Hey, comics fans! Send this link to someone who’s not quite sure how to shop for a comics fan (like you)!
By MENACHEM LUCHINS, owner, Escape Pod Comics, Huntington, L.I.
Every year, I turn into this crazy old-person type around the holiday season (ugh, let’s not get started talking about THAT phrase) who tells everyone that they should buy each other BOOKS. That books are the greatest gifts you can get and etc., etc., some Neil Gaiman quote, blah blah blah.
Obviously, I have a vested interest in people buying books as gifts, as I sell them. Let’s be honest, though, it’s really the other way around, isn’t it? I think I sell comics for a living because I think sharing stories is the best way to connect with your fellow human beings.
The hardest problem I have doing this is that many people who are coming in don’t really know they’re loved ones’ shelves by heart. The odds are that if you are in a comic shop for someone, you know that they like “nerdy” things — you may even be aware of which characters they love or what Doctor is their favorite.
But that doesn’t mean much when faced with the sheer volume of comics there are in your average store. And that’s totally fine — that’s what I’m here for. That’s what the amazing clerks and workers at comic shops are supposed to do — help you find something unique and special for those in your life whose passions delve into the pop culture maelstrom much deeper than yours do.
I can’t speak for all the comic-shop people I know, but I know I love to do just that — it’s my favorite part of “the season.”
The fact of the matter is that the amazingly wide range of stuff that makes shopping in the comic world such a challenge is also one of the reasons that getting comic-themed gifts is actually much easier than shopping for someone with some other super-specific and limited obsession hobby.
Firstly, you have hundreds of websites offering gift guides and those are only a Google search away! Of course, if you want the benefit of hearing from retailers or the folks around these parts, you can always check out 13th Dimension’s awesome HOLIDAY HOT PICKS (click here), which I highly recommend.
Beyond that, though — I really do suggest you seek out your comic shop (or the comic shop of the person you are shopping for) and speak to them.
This week alone features a bevy of wonderful items like Image Comics hardcover collections for Rat Queens as well as the never-before-in-print Private Eye by Marcos Martin and Brian K. Vaughan. Not only are these great gifts, but the folks at your shop should be able to let you know, once you lay out your giftee’s tastes, if this is for them. Likewise, with this week’s newly released Funko Pop Pins — adorable takes on some of your favorite heroes!
If you think you’re going to need a lot of time, call ahead and ask what day is best to browse, Tuesdays and Wednesdays could very well be out, so keep that in mind. If, sadly, you don’t have a local shop or, even more sadly, an unhelpful one, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me via social media or email for any comic gift-giving questions.
Happy Hunting!
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Menachem Luchins
Escape Pod Comics
302 Main Street, Huntington NY 11743
Twitter: @EscapePodComics
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For a full index of HOLIDAY HOT PICKS, updated daily to help you with your shopping needs, click here.