Patrons, customers, and most importantly, friends: I’ve had the incredible privilege of working at The Comics Place for the last six years, and before I up and leave I wanted to take an opportunity to say a few things from the bottom of my heart: first and foremost, thank you, so very much. It’s kind of hard to believe that I’ve been working at this store since I was 19, awkward and pretty wet behind the ears. I’ve had a multitude of experiences at this job that have definitely shaped who I am today, and I can proudly and confidently say that I am definitely better for it. I’ve also been fortunate enough to have many of you not just as fellow comics fans, but as friends I will treasure for the rest of my life. Some of my most rewarding friendships have been made within the rickety old room at the top of Bay Street Village, talking about shared interests surrounding our friends on the page that take part in incredible adventures every Wednesday. The thing that The Comics Place gave me in the greatest quantities was pride in being a part of the comics community. Before working here, I certainly had a fair amount of obsessive (I.E. unhealthy) fandom with superheroes and their supporting casts, but I never had the sense of community that I now know is so important to the experience of being a comic book fan. Anyone that appeared outwardly nervous about stepping into our weird hole in the wall always became a mission for me to some extent. If you were one of those people, then I hope I put you at least somewhat at ease with a phrase that was, is, and always will be true within the walls of our store: “You’re among friends.” So, before I head off to other things, I wanted to take the time to say thank you, to each and every one of you that helped to make my experience at The Comics Place one of the most rewarding and engaging I’ve ever had. A lot of that thanks, of course, goes to my great team of co-workers, from Art and Roman, all the way through Jeff, Joe, Neill, Annalee, Brian, and Casey. In a lot of ways, I grew up in the store, and each and every one of you that I’ve had the privilege of serving since 2007 has contributed to that. I only have a couple of favors to ask (don’t worry, I don’t need money): never, for one second, lose the pride that comes with being a member of one of the most diverse and inclusive communities in all of media and fandom. Also, never stop believing in the stories being told in your favorite comics, as long as you know you enjoy reading them. Being a part of the comics community is a joyful experience to anyone that opens themselves to it, and anyone that’s walked into our store and engaged with other fans over their common (or uncommon) interests knows exactly what I’m talking about. Thank you so much for the memories, for the laughs, and for the friendships. It’s been an incredible amount of fun in addition to an extraordinary privilege, and although I hate to see it come to an end, I’m told that’s the nature of all good things. Take care, stay in touch, and always be proud. I know I will be. --Chris Clow 8/7/2013
Posted on: Thu, 08 Aug 2013 01:34:57 +0000
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015