Lee's Comics: Lee's Comments Archives


	Archive Page 1
	FREE COMIC BOOK DAY REPORT I was initially a bit skeptical about July 3rd, the date chosen for this year’s Free Comic Book Day. I was worried that a lot of my customers might be out of town for the holiday. I feared that even those that were in town that day would be distracted by other celebrations. In addition, I was concerned that we would have a hard time getting press coverage. Since July marks our 22nd Anniversary in the business, I decided to have a big sale to commemorate it along with FCBD. It turns out my fears were unfounded. We got quite a bit of press, including Wave Magazine, San Jose Mercury News, Metro Newspaper, Palo Alto Daily News, Los Gatos Daily News, and San Mateo Daily News.

	9:30 am. The Line forms. On Saturday I got to Mountain View at 8:30. I brought my boy Lee the 4th to help out. By 9:30 a line started to form. We set up the free comics outside of the store. I started doing this last year. That way, I can meet and greet the folks outside. It helps underline the notion that the comics are free, and no purchase is necessary. It is entirely up to each person if they want to go into the store and look around. I like this no pressure approach. It puts everybody at ease, and invites good vibes. We actually had a record number of people going into the store. Many people went right inside without stopping for their free comic. They wanted to get to those bargains as quick as possible. Only when they were done shopping did they come out for their free comics. From 10:00 am when we opened to around 1:00pm the checkout line stretched half way around the store. After that it mellowed out to a line like at Costco on a busy weekend. After 3pm it slowed down considerably, and was more like a regular day.

	Young and old alike arrive to select their free comics. Since we were short handed that day, I did not manage to do a head count. I estimate that we gave away free comics to at least 600 people at our Mountain View store. Inside we rang up over 300 people: a record for us. Our San Mateo store reported record sales as well. Both stores did equally well. Despite increasing our orders from last year, we ran out of most of the free comics. The most popular ones were Archie, Spider-Man, Mickey Mouse, and Star Wars. Teen Titans did not go as well for some reason. Archie was the first to go here. It was my favorite too, as the story took place in a comic book store, and featured cameos by 3 well know comic dealers including Joe Field, the creator of FCBD and owner of Flying Colors Comics and Other Cool Stuff in Concord. Next year, I’m going to order tons of the family friendly titles.

	A good time is had by all. I think we saw a lot of new faces thanks to the media mentions. There was a good buzz in the air as well thanks to the new Spider-man movie. They really hit this one out of the park. As a personal aside, I saw the movie on opening night. I thought it was even better than the first one. I got an extra thrill seeing the significant contributions made to the film by frequent Lee’s Comics guests, starting with Alex Ross who did the spectacular painted re-cap of the previous film, and Michael Chabon, who co-wrote it. So, I am pleased to report that Free Comic Book Day 2004 was a smash! It just seems to keep getting better. I can’t wait until next year!

	SEQUENTIAL TART
	There is an in depth interview with me up this month on the Sequential Tart web site. This is a great site created by women who like comics, and the men that love them. I am the retailer of the month in the retailer’s corner. Check it out it you have the time. I think it came out pretty well. Some of it is even in english. http://www.sequentialtart.com/retailer_0704.shtml

	ON THE SCENE AT APE
	Saturday Feb. 21, 2004 Usually I set up at the ape and pedal my wares. This year was an exception. A couple of days before the show I discovered that I had neglected to sign up for it, and the tables were completely sold out. Rather than being upset, I was incredibly relieved. Setting up a mini store is a whole lot of work, and we are quite short handed at the moment. I figured I would do the one thing that I never get to do, and that is to see the show as a fan would, by walking around rather than from behind a table. I brought my camera, and arrived at the show at 12:00, thinking I would spend a pleasant hour or two chatting and taking pictures. Then I would drop by the store and write up an article, post it on the web, and then go merrily home. As it turned out, I stayed until closing, and took over 50 pictures. Out of those 50, I pared it down a bit. My apologies to anyone who was overlooked. To do a complete report would take a novel, rather than just a few web pages. As it, I hope this doesn’t crash your computer.

	Brett Warnock of Top Shelf has been a buddy of mine for years. He publishes Blankets, by Craig Thompson. I think it's the best Graphic Novel since Maus by Art Spiegelman. It’s 500 pages of sheer poetry. If you haven’t read it yet, do so at your first opportunity.

	BRETT WARNOCK AND JENNIFER DAYDREAMER


	I ran into Rob Osborne, creator of 1000 steps to World Domination. Rob is an incredibly positive and likable guy, and his comics are terrific. He has a great story to tell that proves one and for all what a nice guy Stan Lee is. I hope to share that story with you in these pages in the future.

