west.casey•2mo ago

Hot take: I think the gatekeeping at my local shop, Comic Vault, is actually killing the hobby for new people.

4 comments

4 Comments

nancyg142mo ago

Gatekeeping" reminds me of this one shop that quizzed my niece on Silver Age trivia just to buy a Ms. Marvel comic.

jana_black2mo ago

That "quiz" might have been the owner trying to connect. Comic shops get kids who just want the hot cover then bail on the hobby. Asking a question shows they care about the stories, not just the trend. It's a tough business and they want to build real readers. Your niece could have just said she was new and they'd probably have helped her more.

jana8812mo ago

Wow, I actually used to totally side with @nancyg14 on stuff like this. I saw any question as a gatekeeping test. But your point about the shop owner's side really hits different. They're not trying to scare people off, they're trying to find the ones who actually want to talk comics. It's a way to spot who might become a regular customer versus someone just grabbing a single trendy issue. That quiz @nancyg14 mentioned sounds harsh, but maybe the owner was just using a really bad way to try and start a conversation. It makes sense they'd want to build a community of readers, not just sell single covers.

blakestone2mo ago

Ever read that old comic where the shop guy scares off a new reader? Saw a blog post about it. The writer said those questions are a failed handshake, not a locked door. Makes you wonder how many future fans just walked out. The intent might be good but the delivery kills it. A simple "what got you into comics" works way better than a trivia test.