My Comix Zone And Comics Zone: Two Blocks (And A Lot Of Comic Books) In North Syracuse

Some (not quite all) of the new comic books I purchased at Comix Zone over the last two weeks or so

A random thought occurred to me last week, after I picked up my regular weekly haul of new comic books at Comix Zone in North Syracuse. Over the course of my life, and specifically over the course of the nearly six decades since the 1966 Batman TV series compelled me to become a comic book fan, I've bought more new (and old) comic books within a roughly two-block radius of Comix Zone's location than I've purchased in any other small geographic area. It's possible I've bought more comics in that two-block comics zone than the combined number of comics I bought elsewhere.

That shouldn't be much of a revelation. I grew up in North Syracuse, lived there until I graduated from college in 1980. I bought a lot of comics in other places, too--in the city of Syracuse and in some of its other suburbs, in bus stations from here to Southwest Missouri, at stores in Missouri and Kansas, in California, in Florida, in Brockport, Buffalo, Manhattan, Staten Island, maybe in Vermont, definitely in Arkansas, some other North Syracuse locations, and possibly some other elsewheres my mind can't conjure on demand--but that two-block span in the 13212 zip code has loomed largest in my comics-buyin' legend.

That started with Sweethearts Corner, a grocery store at the corner of Taft Road and Main Street. I didn't get my very first comic books at Sweethearts; my initial 12-cent acquisitions were scored in Aurora, Missouri in the summer of '66, preceded by several hand-me-down comics and followed by a few cover-compromised books (including my cherished Superboy # 129) my dad let me pick out at a shop much farther down Taft Road, all (I think) before I started spinnin' the rack at Sweethearts. Sweethearts became my go-to funnybook connection in '67. 

The Spectre # 1. Fantastic Four # 73. Justice League Of America # 55. Judo Master # 96. I won't attempt a list of individual comic books (nor even individual comic book series) I snagged at Sweethearts in the '60s and into the '70s. Trust me: there were a lot.

Even then, though, I was also buying comics in other locales, and I loaded up on new comic books while vacationing in Missouri most summers. I'm not sure that two-block comics zone could have claimed credit for an unchallenged plurality of my comics purchases at the time. 

The 1970s bolstered the comics zone's case. In addition to Sweethearts, there were occasional coverless comics purchased at McMahon's Grocery, right across the street from Sweethearts. On the same side of Main Street as Sweethearts, but separated by Taft Road, the Williams Shopping Plaza housed a drug store, Henry & Hines (later Gold Star Pharmacy), that also sold comics. I bought a ton of stuff at the drug store, especially when I was in high school; the high school grounds were directly adjacent to the Williams plaza. That plaza was also home to World Of Books, where (not counting stuff I scored in trades with friends) I bought my first back-issue comic books.

My comics buying tapered off when I was in college. I'd guess my final lower-case comics zone purchase was circa '77 or '78. It would be a very long time before I made another.

I spent most of the '80s away from Syracuse, living in Brockport and Buffalo, and buying my comics where I lived. When I moved back to the 315 area code in 1987, I lived on the city's North side, within easy walking distance of Twilight Book And Game Emporium, a shop owned by an old friend named Bob Gray. I bought my comics at Twilight, and continued to do so even after buying a house in the suburbs in 1989. 

Twilight closed its doors around 2000. A referral led me to Comix Zone in North Syracuse.

At the time, Comix Zone was in a tiny plaza on Main Street, directly opposite the plaza formerly known as Williams. I've been a contented Comix Zone customer throughout this newfangled millennium so far. They're in a bigger store now, but in the same familiar 13212 comics zone: in the former Williams plaza, not far from where Henry & Hines was, across the parking lot from where World Of Books was.

I'm at Comix Zone every week. I buy comics faster than I read them, but I do buy them, and I do read them. The sheer bulk of titles I've purchased at Comix Zone over more than two decades adds to the accumulated books I got at Sweethearts, McMahon's, Henry & Hines/Gold Star, and World Of Books to assure that this two-block comics zone in North Syracuse is the area where I've purchased the most comic books.

And I'm a big fan of Comix Zone. The store's owner Greg and his enforcers Mike and Matt treat their customers like gold, the place is well-stocked and well-organized, and it's a joy to buy my comics there. I aim to continue doing just that, at least until I finally grow up out of this superhero nonsense.

Heh. That ain't happenin'. And tomorrow is Wednesday. NEW COMIC BOOK DAY! Which means I'll be back at Comix Zone for my weekly fresh fix. Up, up, and away!

(For additional reminiscences of my life as a comic book fan, see also my pieces about buying comic books since 1966, DC's 100-Page Super Spectaculars, writing letters to comic book letters columns, the original Captain Marvel, Batman, Aquaman, the Legion of Super-Heroes, Not Brand Echh, Marvel Comics, Marvel Super-Heroes, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch, Inferior 5, Charlton Comics, E-Man, and the Red Tornado. Among others!)

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Carl's new book Gabba Gabba Hey! A Conversation With The Ramones is now available for preorder, courtesy of the good folks at Rare Bird Books. Gabba Gabba YAY!!

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