	ROB OSBORNE AND SOME OTHER GUY


	It’s always a treat to see my pal Batton Lash. First of all, he’s the most dapper guy in the room. Just look at that photo! Second of all, he’s a great guy with an awesome sense of humor. Wolf and Bird is the best book you’re not reading, so read it already! Look for his latest collection, Mr. Negativity at a finer comics store near you. As always, if you don’t see it, demand it! Break up the place if they don’t get the message! Am I inciting violence? You bet! People should suffer for their art.

	BATTON LASH


	I was overjoyed to find my good buddy Rafael Navarro at the Ape. Rafael is the amazing artist/writer behind Somnambulo. If you haven’t read it, you should. While I was at Rafael’s booth artist after artist came up to pay their respects. Rafael is the nicest, kindest, funniest guy you will ever meet. But get this, writing and drawing modern day comics masterpieces is just Rafael’s hobby. During his day job he is an animator. Recently he finished working on Striperalla with Stan Lee and Pamela Anderson. If I was in charge of DC comics, I would hire him to write and draw Batman, and give him carte blanch.

	LEE W/RAFAEL NAVARRO


	Next we find the ever irepressable John "Bean" Hastings. How is it going John? What are you doing in front those spinning wheels? Hold on, I’m getting dizzy. Getting sleepy...Wait, I feel strangely compelled to order 500 copies of Smith Brown and Jones. I must write a check now. Powerless to resist…

	JOHN "BEAN" HASTINGS


	Next I stopped by and paid my respects to my friend, the amazing Donna Barr. Donna is showing off her dazzling studded shoes that she liberated from a thrift store for a meager 3.50. If you haven't met Donna yet, you should. She is a living treasure in the comics field.

	DONNA BARR


	Next I saw Shannon Wheeler. Shannon is a true creative genius. The first time I saw him, years ago, he had produced a comic book, Jab #2, that had been shot completely through with a real gun! The bullet hole affected the story, cover to cover. On the cover was the perfect fanboy surrounded by long boxes, and eliminated by a single bare bulb hanging from a wire. Tears were running down his checks because the copy of that very comic was no longer in mint. Dear god in heaven, its no longer mint!!! Sheer genius. Shannon had a Too Much Coffee Man figure with a built in espresso cup for a head. The espresso cup had coffee stains inside of it. In the hands of a lesser talent, these coffee stains would likely have been the residue of carelessness. Someone on the staff, not finding a proper espresso cup at hand might have used it, and neglected to clean it out. In Shannon’s case, the stains were, or course put there by design, and were completely indistinguishable from actual stains. One of the Too Much Coffee Man trades sports a printed coffee stain on the cover. Sometimes Shannon lays a coffee cup over it. When people move it, there is a stain underneath that they think they caused.

	SHANNON WHEELER


	Next up is Gary Groth. As the co publisher of Fantagraphics, Gary has been around in comics since the early 1970s and is truly a giant in his field. I don’t think he gets nearly the accolades that he should. He publishes more of the great independent artists than anyone else in the field. The Comics Journal has been the most important, longest running magazine in comics. Gary is a controversial character to be sure, but this field would be much diminished without him. Hang in there Gary! Lee Hester salutes you!

	GARY GROTH


	Finally we say hello to Rich Geary. Rick produces a wonderful series of books from NBM known as the “Treasury of Victorian Murder.” These books contain individual volumes on subjects such as the assignation of James Garfield, Lizzie Borden, the Beast of Chicago, etc. These books are incredibly droll, and thoroughly researched. Rick is another national treasure of the comics field. If you haven’t read these books, you owe it to yourself to try them.

	RICK GEARY


	Finally we bid a bittersweet farewell to the Ape. I know there are dozens of people I wanted to talk to that I didn’t have a chance to. If you were there, and we didn’t meet, please come up and say hello at the Wonder Con, San Diego Con, the Next Ape, or at my store. If we did meet, and you are not pictured here, my humble apologies. There is just no way to get more than a tiny sliver of the goings on this page. I hope you get the general flavor of the event. I had a great time, and you can bet that I’ll keep swinging in to the Ape each and every year, table or no table!

	GOODBYE APE!


