary, I never seen him walking around the store). He had wall of graphic novels behind him, which you couldn't get to. There was a fan blowing back and forth. Then if you made it that far, there were two "new comics" shelves in the back right part of the store. Opposite to that were boxes and boxes on top of boxes of back issues and I don't no what else. It was CROWDED in there. Standing room only. You had to turn sideways to let someone get by. I've never seen a comic book store like it before or since.
After I picked up each weeks new issues, I loved searching through his back issues boxes looking for swamp thing and other Alan Moore comics. I would have to move short boxes on top of other boxes and stretch (I'm short) to look for other boxes. Some of the boxes you couldn't even get to. I picked up most of my swamp thing, watchmen, miracle man, taboo, Moonshadow GN, a bunch of Cerebus phone books, and a very good brady bunch #1 (with that fun photo cover; Gary had it for $3.25 or something like that). I could barely maneuver around that place. Still, it had it's charm.
That's too bad. I hope Gary does well with his home mail order business. I never really talked to him, even though I spent hours in there. But he was nice enough and I liked his hole in the wall store. Please wish him good luck for me.
Is Comic Heaven still in Alhambra? I didn't like store too much, but there used to be a used bookstore across the street that had a small collection (can't remember the name). Man, I used to drive all over the place to find back issues. I'm such a completist. I'm still looking for two later issues of Akira. It seems so easy now days to just look on eBay, but back then, it was just the phone book and the car.
Peace,
Maka
