persecuted Valiant fan

inmyblood · Post by **inmyblood** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 1:36 pm

Why do I always get laughed at for being a Valiant fan?

When I go to shops asking for back issues of Valiants, half the time the shop clerks snicker and laugh under their breath like I'm an idiot or something.

It's been like this for years now. Honestly, am I just clueless to what a good comic universe is or what?

Man it's annoying.

A little respect would be nice.

wrunow · Post by **wrunow** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 1:41 pm

I feel your pain on this one man, but, honestly, it is not as bad as it used to be 2 or 3 years ago. Whatever you do. if you find a Harby 1 or something and buy it for a couple of bucks, don't ever, and I mean never, tell the jerk at the store what it's worth, that's the golden rule.

Daniel Jackson · Post by **Daniel Jackson** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 1:45 pm

This has been going on for a long time with most LCS's I've been in. I take special delight in relieving them of these terrible comics that they think are a joke.

Technique · Post by **Technique** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 1:49 pm

My LCS owner used to look at me like I was a nut when I was cleaning him out of all of his Valiant keys for $0.50 each.

Now he is noticing the market picking up for them and I can tell that he is disappointed that he sold me those books so cheap. All that he has left are boxes of the uber-common stuff.

I will never tell him how much those two Geomancer VVSS books would go for on ebay. He would act like I took him.

myron · Post by **myron** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 1:56 pm

Technique wrote:My LCS owner used to look at me like I was a nut when I was cleaning him out of all of his Valiant keys for $0.50 each.

Now he is noticing the market picking up for them and I can tell that he is disappointed that he sold me those books so cheap. All that he has left are boxes of the uber-common stuff.

I will never tell him how much those two Geomancer VVSS books would go for on ebay. He would act like I took him.

skrew 'im...I'd tell him in a heartbeat...makes up for some of the abuse...

I don't have an LCS that I frequent so I always tell the owners or workers what they are worth...after I've paid and am headed out the door!

motorhead · Post by **motorhead** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 2:27 pm

What makes me sick about the whole thing is "What, you don't like me because I read comics that generally have a low print run, great continuity, and just plain amazing writers?" They then try to point me to whatever the new "HOT" book is from Marvel, then I just laugh at them. I also feel pretty good lately because I have brought in new fans. He had four unopened Valiant II cards for five bucks each, needless to say, we raided him, $1.50 for A&A #0 gold, got it, $5.00 for X-O 1/2 Gold, got it, $.50 each for Harbinger #1-10, all mint, got then too. Needless to say, the jerk is an idiot. If anyone should feel bad, it's the morons that are scoffing at you because they are the ones who will feel stupid down the road. Oh, and the topper, Solar Alpha and Omeg Hardback still wrapped in mint in the clearance bin for $3.00, so who's stupid now, us the fans, or the idiot LCS owners?

IMJ · Post by **IMJ** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 2:31 pm

On the rare occassion I run into a situation like that, I just try to remember that obviously these people fall into some strange nerd demographic way beyond the nerd demographic we all fall into for our hobby. I mean, we are talking about these guys here, who chastise other people FOR SPENDING MONEY IN THEIR STORE AND BUYING WHAT THEY HAVE FOR SALE. Maybe these "businessmen" should then pay active attention to the varying markets and be insulted at their own lack of go getter attitude. I could rant about this (God, I'm already ranting), but really the only thing to do with those goofballs is to smile and be like "yup, I'm nuts, what can I say?"

There is a local comic store in the burbs of Chicago, Gotham City Comics or something. One day I went to check it out and the guy there happened to have comic cards. I have a specific comic card collection and obviously the market is really low on those and has been for a while. The guy was nice enough and brought out a few boxes he had, after admitting that they were collecting dust. I was sorting through them, and told him outright I was going to make a pile, and we'd work something out. He said ok, and then later got frustrated stating he now wanted to sell them buy the box and that "you are gonna sort through and take the good stuff and leave me wiith the crap!"

