NEWS
KNIFE-WIELDING MAN CHARGES INTO COMIC SHOP, MISSION COMICS OPENS A SECOND LOCATION, BLACK RETAILERS FORM ALLIANCE
Comic Shop Talk, September 2026
Posted by Brigid Alverson on September 28, 2026 @ 7:40 pm CT
It was a frightening moment at Floating World Comics in Portland, OR, when a knife-wielding man ran into the store and stole some comics. According to KATU, a security guard at the Pioneer Place mall, where Floating World is located, stopped Ennis Donja Brooks, 29, because Brooks had an open container of alcohol and appeared to be intoxicated. According to witnesses, Brooks then pulled a large knife, ran into the store, snatched up some comics, and said “What now?” before running out. He was arrested outside the mall, and police found the comics and a 10-inch knife in his backpack. Brooks was charged with first-degree robbery, menacing, unlawful use of a weapon, and second-degree disorderly conduct, but he reportedly told police that the perpetrator was not him but a clone.
San Francisco’s Mission: Comics & Art has opened its second location, in the Excelsior neighborhood, with the grand opening planned for October 10. Owner Leef Smith got a $50,000 grant from San Francisco’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development program to help with the renovation of the space (see “Mission Comics”), which Smith believes is the first comic shop in the neighborhood. Employee Emilio Garcia told Mission Local that the locals have been stopping in as they go by and notice the store. “I don’t think anyone is bummed there’s a comic shop here at all,” he said.
Phillip Rollins, owner of the comic shop Offbeat in Jackson, MS, talks to NPR about the Ink Alliance, an organization of Black comics retailers. Rollins estimates that there are 18-20 Black-owned comic shops, meaning they make up about 1% of all comics retailers. They got a jump start when artist Sanford Greene offered co-founder Michael Davis a Static cover as an exclusive, and Rollins says they decided to offer it in stores only as a way of raising awareness and getting people into the stores. “It’s about building trust,” Rollins said, “letting people see, like, what these spaces look like, how these spaces are curated, how welcoming they are.”
Marcus Embry, manager of Summit Comics & Games in Lansing, MI, talks to WILX News about the potential impact of the current trade war with Canada on the price of comics. Right now that’s only theoretical, as comics are not currently subject to tariffs, but Embry is keeping an eye on the situation, along with supply-chain issues and other factors. Embry is not the only retailer to find the current situation worrisome, given that many comics are printed in Canada (see “Retailer Sounds Alarm on Tariffs”).
“I think every building and every house should have a mural with comic book characters on the side,” Jughead writer Craig Boldman told the Journal-News when he visited Wonder Comics & More in Trenton, OH, which boasts a newly created mural by local artist Hannah Baney. Baney, who has painted several murals in the area, put out a call to local businesses to see if anyone was interested, and Wonder Comics owner Jeff Hensley took her up on it. His daughter Samantha created the initial design, and Baney refined and added to it. The completed mural is, as Hensley intended, bringing new attention to the store. “I showed up at the store about a week ago, and Jeff ushered me over to the side of the building,” said Boldman, who is local. “There was Jughead. It’s humbling.”
Chautauqua Comics in Jamestown, NY, recently celebrated Batman/Batgirl day, and owner Al Steffens talked about the popularity of Absolute Batman with local paper The Post-Journal: “When the comic book industry issues a second or third printing of a book or storyline, it indicates they believe they have a successful product–something that people want,” he said. “This latest Batman line is currently in its 12th printing, and I can’t keep it on the shelf.” The Batman Day events included a raffle for a Batman cowl, free comics, and a live Batman and Robin. “While I’m more of a Superman fan, this is still a lot of fun,” Steffens said. “Batman has an interesting history and allure about him – fans go nuts for him, and we sell a lot of Batman-related merchandise.”
Spider-Man subs in for reporter JC Ferandez of 8 News Now to report on preparations for Local Comic Shop day at MaximuM Comics in Las Vegas, NV, where owner Jay Bosworth walked him through what the day is about and the special issues and deals Maximum would be offering, including some featuring Spidey himself.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Brigid Alverson
Contributing Editor. Alverson has been writing about comics since she launched MangaBlog in 2005. She wrote the Comics A.M. column for Robot 6 (now part of CBR), and currently edits the Good Comics for Kids blog at School Library Journal. In her earlier life, she had roles at magazine and book publishers.
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