Meant to pass this on the other day, but let it slip my mind- Alan David Doane is back and writing a column in the resurrected Comic Book Galaxy. ADD is a hell of a writer, and you should all have bookmarks in place by now. Anyhoo, he posted his answers to a Comics Journal Messboard thread, and I decided to follow in his footsteps by first answering the same questions and then reproducing them here for all to see. So here goes.
1. Do you tend to go to the nearest store, the best store, any store, or does it matter?
There's only one comics shop in an 80-mile radius, in the town where I work, so that's the one!
2. Ladies, what books do you tend to purchase, or what kind would you like to purchase (if you are a male please leave blank or supply what a girlfriend reads)?
My wife, an aspiring children's book author, doesn't read many of my comics, but when she does she tends to enjoy Scary Godmother and Jingle Belle, and I'm trying to get her interested in Courtney Crumrin.
3. What one thing would you add or change about your most frequented store (i.e. What is the worst thing about the store)?
I'm mostly satisfied with my store, but I really wish they would offer discounts to their holds customers again, plus bag 'n' board their holds customers' comics. Sometimes, and I can't say whether this is their fault or Diamond's, or both, they have a hard time getting in certain titles, mostly Indie.
4. What one thing would you not change (i.e. What is the best thing about the store)?
My shop is pretty good-sized, and carries a variety of merchandise- music, movies, paperbacks, gaming stuff, music magazines, and has a well-organized selection of back issues. I think it's one of the best comics shops I've been in, and certainly doesn't live up to the stereotype at all. Plus, there are three gorgeous girls that work there...wouldn't change that either.
5. Do you read any small press comic books currently? Which one(s)? (examples: Lone Star Press, Avatar)
Depends on how small we're talking about. I've always read at least one or two from here and there- right now, I'm reading Demo and Scurvy Dogs from AiT/PlanetLar, Evil Eye, Love & Rockets, and Meat Cake from Fantagraphics, Aleister Arcane from IDW, and various titles and limited series from Oni, Slave Labor, and of course Scary Godmother from Sirius, whenever it comes out. I'm sure there are others, but I forget.
6. What back issues do you buy?
Not many, Just don't have the disposable income- I do well enough right now to get the weekly new comics. When I do get back issues, it's usually of some title I didn't pick up on at the beginning, have sampled and liked, and scrambled to go back and fill in what I've missed. If I had a lot of cash, I'd try to rebuild my Silver Age DC collection that I once had, and would add back issues of Bob Hope featuring Super-Hip!, Mike Sekowsky's Wonder Woman run, some issues of Tales To Astonish with Giant-Man, and other stuff. I'm not gonna stand on one leg waiting.
7. How do you decide what comic book to buy? Writer, artist, character, word of mouth, etc?
All of the above. I tend to be visually oriented, so I will buy a book because I like the art more so than vice versa.
8. Do you buy strictly current age comic books or do you buy older comic books? What kinds?
All kinds- whatever strikes my fancy. I'm not purchasing too many straight-up superhero comics these days; I'm simply bored with most of them. Mostly new- like I said earlier, I just don't have the extra chedda to get old comics.
9. How do you feel about graded comic books?
Not much of an opinion one way or another. Can't see me ever buying one, just generally too expensive.
10. What comic book related merchandise do you buy?
Not a lot. I'll get a t-shirt once in a while, and I used to try to collect Hellboy or Scary Godmother stuff...but I couldn't keep up. I'll buy the occasional action figure if it's of an off-the-wall character I really like, but usually I wait till my store has a sidewalk sale and hope to see it out there where I can get it at a substantial discount.
11. What do you read if you are not reading comic books?
Mostly music magazines or other pop-culture related publications; I'm addicted to Mojo magazine. I read at least one newspaper every day, and have been known to crack a novel from time to time as well. Blogs, of course.
12. What do you buy at comic book conventions?
Rum and hookers, mostly. All seriousness aside, I just don't get the opportunity, having a limited income and living smack dab in the middle of Nowheresville, USA to go to them. I'd probably pick up a shirt or two, or some back issues, and spend the rest of the time hobnobbing and trying to collect sketches.
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