Usually I can somehow brush this stuff off, but this guy hit a nerve with me, and I told him (something to the effect of) "of course I'm gonna take what I consider to be the good stuff, why on Earth would I want your crap? If it's not for sale, then don't sell it!" Ironically I was digging through a commons box and taking Ironman and set filler stuff! That's IT! Again, I could practically write a paper on the further nuances of this and explain left and right how foolish of a statement that guy had made (from almost ALL angles), but then here we are, dissecting this insanity.

Some things, and some people, you just know are morons on so many levels.

Unblessed · Post by **Unblessed** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 3:00 pm

I like to smile at them like I know a huge big secret they don't. Then I drive off in my car, top down of course.

Let me do some calculations here....

The LCS guy demographics:
- been working at the store since high school
- works on the weekend
- has the same Green Lantern/Sonic youth/grungy t-shirt on a rotation
- is reading up on the latest Magic card to be released
- aspires to win the Magic card tournament in the store
- his Honda's color is Primer

Us Valiant Comic collector demographics:
- Have lives, families, girl friends that don't involve the internet or your favorite hand.
- have regular hours with 2 days off for a 'weekend'
- Haven't been working at the same store since before the end of high school at the same position
- a High School+ education
- our cars are newer and aren't painted "Primer" with spray paint.

Yeah, them laughing at me...

I think we have them beat. Just buy the books, smile and walk away.

~Unblessed

magnusr · Post by **magnusr** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 4:11 pm

inmyblood wrote:Why do I always get laughed at for being a Valiant fan?

Hey, we get the last laugh. And you go to the wrong shops (unless you can clean them out, that is...).

Last US shop I went to was Blue Moon Comics in Novato, CA. Very nice store and when I asked for Valiants I got a respectful and knowledgable answer ("I'm afraid we are sold out of pre-unity issues"). I highly recommend this shop.

/Magnus

inmyblood · Post by **inmyblood** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 4:15 pm

- has the same Green Lantern/Sonic youth/grungy t-shirt on a rotation
- is reading up on the latest Magic card to be released
- aspires to win the Magic card tournament in the store

inmyblood · Post by **inmyblood** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 4:17 pm

Most LCS employees are dare I say....geeks.
You totally hit the button on all the streotypes!!!

They're shakin' dice all day and listening to bad college radio.

But as long as they're cool with me then I'm cool with them.

Unblessed · Post by **Unblessed** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 4:22 pm

inmyblood wrote:Most LCS employees are dare I say....geeks.
You totally hit the button on all the streotypes!!!

They're shakin' dice all day and listening to bad college radio.

I know I have (and I like to think most members of this board have) more class than the average LCS employee.

For example, JediMarley...

~Unblessed

davidb · Post by **davidb** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 4:27 pm

One thing I had to smile about - my LCS has one guy who works there who's great. Lets me in the back room to poke through back stuff, and cuts good deals on what I find. Not a quarter a book, but I'm happy with the deals and he's happy to get that stuff out. In return, I'm fair to him and let him know when something's worth quite a bit (like last issues).

Last week the owner was there. Crusty old guy who likes to line the books you're buying up by banging them on the counter a few times. Anyway, I'd had a bunch of VH2 Ninjaks I was working my way through. Despite being ticketed at 3.25 (with 20% off), the other guy had agreed to let me have them at 20% off cover.

The owner refuses to honor that deal, and then starts ranting about how the other guy's "taking money from his wallet." I told him to keep the books (I'll just get them when the other guy's there).

Still, I left with a smile on my face.

That, and a minty Solar #60 that he sold me for two bucks, anyway...

mrwoogieman · Post by **mrwoogieman** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 5:02 pm

They might laugh, but who really has the last laugh? Last year, I went to a shop and looked around a bit and scored a Good, Bad and the Very Ugly Shadowman variant for cover price $2.50. Yeah, that guy knows his business alright...

GJB · Post by **GJB** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 6:54 pm

Sorry if this is off topic, but this thread brought back a memory. I'm sure you guys remember the Atlantis Attacks event marvel did as their summer crossover back in the late 90's. Well, I bought an annual off the rack that I believe had a Todd McFarland cover, it was either x-factor or x-men. I brought it up to the counter to buy and after I had showed some excitement toward the cover, the owner took it and threw it below the counter saying that it was worth more and hasn't been properly priced yet. Something to that effect. He did the same thing with a Batman the cult issue I was going to buy.

