It seems that each week when I venture to my LCBS to make my purchase of new releases I always end up having a conversation with either one of the dolts who works there or some uber-geek that considers Vampirella porn. This thread will act as a log of my run ins with these "people". Most of the time I will probably post something current but in the rare event that no one bothers me I will dig in to the vault for an old gem of a tale. Feel free to add your own stories of annoyances if you wish. Now for this weeks tale:



Because it Looks Freakin Stupid That's Why!



So I enter the shop today to find one of the several new employees working behind the counter. Normally when I walk in they pull my sub bag without hesitation but this guy just stared at me like I was some large foreign object growing out of my face. I approached him and the conversation began (as accurately quoted as I can remember).


Me: I need to pick up my sub service, the name is Justin Gilmore
Clerk: Okay I'll grab that for you. (as he reads the list of comics in my bag) So you added House of M right?
Me: No (chuckles)
Clerk: Why not you don't like Marvel stuff? I mean you are wearing a Captain Marvel shirt.
Me: (Ignoring the fact that my shirt is indeed a Captain Marvel shirt but instead of any sort of cosmic logo it's red and has a big yellow lightning bolt on the front) It's not that, I just didn't think it looked entertaining and I'm much more interested in the DC minis leading up to Crisis.
Clerk: What didn't you think looked good about House of M? Marvel events are usually much better than DC's and are way easier to follow.
Me: Actually in my experience it's been the opposite most of the time and with DC's reference page onlne I don't have to pick up books I don't normally read. Plus none of the preview art or the premise of House of M has excited me. In fact I'm considering dropping a lot of my Marvel titles until this mess is over with. The only good thing about it is that Astonishing X-Men will continue as normal.
Clerk: So you won't even give it a shot to see if you like it?
Me: If my friends say that it is worth a read then I might but I don't know, I just can't see myself enjoying it.
Clerk: So you would choose to read or not read something based on what someone tells you about it?
Me: Pretty much
Clerk: Boy that's kind of going with crowd just because they like it.
Me: Isn't that basically what you're trying to get me to do? Aren't you trying to coerce me into buying it because you think it's good?
Clerk: No because I actually haven't read it yet.
Me: Wow.
Clerk: I mean it's got to be good just look at the people doing it.
Me: You mean the same people that brought us such gems as Avengers Dis-Assemled and the first part of Secret War?
Clerk: I can see that you just aren't going to change your mind about it.
Me: Nope. At least not until someone I know and trust tells me it's good.
Clerk: Too bad because you're missing a great story.
Me: And you read it when? I don't remember leaving, did I black out?
Clerk: No but I know it's going to be good.
Me: Yeah good luck with that Nostrodamus.

I then went about picking up the things not on my list and when it came time to check out he called someone else up to do it. This is the kind of crap I put up with almost every week and the reason I switched to this branch from the one closest to my house. Stay tuned because someone is sure to annoy me next week.

Man, that sucks. I've never had to deal with anything like that in the six stores I've frequented (two different cities).

When I turned down the free "House of M" sketchbook about of month ago, the lady who runs the store I keep my pull at just said: "Wow, you're really not into Marvel, are you?"

This guy seemed very much the if I like it the it must be good kind of guy.

Well, the "I THINK I'll like it, so it must be good" sorta guy.

Exactly. Or maybe he's on Bendis' jock more than a certain Ogre.

I turned it down initially too, and got a strange look.

The next week, I got a copy for BabyMartain to color.


I actually have a pretty good LCBS, with nice people. Some of the patrons are morons though. Somehow I got into an arguement with some jerk about the aftermath of WWI one time. Don't even remember how I got dragged into that.

Customer: They say so much, but they never tell you if it's any good... are either one of these any good?
[Randal ignores her]
Randal: What?
Customer: Are either one of these any good?
Randal: I don't watch movies.
Customer: Well, have you heard anything about either one of them?
Randal: I find it's best to stay out of other people's affairs.
Customer: You mean you've haven't heard anybody say anything about either one of these?
Randal: Nope.
Customer: [Turns around, then shows Randal the same movies] Well, what about these two?
Randal: Oh, they suck.
Customer: These are the same two movies! You weren't paying any attention!
Randal: No, I wasn't.
Customer: I don't think your manager would appreciate...
Randal: I don't appreciate your ruse, ma'am.
Customer: I beg your pardon?
Randal: Your ruse; your cunning attempt to trick me.
Customer: I was only pointing out that you weren't paying any attention to what I was saying!
Randal: And, I hope it feels good.
Customer: You hope WHAT feels good?
Randal: I hope it feels so good to be right. There's nothing more exhilarating than pointing out the shortcomings of others, is there?
Customer: Well, this is the last time I rent here!
Randal: You'll be missed.
Customer: Screw you!
[leaves]
Randal: [runs to the door] Hey! You're not allowed to rent here anymore!

lol, oh man. What an ass. That's when you call up the manager and let them know about this little incident and why you're not gonna rent from there anymore.

