Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Finding back issues of comics in DC UPDATED

A reader (!) wrote in asking for recommendations about back issue stores in the area. Here's an edited version of my replay and suggestions are welcome -

Very few back issue stores left - there's one in Vienna, VA - which is not the Big Planet Comics store there. According to Randy T in the comments, it's EG Comics, which is not on this this Google search, but is on Maple Ave in one of the strip malls. Aside from that - Barbarian Books in Wheaton - call first as they have odd hours and are closed on Monday I think, although they are close to a Metro. Maybe the closest.

Obviously I'm a fan of Big Planet - I go to the Bethesda store - but they're all good and they all have almost no back issues now (except for College Park - see Joel Pollack's comment below). Another good store is Fantom Comics in Tenleytown and Union Station, both locations right outside the metro. No back issues, or not many, though.

Most back issues turn up at the two local cons - the Capital Associates one is bigger and had a good selection of back issues when I was at it last Sunday.

2 comments:

Randy said...

Actually, the Vienna, VA store is called EG Comics run by Ed Gummel (sp?). Ed's a really good guy, if a little hard of hearing. His store definitely fits into the more traditional flavor of comics-geek friendly (i.e. not made up as a commercial interest, but lots of back-issues in long boxes and a good selection of costlier comics tacked up high on the wall, plus display cases of figurines and other comics-oriented wares).

The other store in the area that I know of with back issues is Phoenix Comics in Fairfax (across from GMU) and Lansdowne (out in Loudoun County, which is where their Herndon location moved). Howie, Gary, and Jeff out at the Lansdowne store are all good guys as well (Howie being the more acerbic of the three -- ya gotta get to know him, but he's definitely a good guy!), and the help in the Fairfax store has always, in the few times I've visited, seemed informed and outgoing, approaching customers and trying to help them buy what they'll want. These stores are far more polished, with well-spaced, professional-looking display cases for all types of comics and comic-oriented goods, good lighting, carpeting, fixtures, etc. etc.

There is a store in Annandale as well, but I have only been once or twice and the name escapes me, but I believe they had a good handful of long-boxes out for back-issue browsing.

Mike Rhode said...

Joel Pollack of Big Planet Bethesda wrote to me directly to say:

Just wanted to point out that Big Planet Comics of College Park has a large selection of contemporary back issues.

Also, Bethesda does have a small selection of older comics, and I'm always interested in buying pre-1966 comics.

One more point--all BPC stores stock most post-TP'ed recent issues. Once a series or story arc are collected in book form, we send our excess to Buddy Saunders' mycomicshop.com, and I recommend them highly.