	BLANKET ENDORSEMENT Friday Jan 2, 2004 Well, I had a lot of fun with friends and family during the holidays, but I’m glad it’s all over. I am eager to get back to work. I have all kinds of projects going, and all kinds of ideas on how to make this place better. I was getting a present ready for a friend who was coming over to stay with us for the Holidays. She is a comic book fan, and an avid reader, so I got her a copy of Blankets by Craig Thompson. I have heard good things about it, and it is definitely a handsome volume. Before I began to wrap it, I took a little look inside. I started to read it. Before you know it, I was hooked, and had to finish it that night. Blankets is an autobiographical coming of age story about an outcast who has a rough childhood. He finds love and understanding in his first girlfriend, but she is not quite ready to have a relationship with him. It also details the author’s disillusionment with his religious beliefs. It’s all beautifully and poetically drawn and written. It cast a spell on me, which lingered for days. This is one of the finest achievements in Graphic Novels. It takes its place with the handful of true masterpieces that this medium has produced. I cannot recommend it highly enough! Run out to your local Lee’s Comics store and pick up a copy today. Blankets By Craig Thompson Top Shelf $29.95


	Thursday 11/20/03 THE ROSS REPORT As you know if you were here on Saturday, the Alex Ross, Paul Dini, and Chip Kidd signing was a sensation. Despite scatted showers, the fans turned out in droves. Our guests were incredibly patient and gracious, and so were the fans. I was planning on closing off the line at 4, but Alex insisted that we keep it open. Our guests started signing at 2 and continued until almost 8. What an incredible showing of gracious endurance! Here's a couple of pictures of the line.

	View of the line from the front

	A view of the line from the back

	Wednesday 10/01/03
	SAN MATEO ROCKS! I got up at 5:00 am today. If you know me, you know that early rising is not my favorite activity. It ranks just above root canal, and slightly below attending time share presentations. The purpose of these nocturnal activities was to make it from my home in San Jose to San Mateo to take an 8:00 am Dreamweaver class. That is the program that creates these pages. The classes were to be held in the offices of a company called Learn It. They are located in a strip mall. When I entered the building, it was a shock to the eye. The whole place was absurdly modern. There was a bizarre Matrex fetish theme going on, but the people were going about their business like nothing was amiss, ignoring the plain testimony of their own eyes. Everything was gray or black. All the signs were bolted to the wall with freakishly large industrial bolts. As I approached the front desk, the receptionist was dressed in-I kid you not-a full length black leather trench coat buttoned at the neck. I didn't know whether to laugh hysterically or flee for safety. Anyway, it turns out that my class was rescheduled to next monday. Next time I'm calling before I get up at 0 five hundred hours. In an effort to salvage the day, I stopped by my nearby San Mateo branch. If you've never been to Lee's San Mateo on shipment day it is really something to behold. There are swarms of happy regulars, and Mark takes care of them all. He makes recommendations, subscriptions changes, makes small talk, etc. like a pro. It's like watching a good bartender at a busy bar. I stayed around for a few hours enjoying the vibe. I got to meet several new customers, as well as to reacquaint myself with old ones. I also got a chance to stop by and see the the buddies. As expected they were delighted to see me. That's why they're the buddies!

	Friday 9/26/03
	THE BUDDIES Shortly after I opened my 2nd store in San Mateo in 1987, a small liquor store opened on the corner. The store was named Seven Stars. It was a tiny location, probably not much more than 500 square feet in size. They had most of the same things that every other liquor store carries: Cigarettes, Soda, Candy, Lotto Tickets, Ice Cream, Coffee, Beef Jerky etc. There were plenty of other liquor stores in the area, including a larger more established one located on a much busier street just a block away. Any kind of business study would have revealed that Seven Stars' chances for survival against such robust competitors would be slim. The owners and employees of Seven Stars were brothers of Middle Eastern decent. They had a unique demeanor for the liquor store business. They were always very cheerful friendly and happy. When anyone came in they would grin from ear to ear and exclaim, "HEY BUDDY! HOW ARE YOU?" or "HEY! MY BUDDY IS HERE!" Immediately I dubbed the brothers "The Buddies". That name seemed to catch on. I think everybody calls them that now, because they are everybody's buddies. I would go in there for coffee, a soda, or a snack, but a for a large part, the visit was motivated by the positive energy. There are plenty of downers in life, but the buddies were definitely an upper. The buddies were not faking it, they were really happy to see you. In addition to the good vibes, The Buddies opened early and stayed late every day, listened to their customers, and brought in the kind of stock that people wanted. They were always positive and helpful: a good force in the community. The big liquor store on the more popular corner one block down closed years ago, never to be replaced, but the Buddies keep thriving. I don't make it to the San Mateo store very frequently these days, but when I do you can bet that I'll stop by to see my buddies. I'll pick up a drink, a snack, or whatnot, but mostly I'll stop by for the good vibes. I learned a great deal from studying the Buddies' little liquor store that could. I think that friendly helpful service is the leading cause of business success and the leading cause of business failure when it's not present. You wouldn't want to go over to someone's house if they were mean and surly, would you? Why would you want to go into an unfriendly store if it could be avoided? I sincerely try to hire only people that are friendly and helpful. I am quite fond of my staff members. They are some of my favorite people. I hope you feel the same way too. One of the best complements I ever got was a customer writing on the message boards who said he liked coming to Lee's because "…they treat you like a friend who stops by rather than just another customer…" I use the buddies often a positive example. Without knowing it, they have influenced me greatly. When you are at the San Mateo location, make sure to stop at the buddies (AKA Seven Stars) for a refreshing beverage or a snack, and tell them that their buddy Lee say's hi!
	Who's your buddy?

