WHO'S WHO in Your Local Comic Shop (part VI)

Of course, not every apathetic, multiply-pierced clerk is a goth girl...but you get the point.  Whether it's the Extensively-Tatooed Rocker Guy or Barely-Sentient Stoner variations, many of our comic shops are in need of some...how shall I say...slightly less unusual cashiers.

Sure, I get it...we're all outcasts at the comic shop, yada, yada, yada.  But come on...it's getting a little old. 

Or maybe I'm just getting old.

 

Comments

[Naomi]

no kidding, eh?

[John Phelan]

One comic shop I used to shop at had a hot looking Wiccan girl at the counter. I can tell you, sales always picked up when she was in the store.

I've seen goth girls as customers who come in and buy the latest Vertigo titles, but never one as a cashier.

[Mark]

Trust me, I've seen more than a few goth girls workin' the cash register, along with the aforementioned Extensively Tattooed Rockers and Barely Sentient Stoners.

[Timothy Liebe]

And...what other (stereo)type of woman is going to work in a comic book store, pray tell? Though direct trade stores are getting a bit better, too many still have that uncomfortable "No Gurlz!" vibe Neil Gaiman memorably highlighted in SANDMAN going on - so only a Gothgrrl would be willing to put up with working there.

If you want the staff of comic book stores to improve, maybe the overall boys' club atmosphere needs to improve first. There's a reason women shop for their graphic novel entertainment at chain bookstores rather than comic book stores, after all....

Best,
Tim Liebe
Dreaded Spouse-Creature of Tamora Pierce (http://www.tamorapierce.com/ )
- and co-writer of Marvel's upcoming White Tiger comic

[Mark Engblom]

Hey Tim...I completely agree! I've long scratched my head over the boy's club mentality of so many comic shop, and how so many of these guys just can't recognize how big of a turn-off their store atmosphere can be to potential female customers.

That said, it would still be nice to get a more pleasant attitude from some of the more hard-core goth girls running the register. I mean, yeah, I get it. You're hard core....so what?

[Timothy Liebe]

::That said, it would still be nice to get a more pleasant attitude from some of the more hard-core goth girls running the register. I mean, yeah, I get it. You're hard core....so what?::

Okay, Mark - good point there. In the Goth Clerk's defense, she's probably a bit defensive b/c the majority of the male clientele are...less than welcoming to females. I say this b/c I often shop for comics w/my female co-writer (and spouse), and see it for myself. There have been numerous occasions when I have to ask a male clerk for something b/c they treat Tammy like she's invisible, or otherwise unworthy of being served. (I'm not sure whose butt is more burned over that, hers or mine!)

So it's kind of a "chicken and egg" thing, I think: Female Goth Clerks won't be more pleasant until they feel safer and more welcome, and they won't feel safer and more welcome until a larger percentage of their male clientele and coworkers are more pleasant. It might help things some if those of us who are old enough, or socialized enough, to care made a little extra effort to be pleasant to the women staffers in comic book stores, just to see if we could break the cycle....

Best,
Tim Liebe
Dreaded Spouse-Creature of Tamora Pierce (http://www.tamorapierce.com/ ) - and co-author of Marvel's upcoming WHITE TIGER comic!