What a Local Comic Book Store Should Be
I was on a bank holiday weekend jaunt up to Edinburgh, and, as is customary when I'm in a new city, I felt the need to put a few hours aside to check out the best comic shops.
After attempting to seek out the main, well-known corporate behemoth retailers (you know their names) and failing to enter, due to the sheer volume of people queued up outside, I consulted the search engine on my phone and it told me the nearest alternative was Deadhead Comics. Interesting name. I traipsed across town and made my way there.
The first thing that welcomed me was a friendly pooch (border collie, I believe) in the doorway, so, of course, I spent a few minutes just stood there, getting acquainted.
I instantly appreciated the freedom to step inside a shop without being told to wait outside first, or being harassed and harangued about covering my natural breathing apparatus, or quizzed about my health history.
As I stepped inside, two chilled dudes were bantering and checking out a blues music video on the computer. They both greeted me: "How're you doing, bro?"
Straight away, this is the personable vibe I want from a comic book shop. For anybody too young or too new to the hobby to remember, this is how comics, games, and hobby shops used to be and should be--not huge, impersonal, corporate, we-have-everything-except-soul affairs.
I browsed around and listened in to the conversations and banter going on, then chose to chip in with a few related comments. We chatted about football, family origins, and, of course, comics. I could have spent all day there (and would if I lived in Edinburgh) but my missus and I had a restaurant booked that evening.
The owner, Gafin, asked me if I was looking for anything in particular, and I told him I was literally just browsing around, but hadn't come in with anything specific in mind. He went out of his way to ask what I was into, and I let him know a couple of my favourite genres and authors (including Grant Morrison). He instantly went to work and recommended Morrison's latest Green Lantern run. I have already read it, but this, to me was a good sign--the sign of somebody who knows what he's talking about.
Gafin dug deeper into his shelves and pulled out something else, asking if I liked Alan Moore, or dark thriller comics. Yes, and yes.
The graphic novels he handed me and asked me to check out instantly piqued my interest and, cutting a long story slightly short, I left there with three graphic novels, plus another short comic he threw in for my missus, for free.
I'm pretty sure those GNs would have set me back a total of about 60 quid in a larger retailer, and we definitely wouldn't have got anything extra for free, but here, I got all that for 40 quid.
The most important thing, though, was the experience of meeting real people, without the pretence, with whom I could have a conversation and a laugh. That stuff is priceless, and is something that is quickly and unfortunately dying, in favour of the soulless and faceless, massive retailers that are relentlessly swallowing businesses like these up.
I'll definitely be paying Deadhead a visit again when I'm next in Edinburgh. This is the kind of shop we, as a community, need to keep alive.
The only thing I would ask is that Deadhead sort out a manner of mail ordering for me, so I can support them.
Update: I've read one of the graphic novels, "Rumble," and I loved it. Right up my street. Cheers, Gafin!
September 1, 2021
Unprompted review
