X-O Matic

ManofTheAtom · Post by **ManofTheAtom** » Sun Nov 21, 2004 10:18 pm

Dude,

I noticed that you're in Phoenix and I have a question.

What are the best comic book stores in the area around Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe?

I'm looking for some DC and Image back issues that I'm missing from last year and I'm going to be in the area next month and want to look for them.

So far I've found Samurai and Ash. Are they any good? (are they still open?) Do they have any good offers in back issues?

x-omatic · Post by **x-omatic** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 12:24 am

There really are not any "good" stores near Tempe Sun Devil Stadium. Most of the store out here don't carry good back stock. The ones that due usually have the back stock priced above guide regardless of what it sells for. Atomic Comics in Mesa has the best selection of back stock but you will pay more there. The store is about 10 minutes from Tempe.

ManofTheAtom · Post by **ManofTheAtom** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 10:25 am

x-omatic wrote:There really are not any "good" stores near Tempe Sun Devil Stadium. Most of the store out here don't carry good back stock. The ones that due usually have the back stock priced above guide regardless of what it sells for. Atomic Comics in Mesa has the best selection of back stock but you will pay more there. The store is about 10 minutes from Tempe.

I could probably make it to Atomic Comics, according to the map it's only 15 minutes away from Ash Comics.

How much more would I pay?

Comics don't pay taxes, right?

I was planning on going to these stores:

Samurai Comics
5024 N. 7th St.
Phoenix, AZ, 85014

Ash Avenue Comics & Books

810 S Ash Ave
Tempe, AZ 85281

Atomic Comics Mesa Superstore
1120 S. Country Club Dr. #105
Mesa, AZ 85210

The other Atomic Comics locations are too far.

I hope they have what I'm looking for cheap. I also hope the bus rides from store to store are easy, heh.

ManofTheAtom · Post by **ManofTheAtom** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 1:10 pm

Dude, don't tell me that!

This is a bad thing, very bad.

I really don't remember ever having paid taxes on comics in the US.

dino · Post by **dino** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 2:35 pm

I pay tax on my comics, I only buy back issues & wizard but I dont think theres a difference if you buy new books

ManofTheAtom · Post by **ManofTheAtom** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 3:19 pm

Dude, that sucks.

Comics are tax free here.

I checked an online site and they charge you all kinds of taxes.

Like a state tax, a county tax, and a city tax.

How do you guys put up with it?

ZephyrWasHOT!! · Post by **ZephyrWasHOT!!** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 5:03 pm

ManofTheAtom wrote:
x-omatic wrote:There really are not any "good" stores near Tempe Sun Devil Stadium. Most of the store out here don't carry good back stock. The ones that due usually have the back stock priced above guide regardless of what it sells for. Atomic Comics in Mesa has the best selection of back stock but you will pay more there. The store is about 10 minutes from Tempe.
I could probably make it to Atomic Comics, according to the map it's only 15 minutes away from Ash Comics.

How much more would I pay?

Comics don't pay taxes, right?

I was planning on going to these stores:

Samurai Comics
5024 N. 7th St.
Phoenix, AZ, 85014

Ash Avenue Comics & Books

810 S Ash Ave
Tempe, AZ 85281

Atomic Comics Mesa Superstore
1120 S. Country Club Dr. #105
Mesa, AZ 85210

The other Atomic Comics locations are too far.

I hope they have what I'm looking for cheap. I also hope the bus rides from store to store are easy, heh.

If you're in Phx, look up All About Books and Comics...middling back issue selection, as far as I remember, but decent..nice folks, good store. Alan and Marsha Giroux have been in the biz for 25 years. Lost Dutchman, if he's still in business...also, Tom Kalb's place on Southern in Mesa (X-O knows). He's got back issues.

Comics pay taxes. Argh.

ManofTheAtom · Post by **ManofTheAtom** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 5:06 pm

I'm limited in my travels by where the bus takes me (not in the mood to pay for taxis unless it's necessary).

Is there a bus stop near any of these stores?

I'm also planning to go to Best Buy to buy some DVDs (unless you guys know of a place that might be cheaper for new DVDs and not too far from the stores and/or stadium).

Does the bus stop near this Best Buy?

Ahwatukee AZ (Store 177)
5051 East Ray Road
Phoenix, AZ 85044

ManofTheAtom · Post by **ManofTheAtom** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 5:11 pm

ZephyrWasHOT!! wrote:If you're in Phx, look up All About Books and Comics...

Oh yeah, I found this store earlier.

I'll try to make it there too, hope it has what I want.

Thanks for reminding me of it.

johnhickman · Post by **johnhickman** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 7:07 pm

ManofTheAtom wrote:Dude, don't tell me that!

This is a bad thing, very bad.

I really don't remember ever having paid taxes on comics in the US.

Go to Delaware or New Hampshire - no taxes on most things there!

x-omatic · Post by **x-omatic** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 9:42 pm

ManofTheAtom wrote:I'm limited in my travels by where the bus takes me (not in the mood to pay for taxis unless it's necessary).

Is there a bus stop near any of these stores?

I'm also planning to go to Best Buy to buy some DVDs (unless you guys know of a place that might be cheaper for new DVDs and not too far from the stores and/or stadium).

Does the bus stop near this Best Buy?

Ahwatukee AZ (Store 177)
5051 East Ray Road
Phoenix, AZ 85044

When are you coming down? I would be happy to show you around if I can. Also if you need a place to stay let me know. I got room.

