NOTE: Blimey! is no longer being updated. Please visit http://lewstringercomics.blogspot.com for the latest updates about my comics work.

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Comic shops helping the small press (More updates!)

I've read some comments online recently expressly stating that UK comic shops do not support or stock small press indie comics. Anyone saying that is misinformed. While it's true that some comic shops refuse indie comics, there are thankfully stores with a better attitude who are more than happy to stock small press / independent titles. 
My own Brickman Returns! comic is currently on sale in Nostalgia and Comics, as are several other small press comics. Even more encouraging is the fact that Nostalgia and Comics give 100% of sales back to the creators. That's right; the shop makes no money on selling small press comics. They do it because they're good people and to support the creators. 

I haven't visited many comic stores in recent years but I know that London's Gosh! Comics and Orbital Comics definitely stock small press / indie titles. Here's comics creator Jessica Martin a couple of years ago in Gosh! Comics proving that point with her first self-published comic It Girl. Behind her are shelves full of small press comics...
Below is a list of shops that I've been informed stock small press and indie comics. If you run a comics shop that sells small press comics please get in touch and I'll be more than happy to add you to the list. I'll also be adding a permanent sidebar to this blog soon that will list shops that stock small press comics. (UPDATED 15/3/2016 with a lot more shops. Thanks for your input, everyone!)


NOSTALGIA AND COMICS

14-16 Smallbrook Queensway, 
Birmingham B5 4EN
0121 643 0143




GOSH! COMICS
1, Berwick St, London W1F 0DR
020 7636 1011


ORBITAL COMICS
8 Great Newport St, London WC2H 7JA
020 7240 0591



PAGE 45

9 Market St, City Centre, 
Nottingham NG1 6HY
0115 950 8045


TRAVELLING MAN
32 Central Rd, 
Leeds LS1 6DE
0113 243 6461


FIRST AGE COMICS
3 Moor Lane,
Lancaster


DEADHEAD COMICS
30 W Nicolson St, 
Edinburgh EH8 9DD
07982 859922


FORBIDDEN PLANET INTERNATIONAL
40-41 Southbridge Street, 
Edinburgh EH1 1LL
0131 558 8226


LITTLE SHOP OF HEROES
8 Maygate, 
Dunfermline KY12 7NH
01383 734605


OK COMICS
19, Thornton’s Arcade, 
Briggate, 
Leeds LS1 6LQ
0113 246 9366


DAVE'S COMICS
5 Sydney St, 
Brighton and Hove, 
Brighton BN1 4EN
01273 691012


EXCELSIOR COMICS
48 Bond St, 
Bristol BS1 3LZ
0117 930 0621



ATOMIC COMICS
1 Glovers Walk, 
Yeovil, 
Somerset BA20 1LH
01935 432639


RAYGUN EAST
70 Clapton Square, 
London E5 8HE
020 8985 1141


INKY FINGERS COMICS
38 Cowley Rd, 
Oxford OX4 1HZ
01865 421776


DEAD UNIVERSE COMICS
Friars Square Shopping Centre, 
5 Bourbon St, 
Aylesbury, 
Buckinghamshire 
HP20 2PZ
01296 706500


BATCAVE
Lower Cockcroft, 
Blackburn BB2
01254 667488


CARTOON MUSEUM
35 Little Russell St, 
London WC1A 2HH
020 7580 8155

Support UK the comics industry, and the UK independent comics scene! 

14 comments:

David McDonald said...

Great idea Lew.

Lew Stringer said...

Thanks. Needed to be said.

Anonymous said...

Hi, Lew.

Thanks for letting us unaccountable posters back in. I hope you don't get too much spam as a result.

As I mentioned by e-mail, at least one other branch of TRAVELLING MAN that stocks small press: 43 Grainger St, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 5JE, tel 0191 261 4993.

I've recently bought Terry Wiley's "Verity Fair" collection there, as well as several small books by Dan Berry and a few volumes published by Avery Hill (Tillie Walden, Tim Bird). There's also a small shelf unit dedicated to self-published comics and zines, many of them local.

Steve Flanagan

Manic Man said...

Dave comics is still going in Brighton? that is probably the closest comic shop to me.. though still what I view as some distance.. very little comic book stuff in the south east.. well, apart from WinterCon but... not my scene..

Its good to see some good UK comic shops through, too many of the near local ones to me (there used to be two in Maidstone) were too focus on American comics only, no comic mags (like Beano, Dandy etc), and even then, had more 'toys and games and videos' which no comic links at all to make them work as a shop. No offense to anyone, cause I don't mind that TOO much (but I do if they wish to call themselves a comic shop. Something like 'Nostalgia and comics' clearly shows two things, but saying you are a Comic shop and then that is just a minor part can be annoying..

one of them Maidstone ones didn't even like you to get to the Comics.. they covered them in Beanie Babies (anyone remember when they were 'all the rage'? boy, the really rare one that cost people hundreds back then.. go for £5 or so now.. that makes me smile ^_^.

anyway.. It's good to have a list like this of Comic shops that do justice to the name and make people proud. I would love to visit Nostalgia and Comics some time but it's a real journey for me. While it wouldn't be that long via a couple of trains (from me in Hastings to London, underground to the other side of London, train from London to Birmingham), personally,... there are reasons why even London is a bit of a long journey.

paul Mcscotty said...

Yeah I have read a few folk saying that (as you say maybe that is the case inthat area) but Forbidden Planet and "A1 Comics and Toys" in Glasgow also stock small press comics as well (and I seem to recall a couple in Edinburgh shops stocking a good amount of small press comics last time I visited for the festival).

Lew Stringer said...

I take it that's a Forbidden Planet International branch, Paul? (Rivals to Forbidden Planet.) They also own Nostalgia and Comics. By the way, I already have the Edinburgh shops on the list above, unless you mean two others?

Thanks for the shop suggestions, folks. I have a few others to add too, which I'll do tomorrow.

paul Mcscotty said...

I never know the differnece between Forbidden Planet International and Forbidden Planet but I think GLasgow is Forbidden Planet International - sorry I didn't see Deadhead comics on your list in Edinburgh.

Lew Stringer said...

Well, one company has 'International' in its shop logo and the other one doesn't. (Different logo designs too.) The Forbidden Planet-without-International tend not to stock small press and indie comics. Yes, looks like the Glasgow one is FPI. I'll add it to the list.

Anonymous said...

Forbidden Planet DO sell independent comics. Image, Dark Horse, Titan, you name it.

Lew Stringer said...

When we talk about independent / small press comics we mean self-published titles, or those from small publishers, with small print runs. Not every company that's not Marvel or DC. Image hit the big league as soon as Spawn became an instant hit and had a movie based on it.

Francis said...

First Age Comics in Lancaster stocks a lot of small press comics and zines. Particular focus on UK publishers, Breakdown, Landfill etc.

Unknown said...

Geek-a-boo on Queen Street in Glasgow stock small press comics. So do the Waterstones branches in Argyll Street andance Sauchiehall Street. Your website's awesome!

Jonny

Unknown said...

A quick note of appreciation to you, Lew, for putting this hugely helpful list together. Just contacted the retailers on your list about the new Ugly Mug. Now to see whether they bite. Best, Harley

Lew Stringer said...

Thanks. The list is 6 years old now so I don't know if it still applies to all the shops but good luck!

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