I went to my favorite local haunt today to pick up my usual weekly books. Per usual, Dave, my friendly neighborhood comic shop owner, had my Darth Vader design variant pulled aside for me to purchase at cover price. I noticed two new guys behind the counter, but I went about my shelf-hunting per normal.
I checked out with one of the new guys and I saw he was wearing a “The Nerd Store” shirt. I also recognized the guy. I’ve dealt with them in the past at Salt Lake Comic Con and in their shop. They provided some valiant variants we raffled off here. They’re nice guys and I dig their store. I just don’t frequent them because they’re in a different part of town.
Anyway, I was going to leave without saying anything, but I asked. Turns out Dave at Dr. Volts comics is selling his store to the Nerd Store. This is bitter sweet. It sounds like he’s semi-retiring. Going to visit his family and move on to a new chapter in life. I don’t know if the Nerd Store will continue selling me my variants at cover, but that’s somewhat besides the point. You see, whether Dave knew it or not, he helped me when I was battling alcoholism those first tough months. My wife was in Japan and I was going cold turkey. I was drinking Root Beer like it was going out of production and I just started an anti-depressant. It was the wrong anti-depressant. So things were rough. I needed something to do other than drink. So, I’d go to Dr. Volts and dig in the boxes for hours. Who knows if I bought that much, but I spent valuable time between AA meetings in that store bull-shitting and looking through comics. I may have replaced one addiction with another, but at least that new one wasn’t killing me.
I’ll miss him and I’m trying to figure out what to do to show my appreciation. Ideas are welcome, but I just wanted to put down in words that I am happy for him, but sad to see him go.
Nice story. Have you ever told him that. A thank you goes a long way. Recently a reader of this site and forum sent me a comic. Inside the mailer was a hand written note saying thanks for everything. He said it was the first time he has ever mailed a comic and hoped it arrived ok. Will be honest, it’s not the sending of the comic that was important, not that I minded being sent a turtles variant I didn’t have cause that rocked, but more importantly was taking the time out to write out a note of appreciation. That’s the best thing in the world.
I mean based on your story a nice note/card telling him how he helped you and maybe a small thanks if you know he likes anything specific would be more than enough. People who spend their time, money, and effort running things like comic shops don’t do it to get rich, they do it because they like the hobby and want to help or grow the community, so knowing he helped someone will mean a lot to him.
I’m about an hour north of you, but I’ve never visited Dave’s store. I’m familiar with the Nerd Store mostly because of SLCC, but they seem like good people. Best of luck and keep pushing forward.
Thats crazy. My sister has gone to his store couple of times for me and she’s amazed of how much stuff they have. I used to do a lot of business with Black Cat comics back in the day. So if your looking for a new store, might want to check them out.
I like Black Cat comics. Greg at black cat was my other surrogate bartender. Him and I share a lot of our sense of humor.
I can’t do black cat on release day, though. There’s a line of people grabbing the hot book de jour. I usually drop by once a week during slow hours to grab the under the radar spec releases.
Feels like a grim, urban horror story about a serial killer who electrocutes his victims. But, as the police find more and more clues about the killer, strange relics and symbols seem to point to something else…
He sold me all my cover price variants that I ended up selling off to get an Amazing Fantasy 15. I went in the day I got it and we ogled it together. Then I took a picture with it in front of his shop window that features a giant 8 foot tall AF15 cover. I think I’m going to draw him a comic about going from drunk to proud Spidey first appearance owner all because of him.
