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First comic store adventure - year 1977 era

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Fan Boy

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MY FIRST COMIC STORE ADVENTURE

It was in 1977, sometime in spring season to summer. I had found my first comic book store by accidentally when I was with my dad on his trip to a drug store to buy something there. I must had walked by this comic book store many times before. Yet I did not notice it?? I guess because the drug store had the spinner rack with new comics there, so my focus was kind of direct at this. 

Anyway, one day I went with my sister to follow dad into the drug store. I checked the spinner rack to see if any new comics arrived. Picked a few ones to buy. Dad was still shopping. As it was a hot day outside, and the store was a bit stuffy inside. I told dad I want go out to cool off. I go out and stand by the “comic store” NEXT to the drug store!

my eyes was wandering around the block as I was standing. As I turn around to peek thru the dirty window, I noticed the sun faded comic books hanging on string by their centrefolds. Colours were almost faded out so I didn’t see them clearly. I stood up in peaking, my face pressed on glass. What I saw inside was awesome. Run into drug store to tell dad I go check out the store next door. 

I entered the beat-down store and saw all the new comic books stacked up on shelves. Saw the comic books in bins. I soon realized that the store was actually a used bookstore turned into partly comic book store in process! I met the long-haired bearded hippie owner. He smiled at me, I smiled back and pointed to the comics on shelves. He waved me to let me look. 

My dad entered to find me standing looked at new comic books. I grinned at dad in begging to buy a .. few.. more books! 

My dad looked at the store and he looked at my face. He rolled up his eyes, knowing he will have to take me for more comic book trips ahead! lol

the hippie owner laughed.  I later learned the store was called “The ComicLand”, one of the few first comic book stores. The ComicShop on the 4th West ave is the first store opened. But this is another story to tell later. 

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From my recollection, David G's Collector's Books and Comics at Dunbar and W. 16th Ave was Vancouver's first comic shop. I think Ken W used to work for Collector's Books before the 2 hippies started up The Comicshop on West 4th Ave. Patrick S also had Starfire (or Phoenix?) Books and Comics up the stairs in downtown New Westminster, BC before he opened up the first Golden Age Collectables on Columbia St, New Westminster. These are the tales from old timers like us. :preach:

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There were two stores on Columbia street in New Westminster? They must had went down early before 1980s. I remembered went to one store near Columbia street uphill from the old Canada Post building (where the NW police dept currently occupies) on 6th. I forget what the store name was, but the owner had lots of decent Bronze Age-1980s comics in bins. Sadly this store went out of business a short time later ... after I had visited it. 

The store on Dunbar and 16th Ave ... yes, I remember that one. My dad took me there few times where I brought a few SA comics from there. 

Edited by Fan Boy
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2 hours ago, Fan Boy said:

There were two stores on Columbia street in New Westminster? They must had went down early before 1980s. I remembered went to one store near Columbia street uphill from the old Canada Post building (where the NW police dept currently occupies) on 6th. I forget what the store name was, but the owner had lots of decent Bronze Age-1980s comics in bins. Sadly this store went out of business a short time later .

 

I think Paper Chase was on 6th and there was a corner magazine, used bookstore near there that had some second hand comics outside of of Golden Age Collectables on Columbia St, New Westminster before Talkin' Illustrations opened by Terry S.

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My very first comic book store experience was the Death of Superman release.  I was 7 and didn't even know we had a comic book store near Ft. Knox.  Comic Vault guy was 25 when he opened it, and it's still there today.  Only comic book store in the county too so needless to say he has a monopoly on it in our area even with Louisville being only 30 minutes away people prefer him over places like Comic Book World and the Great Escape.  

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I went to the Comicland store for about over a year then I discovered the Comicshop thru their TV commercial when it appeared on one of the Saturday morning cartoon shows. I jotted the address and had my dad drove me there. It was on 2085 4th Ave. It was one of my greatest comic geek moments. That was in 1978. 

Can’t say how my dad rolled up his eyes and wished I hadn’t seen the commercial. :nyah:

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