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A Comic Store for All Seasons
Even before I did my short stint as a Comic Relief employee, CR was my store of choice. Back in the day when your choices were Comics & Comix and the various baseball/trading card/comics hole-in-the-walls, Comic Relief was a no-brainer choice. A large storefront with many and tall display racks, not to mention capacious back issue bins, it was a geek's paradise. But Comic Relief is friendly and accessible to non-geeks as well. While superhero comics are well-represented, they also carry alternative comics, underground comix, manga, pop culture, 'zines, comics for younger readers, and European comics. There really is a little something (and usually a LOT of something) for everybody here. Intrepid moms venturing in to buy gifts for kids will not be sneered at. They will be helpfully directed to what they're looking for. The staff will make recommendations for those who seek them. And owner Rory Root occasionally gives a money-back guarantee on those worthy titles he feels need to reach a wider audience.
Other good comic shops have sprouted up since I worked at Comic Relief, but CR still stands pre-eminent. You will find no larger selection in the East Bay. Comic Relief regularly makes it on to the list of the nation's top 10 comics stores and there's a reason for that. Find out.
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Spidra
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posted 10/06/04
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