Warning about the new comic shop on 5th Street

I stopped by that new place, 'The Panel Vault', last weekend and the vibe was way off. The guy behind the counter was pushing this one indie book, 'Cosmic Drift', on every single person who walked in, like he was getting a cut. It felt more like a sales pitch than a fan hangout, which really kills the fun of just browsing. Has anyone else had a weird experience there, or is it just me?

4 comments

4 Comments

skylerb531mo ago

My friend Mike went in there last Tuesday and said the exact same thing. He was just looking for some back issues of Spider-Man, and the owner spent ten minutes telling him why 'Cosmic Drift' was the next big thing. It got so awkward Mike just bought a cheap poster to be polite and left. That kind of hard sell really doesn't work for a comic shop. It should feel like a place to discover stuff on your own terms.

skyler_johnson321mo ago

Man, @skylerb53, that story about Mike is too real. It reminds me of the time a clerk tried to sell me a graphic novel by comparing it to "Moby-Dick but with aliens." I just wanted the new Batman. That pressure to buy the clerk's pet project makes you want to hide in the back-issue bins. A good shop lets you browse in peace, maybe with some new stuff on a display table. Forced recommendations just make everyone feel weird.

casey2681mo ago

Yeah, that pushy vibe is the worst. I read a blog post last week about how some shops get overstock deals on certain indie books and then have to move them fast. It makes sense from a business side, but it totally wrecks the browsing experience. You just want to check out the new releases without someone breathing down your neck about their personal pick. It turns a fun trip into a chore.

the_elizabeth18d ago

Maybe the owner gets a kickback from the publisher for every copy of that book they sell.