Same breed, different era.

As far as Valiant goes, they still don't have a clue, but they are generally pretty helpful.

RyanMcLelland · Post by **RyanMcLelland** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 7:02 pm

Just lift weights.

I'm telling you this works wonders. I ask for Valiants and people WANT to snicker then I through them my JohnnyToughAzz look and they just look at me blankly.

It's nice to be a toughazz.

NOW GIMME MY MAGNUS BEAUTCH!

Rai-fan · Post by **Rai-fan** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 7:25 pm

I actually like the LCS where I grew up--a highly-educated college town.

The owner was a nice guy, had gone to college as a business major--started a hole-in-the-wall back in the early '80s & expanded to 3 stores + warehouse before the crash.

But one of clerks had this big chip on his shoulder _because_ of the customers' attitudes towards him--turns out he was a college student at the local (baddass) liberal arts college & kept whining how he was better-educated than most of the customers, ie, spoke 3 languages, was majoring in classics & didn't get any respect.

Meanwhile, the businessmen/speculators came in wanting to buy 10-20 copies each of whatever Wizard had in its top 10 (ie, Darkhawk 1, New Warriors 1, X-Men 281-283, etc.)

Who's laughing now?

Mr.V · Post by **Mr.V** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 8:12 pm

IMJ wrote:On the rare occassion I run into a situation like that, I just try to remember that obviously these people fall into some strange nerd demographic way beyond the nerd demographic we all fall into for our hobby. I mean, we are talking about these guys here, who chastise other people FOR SPENDING MONEY IN THEIR STORE AND BUYING WHAT THEY HAVE FOR SALE. Maybe these "businessmen" should then pay active attention to the varying markets and be insulted at their own lack of go getter attitude. I could rant about this (God, I'm already ranting), but really the only thing to do with those goofballs is to smile and be like "yup, I'm nuts, what can I say?"

There is a local comic store in the burbs of Chicago, Gotham City Comics or something. One day I went to check it out and the guy there happened to have comic cards. I have a specific comic card collection and obviously the market is really low on those and has been for a while. The guy was nice enough and brought out a few boxes he had, after admitting that they were collecting dust. I was sorting through them, and told him outright I was going to make a pile, and we'd work something out. He said ok, and then later got frustrated stating he now wanted to sell them buy the box and that "you are gonna sort through and take the good stuff and leave me wiith the crap!"

Usually I can somehow brush this stuff off, but this guy hit a nerve with me, and I told him (something to the effect of) "of course I'm gonna take what I consider to be the good stuff, why on Earth would I want your crap? If it's not for sale, then don't sell it!" Ironically I was digging through a commons box and taking Ironman and set filler stuff! That's IT! Again, I could practically write a paper on the further nuances of this and explain left and right how foolish of a statement that guy had made (from almost ALL angles), but then here we are, dissecting this insanity.

Some things, and some people, you just know are morons on so many levels.

By the way, on my way home from work, I raided Gotham of ALL of the "good stuff" back in June. You don't want to know what I got, you'd be sick

Mr.V

Eric Jackson · Post by **Eric Jackson** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 8:48 pm

magnusr wrote:
inmyblood wrote:Why do I always get laughed at for being a Valiant fan?
Hey, we get the last laugh. And you go to the wrong shops (unless you can clean them out, that is...).

Last US shop I went to was Blue Moon Comics in Novato, CA. Very nice store and when I asked for Valiants I got a respectful and knowledgable answer ("I'm afraid we are sold out of pre-unity issues"). I highly recommend this shop.

/Magnus

had the same thing happen at a shop in columbus, OH. I walked in and asked if they had any valiants. He told me that they were out of pre-unity. He also said that any that come in were already ear-marked for some local guy

Ricomortis · Post by **Ricomortis** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 9:08 pm

This past summer...

