Geek Store Drama

Published on August 1, 2007 By pseudosoldier In Misc

Saturday, I traveled up to my old stomping grounds to participate in the Coming of Galactus (week 3) tournament for the HeroClix miniatures game. I was disappointed that I wouldn't be going to the usual place for the tournaments and that most of my old friends would not be attending. Those of my friends who are still in the area are mostly working odd shifts, so they cannot reliably attend what amounts to a hobbyist meeting. But the location for the tournament was a different deal.

Book Stan' is the longest standing comic book and gaming store in the greater Fort Hood area. Honestly, in the six years that I was stationed there, there just really wasn't any competition. Still, they are hands down the best comic shop I've ever called my own (geeks take ownership in that sort of thing, you know). In fact, although partially due to this 'burg not having its own shop, I still make use of Book Stan's free subscription service for my weekly comics fix (although I only get my books about every other month right now, due to the distance).

Book Stan' also does a fair bit of business with the local gaming community. Although they stopped running tournaments for Magic: the Gaterhing some time back, they have active contacts within the Warhammer community and have consistently supported WizKid Games HeroClix collectible miniature game. In the five years since its introduction, the local Judge has been a military member. I was actually the second (and longest standing) Judge for Book Stan's HeroClix tournaments. Although we'd only run one per month, it was always a good time, and I only gave up the position due to personal issues and the existence of a good alternate Judge to step into my place.

There has been one official Judge since my replacement gave up his spot, although there have been nearly a half-dozen fill-in guys (which is actually against the official WizKids policy). Things fell apart in recent months, with multiple tournaments not getting run at all, prize support getting shuffled off and lost, and various other issues cropping up. We've never been able to have the tournaments in the store itself (lack of space) and held them down at a local chain restaurant; this was sometimes unsatisfactory, both because of the restaurant not always being kind to us (forcing us out before we were done) and also because of the nagging fear that we would get reported to WizKids (for, again, not following their official policy, which in this case was to play in the store itself).

It all seemed to come to a head as the Coming of Galactus tournament series approached. These tournaments are higher profile than the ordinary ones, because of the participation prizes (not needing to actually win, and the fact that they're heralds of Galactus, like the Silver Surfer) and the prize for the fifth week: a giant Galactus himself, who I'd estimate will go for over $100 on evilBay. With the regular Judge on temporary duty out of state... Book Stan' gave up running these tournaments. And in stepped in their new competition.

America's Heroes Comics opened up about eight weeks ago in a store front that was previously a pawn shop (don't worry, Killeen has dozens more). They're staffed by one of the former employees of Book Stan' (which is additional drama that I won't get into, and don't even have the whole story); he's actually running it for the most part, although the owner is very hands on. This employee has taken what he has seen work for Book Stan' and improved upon them, particularly in areas that the owner of Book Stan' refuses: bigger store to provide space for game playing, and actual advertisement. It's for this reason that, although I feel a good deal of geek loyalty to Book Stan', I have to predict that AHC is going to become the leading (and eventually, possibly, the only) comic book store in the Fort Hood area.

The whole issue is touchy, because I'm long time (if only casual) friends with the owner and the manager of Book Stan', and also the employee who now works for the other store. I felt a bit ill at ease when talking about the subject with either of them, but particularly uncomfortable when going to Book Stan' to get my comics, just having come from playing HeroClix at AHC for the previous 5 hours.

But then I've also figured out that it costs me just over $30 round trip in gas to go pick up my comics there, so I'm looking into alternate methods of getting them, anyway.

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