	9/18/03
	A STAR IS BORN A few years ago a young man came into my store, and introduced himself. This is back when I was in Palo Alto, on El Camino Real. He was a comic book artist and writer. He was just beginning a new series for a small publisher. Although he was not yet well known, there was still a favorable buzz concerning his work. I found him to be most pleasant and congenial. I told the young man that I was going to be leaving shortly on a trip to San Francisco to shop at the comics distributor, Last Gasp. The congenial young artist asked if he could come along. I invited him to join me, and so we traveled together to San Francisco in my car. On the way over we talked about the comics industry. The young man was very bright and ambitious. He was engaged in a careful study of the comics business that he was just entering. I knew that as surly as cork rises in water this young and talented artist would make it to the very top. Over the years I have had him as a guest at my store 3 times. Now he is a leading comics artist and writer. Back in early days he did a signing at our Palo Alto store with some of his friends, including his best friend. He was particularly enthusiastic about the writing talents of his best friend. The young artist thought the world of his best friend’s talents. At the time, though the young artist’s best friend was quite obscure. He was working for the same tiny publisher, and was not receiving the same buzz that the young artist was. Pictured here are the young artist/writer with his best friend. I’m in the picture too, along with another writer and another artist. The artist/writer and his best friend, the writer, are now at the very top of their field. They write and draw some of the best selling comics in the industry. The young writer/artist writes and draws a character that was made into a hit movie. The writer/artist’s best friend is routinely ranked as #1 hottest writer by Wizard magazine. The artist/writer who dropped by the store and introduced himself years ago is David Mack. He is the creator of Kabuki, and the writer and artist of Daredevil. His name is mentioned in the dialog of the Daredevil movie. He started his comic book career at a tiny publisher named Caliber. His best friend is Brian Michael Bendis. He is the writer of Ultimate Spiderman, Daredevil, Alias, Powers and many other comics. He too got his start at Caliber with comics series like Jinx, Fire, and Torso. By now, the two of them have, by now won almost every award the comics industry has to offer. Back in those early days when they appeared at our Palo Alto store they were just as talented, but not well known, and few people came to see them. The moral of the story is to help people on their way up, and perhaps you will gain some powerful friends. Pictured here in clockwise order are Brian Bendis, David Mack, Dave Hudnall, Greg Horn, and me. We all just happened to put on black shirts that day! Flash forward to September 14, 2002 at our Mountain View store. We find the dynamic Mr. Mack and his charming Girl Friday Anh. Former Lee's Comics staff member Aurdry looks on in worship. Click on my Signings & Events for a list and pictures of some of our past guests. See how well I have been doing in my quest to "Collect them All", as mentioned in my previous installment! Go to the bottom of the page and click on the links under "Other past signings". Newly posted pictures include: Alex Ross, Jim Steranko, George Perez, Jim Lee, Michael Chabon, and many others!

	9/16/03
	COLLECTING ARTISTS I started collecting comics when I was 12 years old. At first I was just interested in the characters. Superman was my favorite. I started buying Superman, Action Comics, Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, Justice League of America (Featuring Superman), and World's Finest (Superman and Batman teaming up.) Eventually I started buying other DC comics as well, and then branched out to Marvel as well. After a few years went by, I became aware of the artists. I started to collect comics with artwork by Neal Adams, Jim Steranko, Berni Wrightson, Walt Simonson, Jim Starlin, and others. Comic books were my favorite thing as I was growing up. It has really been a pleasure for me to bring some of my favorite artists and writers into the store. It occurred to me recently that I am now collecting artists. If you have a look at our appearances page, you will see quite a list of talents who have appeared here. Alex Ross, is returning for his fifth visit in December. I am going to continue to "Collect" the top talents of the comics field. If you have a favorite artist or writer who hasn't appeared here yet, believe me, it's not for lack of effort and enthusiasm on my part. Someday, I hope to collect them all. Here are some of the top names that Lee's Comics customers have been asking for who haven't yet appeared here. Yet. Neil Gaiman Robert Crumb, Johnny Romita Sr. (I want to get Jr. and Sr. together) Neil Gaiman Frank Miller Todd McFarline Kevin Smith Alan Moore (They tell me he won't leave Northampton) Steve Ditko (I can DREAM, can't I!) Stan Lee Let me know what artists or writers you would like to see here! Go to our message board and put in some feedback of your own.