Tom Kalbs (Cave man) has good back issues as well.
As Zeph said All About Books & Comis is good as well, but the good store is in downtown Phoenix. They have as much back issues as Atomic, maybe more. But they keep most of it in a back storage room so you have to ask them. I just never trust them on prices. Every time I have had a book pulled from the back it has a brade new price sticker on it. If it comes from the back don't count on a good deal.

x-omatic · Post by **x-omatic** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 9:48 pm

When I moved from Michigan to Arizona it was a shock the first time I bought comics here. Not only do they charge taxes but most stores don't have any type of discount program. I was use to getting 20% off and not paying any taxes. They treat comics as periodicals in Michigan which aren't taxed.

ManofTheAtom · Post by **ManofTheAtom** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 10:11 pm

johnhickman wrote:Go to Delaware or New Hampshire - no taxes on most things there!

Yeah, I noticed.

Clark Kent doesn't have to pay taxes, lol.

Not really an option, though, and you'll see why in my reply to XO.

ManofTheAtom · Post by **ManofTheAtom** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 10:15 pm

x-omatic wrote:When are you coming down? I would be happy to show you around if I can. Also if you need a place to stay let me know. I got room.

Thanks, but no need

I won the trip through an NFL trivia. Free hotel, free plane ride and spending cash, heh.

I'm gonna be there for the 49ers/Cardinals game.

x-omatic wrote:Tom Kalbs (Cave man) has good back issues as well.
As Zeph said All About Books & Comis is good as well, but the good store is in downtown Phoenix. They have as much back issues as Atomic, maybe more. But they keep most of it in a back storage room so you have to ask them. I just never trust them on prices. Every time I have had a book pulled from the back it has a brade new price sticker on it. If it comes from the back don't count on a good deal.

Urgh.

I'm not really looking for extremely old comics, though, so maybe that'll work for my advantage.

I expect that comics like Teen Titans #5 and #6, and Superman/Batman #4 might be too expensive, but how expensive could Reign of the Zodiac #3 and #4, Superman: Metropolis #11, or Darkness volume 2 #6 be?

I'll definitely visit Atomic, Ash, All About, and Samurai and hope I find the stuff in the four stores.

ManofTheAtom · Post by **ManofTheAtom** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 10:17 pm

x-omatic wrote:When I moved from Michigan to Arizona it was a shock the first time I bought comics here. Not only do they charge taxes but most stores don't have any type of discount program. I was use to getting 20% off and not paying any taxes. They treat comics as periodicals in Michigan which aren't taxed.

Damn, no discounts at all? Not even 25 cent boxes? Samurai's website claims to have one.

x-omatic · Post by **x-omatic** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 10:18 pm

ManofTheAtom wrote:
x-omatic wrote:When I moved from Michigan to Arizona it was a shock the first time I bought comics here. Not only do they charge taxes but most stores don't have any type of discount program. I was use to getting 20% off and not paying any taxes. They treat comics as periodicals in Michigan which aren't taxed.
Damn, no discounts at all? Not even 25 cent boxes? Samurai's website claims to have one.

Some stores will do a 10% discount on books they pull for you weekly.

ManofTheAtom · Post by **ManofTheAtom** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 10:20 pm

No good then. I don't need new ones, just some from October through December of last year.

Hopefully some will still be cover price or under so that that'll balance out the ones that may be over cover price.

x-omatic · Post by **x-omatic** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 10:33 pm

ManofTheAtom wrote:Thanks, but no need .

Not even to see the progress of the Solar pages????

ManofTheAtom · Post by **ManofTheAtom** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 10:37 pm

x-omatic wrote:Not even to see the progress of the Solar pages????

Heh.

Let's see what happens. I'm only there for three days and have no idea at what time I'm getting there (I find out tomorrow).

Maybe we can hang at one of the stores or something and u could show them there?

Like maybe get some smaller photo copies I could bring back?

ManofTheAtom · Post by **ManofTheAtom** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 10:44 pm

Heh.

I'll do what I can. I'm gonna be running from store to store and to the game on Sunday.

It all depends on when I arrive and when I leave to see how much free time I have, heh.

I would love to hang with XO at one of the comic book stores of his choosing.

My main concern is finding the comics and DVD's I'm looking for and since it's the weekend, store hours are working against me, specially if I end up arriving after noon or something.

That plus the bus rides and the time it takes me to get from place to place, heh.

ZephyrWasHOT!! · Post by **ZephyrWasHOT!!** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 11:55 pm

I WANT TO INK MY SOLAR 2004 PAGES!!!! ARGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

~ ahem ~

Ready whenever Chin is.

ManofTheAtom · Post by **ManofTheAtom** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 11:58 pm

Lol.

We need more pencilers and inkers for that one and the ones we have say they've started but haven't shown anything,

magnusr · Post by **magnusr** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 12:12 am

ManofTheAtom wrote:I won the trip through an NFL trivia. Free hotel, free plane ride and spending cash, heh.

Knowledge pays off. Nice score Mike.

I'm gonna be there for the 49ers/Cardinals game.

Go 49ers!

/Magnus

ManofTheAtom · Post by **ManofTheAtom** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 12:18 am

magnusr wrote:Knowledge pays off. Nice score Mike.

Heh, yeah.

I do wish I had won the other trivia I entered too, though. That one was a trip to Disneyworld, lol.

I've only been to Phoenix once over 10 years ago and it didn't suck, heh.

My main concern is that I hope I don't get lost between the hotel and the stores, lol.

magnusr wrote:Go 49ers!

Same.

ManofTheAtom · Post by **ManofTheAtom** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 1:59 pm

Just found out where I'm staying and I'm definitely gonna be able to go to All About, Samurai and one of the Atomic Comics stores.