What are the perks of working in comics? The Engine investigates:
I was wondering how some of the comics creators, particularly those of you who write mainstream spandex books, are treated when you venture into your LCS. Ass-kissing, free comics, discounted books, confrontations by ‘fans’…or are you given space and treated with indifference? Would some of you mind sharing your stories?
Brian Wood:
My LCS is run by people I’ve known for a long time, so no ass-kissing. I think I get a discount, though, and we do each other favors all the time.
No one recognizes me, and thankfully the owners don’t ‘out’ me to customers buying my books while I’m there, offering on my behalf to get them signed or something. Any time I’m out of the house I am on break from working, and they respect that.
Tom Spurgeon:
1997, Chicago:
Clerk from across the store: “Hey, are you Tom Spurgeon?”
Me: “Yeah.”
Clerk: “I hate your magazine.”
Frazer Irving:
One story I have dates back over a year ago: I was standing in the queue in Forbidden Planet London, and had arranged to meet buddies Si Spurrier and non-comic-mate Raj at about 6pm. They were waiting by the entrance, and Raj decided it would be hilarious to run up to me and scream “O WOW, ARE YOU THE GREAT FRAZER IRVING???!!? CAN I HAVE YOUR AUTOGRAPH??!!??” probably in the hope of embarrassing me hugely. I turned around as if he was a stranger and just shouted “NO. FUCK OFF” which amused the little bastard immensely. I had hoped that this would earn me a rep as “unapproachable” and it may have done the trick.
