If you’re looking to sell your comic or toy collection, look no further than Jeff Patrick of World’s Greatest Comics. Discover why he loves comics and what led him down the path to dedicating his life to them.
1. What was the first comic you remember buying?
My mom started buying comics for me when I was 2 or 3 years old. The first one I have any recollection of having was an issue of Fantastic Four that I later found out as an adult was issue #32 from November 1964.
2. Where did you get your comics growing up and what made you want to run your own comic shop?
Mostly at Schaffer’s Newsstand in Nelsonville, OH. There was also Miller’s General Store nearby where I grew up (in New Plymouth, OH), that sold what are now known amongst collectors as ¾ cover comics for 10 cents each and 15 cents for the giants. These were comics that were supposed to have been destroyed after newsstand dealers would remove the top portion of the comic with the logo to return to their distributors for credit.
I wanted to run my own comic shop after I had started buying and selling as a side business back in the 80’s, but a steady paycheck took precedence. I jumped into it full time in 2011 as a kind of mid-life crisis. I was stuck in a hellish job at a hellish library and that situation was never going to get any better, so I decided to quit and sell comics full time and never looked back.
3. How did you choose the name of the shop?
Mostly in homage to the blurb at the top of the old Fantastic Four comics (“The world’s greatest comic magazine”).
4. What is the most interesting part of owning a comic shop?
We are always buying comic collections, and it’s very cool seeing some of the items that turn up, like the old Dell and Gold Key comics with painted covers, or even a title I’ve never heard of before.
5. What is the prized comic of your collection? Is there a comic you would love to own, but don’t?
The JLA/Avengers crossover mini-series from 2003-04 would be the most prized comics I own. Kurt Busiek and George Perez really brought their A-game to this one, especially Perez, throwing nearly every DC and Marvel character into the story at one point or another throughout the series. It was a fanboy’s dream come true! As for the second part of that question, I feel like I have everything I want for my personal collection, and don’t have a burning desire to own anyone true holy grail. I’ve always been a reader, so I’m satisfied to read the reprints of Action Comics #1, Detective Comics #27, Amazing Fantasy #15, etc. Even my “copy” of Avengers #1 is a portion of a copy of Marvel Tales #2 that someone had taken apart, which I found in a comic shop back in the 80’s for a nickel.
6. What changes have you seen in the comics world over the years, both on the production and fan side of things?
Over the years, the readership has become more and more segmented by the age of the reader because of the evolution of storytelling in comics. It’s not like it was when I was growing up, where anyone of any age could pick up a comic and read it. Today’s creators grew up with this medium and are crafting their stories with specific audiences in mind.
7. Who are some of your favorite national artists? Local artists?
Way too many to list here, but a few are Jack Kirby (especially when he was inked by Joe Sinnott), Murphy Anderson, John Buscema, Rich Buckler, Ramona Fradon, Dan Jurgens, Mort Meskin, Will Eisner, Dave Gibbons, Joe Kubert, George Perez, Bernie Wrightson, Darryl Banks, Jeff Smith, Jerry Ordway, Bernard Bailey, Frank Robbins, Curt Swan, Arvell Jones, Nick Cardy, and the vastly-underrated Jim Aparo.
8. Who is your favorite character?
More like characters: Superman, Robin/Nightwing (Dick Grayson), the original Birds of Prey (Black Canary/Oracle), Captain America, the Falcon, the Fantastic Four, the Justice Society of America and most of the Golden Age characters in general.
9. What comic series/graphic novel/etc. would you recommend to someone who was just starting to get into comics and why?
I always recommend the first volume of any graphic novel series that can get the reader in on the ground floor of whatever character they want to learn about. However, my top recommendation is not a comic or a graphic novel, but a book called The Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic Book Scare and How It Changed America by David Hajdu. I’ve always loved the history of comics, and I’ve always felt it important for anyone in the hobby to know the stories behind the stories. This book is a great chronicle of the rise of the comics industry and the near-death it faced in the early 1950’s by what was set in motion by Frederic Wertham. Absolutely the best book I’ve read on the subject.
10. What has you most excited about the future of comics?
The demographics of the reader base has grown over the years, with more people from all walks of life getting into the hobby. Also, there are still kids who are interested in learning about the characters. I have one young customer about 12 years old named Cameron, who is really into reading the Silver Age Marvel stories. It’s great to see that that kind of excitement for comics is still alive and well.
Find more information about Jeff Patrick of World’s Greatest Comics, go to wgcomics.com.