Contest of Challengers

Does Dal always believe in Patrick? A few in-store customer anecdotes. Do people use the New Release monitor we have mounted over the New Releases? Patrick went to DoomCo Designs “Survive” art show o…

Do you have Faith? Are you watching Stumptown? We like it. The X-Men #1 Midnight Release was a fun success. That leads us to remember the fandom that once saw us go to midnight events outside of the …

The Batman’s Grave #1 is good. Doctor Doom #1 is also good! X-Men #1 is out next week (at midnight) but what are the other Dawn of X books going to be about? We don’t know. Luke Healy is coming to te…

How was business on this first Friday in October? Let’s say B+. Local Comic Shop Day returns this November, and while we took 2018 off, we’re back at it… for one amazing reason. Mack-eh-WITZ? Thanks,…

Patrick is an old and more-broken-than-before man. But he breaks for you. Raina’s GUTS is the best-selling BOOK in the country. Graphic Novels are dead—all hail Graphic Books!! Graphic Books return t…

DC is making a Svengoolie/MeTV promo comic. How can we get a store signing for that? Thank you for all the ALZ5K donations! Patrick survived. Some titles just shouldn’t ship in the same week as other…

Why isn’t every new comic on the racks in 10.0/Mint condition? The closing of ComiXology digital storefronts. What’s been as good for retailers as House of X? Sales ALWAYS slow down in September. Why…

It's an extra episode of Contest of Challengers for the week! We start mid-pitch as Eliot is explaining the premise of his new Aftershock comic series Midnight Vista to a prospective buyer on the Cha…

We just had a Battlepug cookout! Where were YOU?? You can make it up to us on Batman Day. Local Saturdays. Our thoughts on the upcoming DC 100-Page Giants. Publishers talking honestly to retailers. T…

Why don’t we do more store videos? We can always do more promoting. Of new comics, of events, everything. Road construction in front of the shop is always fun! What are Doom Code Signs? I may have go…

D23 is happening right now! What does “D23” stand for, anyway? We don’t know. Have you seen Marvel’s solicits for November? They get bigger every month (as Patrick gets angrier). 2nd, 3rd and even 4t…

Former Pittsburgh Steelers QB Landry Jones joins the XFL! Wait—that doesn’t belong here… Caroline Cash (Girl in the World) just signed at Challengers! She was a delight and we sold books! But… Trade-…

Patrick is a broken old man. We so desperately want new carpet! And window blinds! Making the consumer pay the credit card processing fee. Paying for “convenience.” #10 in Sri Lanka, bay-bee! AWA ann…

Remember Superman Unchained? Dal doesn’t. Keepin’ them back issues in order! When books disappear from your mindset (i.e. Morning Glories). Thanks, Patrons! What are the best Event Books, in enjoymen…

We’ve got a (potentially) big event happening tomorrow and neither of us know what to expect. It’s a surprise drop of the comic book tie-in to Dreamville and J Cole’s “Revenge of the Dreamers III”. W…

Want vs need. Rewarding you for sharing in our ecosystem. Captain Marvel #8 is what the swarm went for this week. Customer databases. Information integrated into your life. Top-selling books for the …

We start with several new comic series announcements—it must be time for Comic-Con! A serious question about second prints. With all the demand over the Walking Dead #193, we missed out on TMNT #95. …

How can we make this podcast better? Puppies. Walking Dead #193 came out the day of recording, and it reminds us of everything we hate about comics retail. Oh, we have a LOT to say about this. Wantin…

Why was last episode a day late? Genre-racking graphic novels, one year later. The polarizing business strategy of Colorado’s Mile High Comics. The future DC Comics rebranding and a brief look back a…

The marketing genius of Taylor Swift. J.J. Abrams’ Spider-Man. 37,000 photo views? No, X-Men Grand Design X-Tinction #2 did NOT come out this week. Getting an 8th-grader to work for school credit. Ma…