I went to San Antonio and thought I'd look up a few lcs 's near to hit one day. I find 3 that were near bye. So..the first one I go to was really a nice store... well organized, decent selection, etc. I had a $1000 dedicated to spend on comics if I found what i was looking for in my back pocket. The owner (busy in a game of Magic or whatever *SQUEE* game it is they were playing) hardly noticed me. It took him a while, but he finally asked me if I needed help. I asked if he had Valiants. He laughed as if (you interupted my game for this?) I was inconviencing him. Well, after he told me IF he had any that they were in storage, I laughed and left. To bad... had some nice older x-men and asm I was eyeing. Moron!.... go play your damn game.

Shop #2... not as nice, and smaller. Only 2 playing the game this time... but basically the same scenerio.

Shop #3.. hell it left such an impression... I can't even remember anything about it. lol

My time: Wasted, vacation time wasted, laughed at, and zero Valiant issues even SEEN at any of the three stores visited. :x

Rico

hulk181man · Post by **hulk181man** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 9:28 pm

Like Magnus said, "We get the last laugh."

inmyblood · Post by **inmyblood** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 9:48 pm

Ricomortis wrote:This past summer...

I went to San Antonio and thought I'd look up a few lcs 's near to hit one day. I find 3 that were near bye. So..the first one I go to was really a nice store... well organized, decent selection, etc. I had a $1000 dedicated to spend on comics if I found what i was looking for in my back pocket. The owner (busy in a game of Magic or whatever *SQUEE* game it is they were playing) hardly noticed me. It took him a while, but he finally asked me if I needed help. I asked if he had Valiants. He laughed as if (you interupted my game for this?) I was inconviencing him. Well, after he told me IF he had any that they were in storage, I laughed and left. To bad... had some nice older x-men and asm I was eyeing. Moron!.... go play your damn game.

Shop #2... not as nice, and smaller. Only 2 playing the game this time... but basically the same scenerio.

Shop #3.. hell it left such an impression... I can't even remember anything about it. lol

My time: Wasted, vacation time wasted, laughed at, and zero Valiant issues even SEEN at any of the three stores visited. :x

Rico

(busy in a game of Magic or whatever *SQUEE* game it is they were playing)

I've went to a shop once and I asked if they had any Valiant comics for sale. Instead I got this answer..."Valiants never sold well and I feel they never will again". You know what? Just tell me where they are! I don't want to hear you friggin' business sob story.

Hook me up with the stinkin' bargain bin cheapie Valiants!!!

depluto · Post by **depluto** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 11:20 pm

RyanMcLelland wrote:Just lift weights.

I'm telling you this works wonders. I ask for Valiants and people WANT to snicker then I through them my JohnnyToughAzz look and they just look at me blankly.

It's nice to be a toughazz. NOW GIMME MY MAGNUS BEAUTCH!

Hell yeah!

Nobody messes with you in a comic shop when they know you can hold them down and wipe your sphincter on their nose.

Besides, if I'm in there spending money they really ought to know better. And in my shop, they do.

motorhead · Post by **motorhead** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 12:07 am

At least most of you have some good stories about good LCS employees. I have a jerk that sits on his PSP all day and talks about video games all day. It's not that I hate video games, I actually love them, but I want to talk comics at a comic store and games at a game store. Plus this guy would screw his playstation if he could, I swear. It's playstation this, playstation that, Iyou don't need those controllers, you can just hook up playstation pads with an adapter, why would you want a Nintendo DS, you could get a PSP, the X-Box sucks, get a PS2. I HATE COMIC BOOKS< I PLAY MY PS2 ALL DAY!

This is annoying! I get in and out as fast as I can. See, comic collectors are supposed to enjoy the comic store! :x

Sect · Post by **Sect** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 12:15 am

I always get laughed at but the one usually laughing at the end is me when I make away with a steal of a deal on their "laughable" Valiants

ValiantFans.com Board - Since 2004

persecuted Valiant fan

persecuted Valiant fan

Re: persecuted Valiant fan

Re: persecuted Valiant fan