General

• What is your mission?

  The mission of LocalComicStop.com is to inform comic book lovers of all ages and backgrounds the accessibility and uniqueness of comic stores around the world.

• How would you describe LocalComicStop.com?

  Try to think of us as the Zagat’s of comics stores.  This is simply our opinion and we invite you to visit these stores and form your own opinion.  We may also be the Ebert and Ropert of comic stores.  (Shawn would be Ebert.)

• Why did you decide to do this? It seems like a lot of work.

  When I was a kid I loved comics but I could never afford to purchase them. A few years ago, while on a business trip to New York, I wandered into St. Mark’s Comics in Manhattan. I bought the Nightcrawler mini-series and quickly fell back in love with the art and story of comics. Jason had a similar experience around the same time. Whenever I traveled around the world, which is quite a bit, I found myself searching for a local comic store as a refuge from the daily grind. Many times that search was frustrating because I could not find current information about the store or the store was not there at all. Being businessmen, comic collector’s and an avid fans of the comic culture Jason and I decided to create a professional fan site that both celebrates comic stores and gives accurate information about these stores so a comic fan can make an informed decision on which comic shop to make a stop. Thus, LocalComicStop.com was born. Our desire is to celebrate comics and the comic community by promoting local stores and inviting potential comic fans through their doors. PS- this is A LOT of work (literally hundreds of hours) but we are true fans who are creating this out of our love for comic stores.

• Why are you qualified to rate stores?

  As successful business owners we understand what makes or breaks a good small business.  As comic collector’s and fans we come from a patron’s p.o.v.  The ratings of a store are, of course, subjective to what we feel comic fans are looking for in a shop.  We do realize that there are many genres of comic stores but this site tries to take the middle ground.  As an example, in NYC we have both St. Mark’s and Midtown Comics rated 5 stars.  These are both radically different in presentation and style but we believe they both do an excellent job as a comic store in their location.  We have visited over a hundred stores which, allows us to have a fairly balanced view of how your store compares to others around your city, state and nation.

• How do I add a comic shop to LocalComicStop.com?

  Navigate down to your location (or as close as possible) and then click on "Add Your Listing Here" at the top or bottom of the page.

  Registration is not required to add a shop listing but it is recommended for comic shop owners.  The benefits are:

  • Edit your listings all in one place.
  • Claim your shop if it already exist on the site.
  • Receive emails from LocalComicStop.com concerning your listing.

  If you are not a comic shop owner, there is no need to register.
• Are you generating income for the site?

  We are not generating income at this time.  We would like to amass enough advertising for the site to maintain itself and we are not opposed to making a profit but at its core, LocalComicStop.com is a site built out of our passion for comic stores.

• Who are the founders of LocalComicStop.com?

  Jason Wendel has always loved Superman and Batman comics but became a serious collector just a few years ago. Comic stores have become an obsession, and one day when he retires, he hopes to open his own dream store. As the owner of Flying Donut Media (www.flyingdonutmedia.com), a website design and development company, Jason has become the webmaster for the site. He resides in a real cabin in Texas.

  Shawn Small is the Executive Director for an rapidly growing non-profit organization that does relief work and educational tours around the world. In those travels Shawn found himself wandering into comic shops on his days off. Soon his hobby became a regular practice and he decided to join with his friend Jason in this crazy venture.

Ratings

• Explanations of Ratings

  Outward Appearance

  How easy is the store to spot from the street? How attractive is it on first sighting? Does the outside capture the flavor of the store? How creative does the store use the space afforded to it?

  Inside Appearance

  How inviting is the store to fans? How unique is the design of the store? How is it decorated? Is it in disarray or easy to find your way around the shop? Is the space utilized well and does it celebrate comics?

  New Comic Showcase

  Are the new comics displayed in an easy accessible fashion and promoted well? Are they well labeled and not mixed in with the back issues? Are there featured sections?

  Organization

  How organized is the store? Is there clear delineation between different items such as comics, toys, and collectibles? Is it clean and orderly? Does the staff know immediately where certain items are or what is in stock?

