Just realized my old comic shop has completely changed since the 90s

I finally stopped by Golden Age Comics on Broadway last weekend after not being there for maybe 10 years. Back in the day, they had this big wall of back issues sorted by publisher, and you could dig through dollar bins for hours. Now it's all graphic novels and Funko pops taking up the floor space. They still have some longboxes in the back, but they moved most of the good stuff to an online store last year. I asked the owner about it and he said paper sales dropped 40 percent since 2019. Anyone else notice their local shop shifting away from single issues?

2 comments

2 Comments

thompson.christopher9d ago

My local shop did the same thing, I just order my single issues online now and stop in for trades if I'm in the neighborhood.

ramirez.daniel9d ago

Oh man, this hits close to home! My old haunt, Cosmic Comics on 5th, went through the exact same thing. They used to have these giant metal shelves filled with back issues, and now it's mostly Funko pops and those fancy hardcover reprints (which cost like $40 each, and no thanks). The owner told me he can't even remember the last time a kid walked in asking for a specific issue number instead of a trade paperback. It's kind of sad, you know? I miss the whole ritual of flipping through quarter bins on a Saturday afternoon.