:::taps Twinky on the shoulder and whispers in his ear:::

That's a scene from the movie Clerks...

..... Why doesn't anyone tell me these things?!!







Is it too late to delete my post?

If you want. But then we can't make fun of you.

Oh, well then. Let's keep it up.

But you're a genius in France!

In a similar vein to that Clerks conversation, I present a site that has provided me with much amusement:

www.ActsOfGord.com

Adventures in Video Game retail. I've had several friends who worked in video game shops, and this kind of stuff really does happen.

I have another incident to post but it wil have to be tomorrow. I recently moved and the conversation about me cancelling my sub service was as bad as the one above.

Okay I finally have time to get to this gem of a tale. So about a month back I moved to a city fairly far from my old one (about an hour and fifteen minutes) and I had to go in to my former shop and cancel my sub service. It was a pretty sad day for me since I had been buying from one of their locations for nearly 20 years whether it was games, comics, action figures or even delicious Pocky and it felt like it marked the end of an era. Now I can understand them not wanting me to go because of the amount of money I dropped in there week in and week out but the conversation got so out of hand that it actually made me glad to move on. Some of the exact wording may have been lost but the general idea is still there and this went on for almost 20 minutes. Same color scheme as above me in purple douche in red.

Hey I need to pick up this weeks books and then I'm going to have to cancel my sub.
What? Why would you do that?
I'm moving to Denton and the drive is too far for me to make just to buy comics.
What are you going to do for comics then?
A friend of mine lives up there and he's going to take me to one of the shops in town so I guess I'll start buying there.
But what about us?
Well I'll still come here for special orders and probably for most of my action figures (a lie because the shop in Denton has a bigger selection at lower prices).
Oh it isn't that far to drive.
Yeah it is and I can't afford the gas and the comics
It's not that much
You going to pay for it?
Oh come on now you've been coming here for how long?
Close to 20 years and I'd like to still buy here but it just isn't logical.
So just like that huh?
If there were any other way-
You could always have them mailed to you. We do that all you have to do is put your credit card on file and each week we charge it and ship them out.
No I don't hink so, what happens on the weeks where I don't have the money to pick them up, sometimes I have to wait a week.
Um, you'll just have to make sure you have it.
Even if that was option would they be at my house on Wednesday when I got home from work? Is shipping free?
No they usually get there on Saturday or Monday and shipping is extra by weight.
So why wouldn't I just order them online and get them for half price or less?
Because then you wouldn't be buying them here like you always have.
So you're saying that I should spend extra money to get my comics half a week late?
No I'm just saying that you should keep buying here.
And paying extra for late comics
If that's how it has to be
No.
What if I got the manager to talk to you I bet he could change your mind?
Could he make the comics come to my house on thime and with no shipping charge?
No he can't help when they get shipped and we have to charge for shipping.
Then again my answer is no.
Well I think you're making a mistake, you're going to miss coming in here and being able to find whatever you want.
I'm sure I'll stop in when I'm in town visiting my mom
Why don't you have her come in and buy them for you?
And I would get them from her how?
She could bring them to you or you could come get them
And that would be different how?
Well she would take them to you so you don't have to drive
Her car gets worse gas mileage than mine so that would be pointless.
What if she mailed them to you?
Again paying more to get my comics late. I really have to cancel my sub here there's no other alternative.
Fine but I bet you come back because you miss shopping here every week.
We'll see.

Ho-ly shit.

That's...that's amazing. Talk about dependency issues. Sounded like you were breaking up with a girlfriend for awhile there.

Well, considering the slim profit margin of most comic stores, losing a big spender like Flan, or you or me, is going to be a blow... but C'mon! That was just sad!

I think this is the prize-winner for "Stupidest Comment in a Stupid Conversation". If you got them mailed to you... how would you be able to find whatever you wanted? You'd be depending on them to decide what you got.

Dumb indeed but sadly this thread may be dead though because my ne shop is incredible the guy that owns the place is really cool and so far hasn't tried to convince me to buy anything that I haven't asked for.

That's too damn funny. You know, you should have said, "Well, why don't you guys move the shop to where I am now, so I can keep going to your store?" considering they were expecting the unreasonable of you too.

Wow, I guess I'm fortunate that I got a very nice goodbye and even a going away present from my ex-LCS. Just before I moved up to college, I closed my account with my comic store and they were very nice and understanding. The owner who I've known for awhile even gave me a going away/graduation present in the form of the Kinetic trade paper back. It's a book I've been asking for for a few months because I never got all the issues. So when it finally came in, she just gave it to be as a gift. It's not the best story but hey, it was a free TPB. Man, I miss that place....