  Prices

  How fair are the prices compared to the national or international average? Good deals or a rip off?

  Staff

  Is the staff friendly and are they informed about the industry? Do they make you feel welcome or are they rude or standoffish? Do they make you want to return? Did they approach you asking to help or did they ignore you? Does the staff bring enthusiasm and knowledge to the job?

  Toys/Collectibles

  How good is their comic themed toy selection and fan collectibles, such as comics, toys, art, pop culture, etc.

  Rare Items

  Do they have those hard to get treasure items that bring joy to the heart of a searching fan? Are they vintage and in good shape? Are there unique collectibles featured?

  General Stock

  How is the general stock of comics including new and back issues?

  Atmosphere

  This is the total package. How does this shop reflect the comic culture? Is this a place you want to be and return to? What is the overall experience for the comic fan?

  Total and Star Rating

  Total points added together.

  1 star 0 – 35 Poor

  2 star 36 – 45 Below Average

  3 star 46 – 60 Good store for the fan.

  4 star 61 – 75 Above Average. Excellent store

  5 star 76 – 89 Superb.

  5 star 90+ Comic Shop Xanadu

• How does a store get a rating and what does it mean?

  To obtain a “star” rating and evaluation one of our LocalComicStop gurus must come by your store unannounced and assess your store compared to national or international standards. A low rating does not necessarily mean a bad store- it just may not have some of the ‘bells and whistles’ of a different store. Remember, we are looking for the archetypical store as our ultimate standard. Here is how your scores relate to the star rating:

  1 star     0 – 35       Poor

  2 star     36 – 45     Below Average

  3 star     46 – 60     Good store for the fan.

  4 star     61 – 75     Above Average. Excellent store

  5 star     76 – 89     Superb.

  5 star     90+          Comic Shop Xanadu

• Can a rating change?

  Of course a rating can change.  We will need to revisit to assess the change in rating.

• What are ‘unrated’ stores?

  Unrated stores are verified comic shops that we have not visited.

• How do you determine individual scores such as price, staff, etc?

  The criteria for each individual statistic (price, outside appearance, staff) are based on a comparison with the multitude of stores around the U.S. or the world. This is also based on what is in the store and at hand. This is a rating of the store not warehouse stocks or what someone can get a hold of for their clients. Hopefully, these statistics will be a positive impression of what a first time visitor to your store will experience. LocalComicStop.com is a celebration of comic stores.

Comic Shop Owners

• How do I add my comic shop and why should I register?

  Navigate down to your location (or as close as possible) and then click on "Add Your Listing Here" at the top or bottom of the page.

  Registration is not required to add a shop listing but it is recommended for comic shop owners. The benefits are:

  • Edit your listings all in one place.
  • Claim your shop if it already exist on the site.
  • Receive emails from LocalComicStop.com concerning your listing.
• I added my site, why is it not showing up?

  To keep the integrity of the site, all shops must be confirmed by LocalComicStop.com before they will be added to the site.

• My shop is here already but how do I claim it?

  You must first register. Once you have registered, log in, navigate to your shop and click "Claim" at the bottom of the listing.  Once the claim as been verified by LocalComicStop.com, you will be able to update your shop name,  address, phone number, website and logo. 

• How do I add my logo to my page?

  Login in and click on "My Listings"* under the user menu. Click "edit" next to your shop. On the edit page, hit the "Browse" button next to "Logo:" and locate you logo on your computer, hit submit and you are done. LocalComicStop.com must approve the logo before it will be live on the site.

  *You must have claimed your shop already. Click on "My shop is here already but how do I claim it?" to learn how to claim your site.

• When will you visit my store?

  When we are invited or we happen to be in the area. We get to about 10 comic shops a month right now but we hope to increase those numbers as we expand.

Advertising

• Who can advertise on LocalComicStop.com?

  Anyone can advertise on LocalComicStop.com except for comic stores- that would be a bit unfair to our rating system if we allowed that to happen. Learn more here .
  

• How do I advertise on LocalComicStop.com and what is the cost?

  Please go to the Advertise With Us page.