Phantasmagorical Comics
I have collected comics, magazines and books of interest since I was very young.
I especially enjoy working with publications that were published before my time and those that I discovered that were currently being published.. The art caught my eye when finding and looking through some of my dad's comics at the age or 4. I became interested in learning to read asap so I could understand the stories.
In the 1950-60s, subcriptions to mags and comics often didn't make it in the condition of a like-new book. There were often tears and creases from folding. If you missed an issue, there were no back issue diepartments, comic book cons, or even specific comic book shops. You found them in drugstores, newstands, small grocery stores, sometimes with issues from months prior that had not sold. Such a store is where I located my first issue of some superhero named Spider-Man which I had recently heard about. I rode my bike about a half a mile to a small 1-room store that was on the 2nd floor. I somehow knew they sold comics. I found and bought ASM #19 that day in 1964 along with 2 other Marvel titles.
I had an aunt that loved DC comics and lwould leave stacks at my grandmothers during the 60s. I was allowed to to take 20-30 home for a couple of weeks at a time, but my dad made me bring them back. He would read some them too. No one would have cared if we had kept them. it was haphazard and I was the only one collecting them. My dad made no assumptions, he may have thought that his aunt would want to retrieve them, but that nver happened. Since the DC line was readily available, I put my allowance towards Marvel comics, models and rockets! I still wonder why she was never attracted to the Marvel line. I do have a sadness that severa;l thousand DC comics werre destroyed pver a 8 year period.
As I becalme an avid reader, I began buying sf paperbacks with promising covers by Frazetta and others. My dad brought home a Creepy #5 and I was on fire about the Warren publications including Famous Monsters.
I was introduced to underground comics in 1972. I began collecting art books of artists that impressed. My interest in weird fantasy continued along with science fiction and adult fantasy such as Clark Ashton Smith, Dunsany and William Hope Hodgson short stories and novels.
Comic books and related comic magazines such as the Marvel and Warren publications will be the focus of my store.
Eventually, I will have items such as pulp magazines, sf & fantasy paperbacks & hard covers, comic book or fantasy & art related porfolios, Warren mags and related magazines by other publishers, movie memorabia, art (non-sport) cards, art books and toys related to comic books and movies.
