Address: (Edit Info)
5060 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ, US
Page Views: 218
4 positive - 1 negative = Net Rating (3)
Positive (4)
Negative (1)
Posted on: 2008-05-15
Lucky for me I have a 12 year old son, so I have an excuse to hang out at comic stores. I am actually a huge fan of comics (*ahem*, I mean Graphic Novels), and could wander and read in here for ages. We've tried most of the comic shops in town (from the "too hip for you" vibe at Atomic to the "too nerdy for anyone" vibe at Samurai), and once we found this one vowed to never go anywhere else. As a mama, nothing can win me over like being nice to my cub, and when my son has questions, they treat him so politely, they never speak down to him, and they seem to truly enjoy having conversations with him about the material. The store is neat, clean, bright and well organized, and just in general one of my happy places.
(Also my kid wants to work here. But I swear, I'm not just kissing ass to get him a job).
Although this place is a bit out of my way, and I have only been here once, I plan on making the trek to All About Comics at least once a week! The selection is unbeatable, and there are rare or collectible issues as far as the eye can see!!!!
The best part is that for each comic/graphic that is purchased over $10 you get a stamp on a frequent buyer card. Ultimately receiving a freebie.....awesome!
Holy selection, Batman! This place is near full to bursting with anything and everything related to the universe of comic books and superheroes.
The shelves along the walls of the store are lined with comic books arranged in an almost too perfect manner. You can find the newest issues of your favorite comic book here, but for the serious collector (and I do mean serious) there is a large assortment of rare and vintage comics from the 70s, 60s and beyond. High quality items all wrapped up in protective plastic sleeves. In fact, you can buy your own protective plastic sleeves here to protect the comics you have already purchased. If you're a serious collector, consider checking here before you look on eBay.
An extensive selection of graphic novels, Manga and books pertaining to the world of your favorite cartoon hero can all be obtained here. Action figures? Yep. Quite the selection of your standard superhero action figures and some not so common figures. Busts, maquettes, statues, ceramic figures and more can be found here as well.
One of the most extensive selections of comics and action figures I've yet to encounter in Phoenix. Definitely check it out if you are into comics in the very least.
All About Books & Comics is like philosophy and Phil Collins' post-Genesis contributions to music; I know I'm supposed to give a shit, but I don't. Try as I may, I just can't get excited about it.
AAB&C has everything a good comic store should have; in-depth yet intuitive store lay-out, boxes upon boxes of back issues, nice tidy displays of action figures and busts, a big sign on the front of the store professing their accolades...
And that's it.
There's no playing or reading space of any kind. No television. The radio usually plays smooth jazz or some other music substitute.
And unless you're willing to strike up a conversation with the guy in the Amoeba Music t-shirt who so looks like he's already judged your worth as a person by the time you've made it to the graphic novels section, there's really no one to strike up any conversation with. Unless you need help looking for something (here's a hint...alphabetization).
Yes, AAB&C is a good "comic book store"...by standards set ten or twenty years ago. These days I expect more from my comic book store.
Maybe it's because of the integration of trading card players into geek culture. Or maybe it's because the internet has replaced basic human interaction and I crave more face to face time with other nerds like myself.
Or maybe it's because it's 114 fucking degrees outside and I need a place to go.
But me personally, I like a comic book store with some atmosphere and hospitality.
Sure, not having any playing space to play or read cuts back on the "Yeah, I think I can get it one more game in before my mom comes to pick me up" crowd, but let's call a spade a spade; you used to be that fucking kid. And so did I.
Maybe it wasn't our local comic shop, but it was the mall, the movie theater, perhaps even La Biblioteca. We've all been there, we all had parents who didn't want to spend the weekend with us, and as annoying as the spectacle of sad and fail is to behold, we have no real place to pass judgment.
After all, we're the ones buying comic books and action figures we'll never take out of the box. And the shops can afford to carry such ridiculous fare from all the income they get hosting Magi-Yugi-Mon events.
But wait, if AAB&C doesn't cater to such a crowd...how do they...wait what?
In my reviews of other comic book outlets, I've referred to AAB&C to "All About Crooks & Comics".
This is not a mere clever nickname given by the fund-deprived; AAB&C has a reputation for ripping off those poor and unfortunate few who come across a rare or vintage back issue/piece of memorabilia and bring it in hoping to get a reasonable price for it.
I can't prove from first-hand experience, as I'm not a "collector", I'm a reader. I don't keep my books in bags, and with the exception of a set of JTHM I got for Christmas from Misty S, I don't even have any recent single issues. I just wait for them to come out on trade paperback.
I know. The horror. The horror.
But I have had a lot of friends who've griped to me about going back to AAB&C and finding the same book they sold them a few weeks ago on sale for 3, 4, or perhaps even 5 times the amount it was bought.
Granted, this is a common occurrence in all "Used & New" businesses; remember that commercial for Gamestop where the guy mentions that he's selling his copy of [Random First Person Shooter] for 15 bucks? Yeah, that never fucking happens. That guy would be lucky if he got 10, and that's including the 10% extra that his Gamestop card would give him, if he was smart enough to sign up for one in the first place.
But if AAB&C doesn't really buy into the whole "trading card/clicking miniature figures" craze, it makes you wonder where the profit comes from. Especially when there's a Samurai on Indian School & 7th St, an Atomic Comics at 28th Dr and Peoria, Stalking Moon on Greenway and Hero Comics on T-Bird.
Maybe AAB&C primarily services "serious buyers" who do not have the time or patience for all the hub-bub and tomfoolery to be had at the other, trendier locations. Maybe it's those same people who gave this place all 5's (except the one who admits they only come in to buy gift certificates).
Maybe that's where AAB&C's niche lies, and we should accept that certain people want certain things out of the places they give their patronage.
Who knows? You've probably stopped giving a shit about what I say ever since I admitted I only buy trades.
But don't lie, you've got a friend who spouts nothing but quotes from Plato and Socrates, and every time he walks away everyone in your group is all "I just want to kick that guy in the fucking balls!"
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