I resolve to...

...keep writing.

...dance with myself in the mirror more.

...party like its...wait, what year is it?

...keep smiling for the masses, while silently passing gasses.

...smile so much it hurts my face.

...do dirty things to your couch.

...tolerate things I normally wouldn't.

...stand behind the few decisions I make that change the world.

...reinstate my prior philanthropic ways.

...love my wife more and more each year.

...loathe children more and more each year.

...continue calling friends and family that can't seem to figure out how a fucking phone works.

...promote each and every up and coming artist and writer who impresses me.

...find a shampoo that will address my hyperkeratosis.

...use big words like hyperkeratosis.

...have a full year with no breakdowns or breakdancing.

...cry like a school girl only during sad commercials.

...be a better man.

...pick up my underwear in the bathroom.

...take a walk every once in awhile.

...shimmy while I shake.

...have my gut smaller than my butt.

...tell myself things I won't tell anyone else.

...not dissolve.

Are you offended?

Apparently others are...and this is a hot topic this morning. I got up at the butt ass crack of dawn to meet with a potential printer for our upcoming comic book projects. We provided them with an example of what type of material we were going to produce two weeks ago. Admittedly filled with graphic violence; their representative told us he had shown it to his boss and that it was ok.

Then they show up this morning, look at the book again, tell us they need to go pray because they feel dirty and walk away with a look of disgust. What the fuck?

This came up a couple of months ago with the picture above and another printer. I was informed that this image was offensive and my normal printer would not reproduce this image on a t-shirt. Are you offended? If so, what is so offensive? This is an amazing piece that I commissioned the great Ben Templesmith to produce for me. I have had this on the wall just inside the front door and have yet to have someone complain.

Is it right to force your principles on another in business? Should I refuse to sell superhero books because 99% of them are heaping loads of crap? Should I refuse to sell magic cards to youngsters because it promotes 'satanic ritualistic paganesque principles'?

Fuck you. Get over yourself.

A week off you say?

I have been challenged to address the upcoming 'week without comics' decision made by Diamond Comic Distributors. I should apparently be irate and ready to take a stand against the man for costing me revenue the last week of my fiscal year. How dare they cut off our only revenue source? How will my customers cope?

Nope.

How many independent business owners charged with the day-to-day operations of their business 365 days a year would complain when given an opportunity to take a break? I hope I am not alone. Truth be told, the week after Christmas never generates any significant sales anyway. Shipments are delayed, distributors and manufacturers are taking mental if not physical breaks. Customers frankly need the break too. I can't tell you how many customers I have breathing a sigh of relief that they can spend their hard earned cash on someone other than themselves for one week (ok only 5 confirmed but it is a valid point).

I have not taken two consecutive days off since I went into business for myself; and I am not one to complain, but I will be quick to praise the decision made by the industry to allow us retailers a much needed reprieve. Thank you Diamond, you won't hear that often from me :)

Merry Christmas to all, and to all...a couple days off!

Why Renovate?

Seriously.

Seriously?

Because the store can use a facelift?

Because my store is a shallow lifeless shell in need of a soul?

Truth of the matter is numbers justify the action. To date I have not taken into consideration the amount of square footage I set aside for different items. I have; it just hasn't affected my determination on how I present my inventory. That has changed. With the renovation it should be abundantly clear which items in my store are top sellers based on where they have been placed. The lack of certain items will explain the rest. Changes in overall layout will hopefully have a positive affect on the unexposed potential customer walking by.

Can't you just trust me? Stop asking...you will see and understand soon enough

Here I am.

(Thanks Josh and Stephanie. I am so happy to have another mode to rant.)

Hi ladies and gentlemen. My name is Chuck. If you don't know me, stop reading. If you do know me, you may want to as well. I own a little comic store in Puyallup Washington. Its not much, but it is a living. All humility aside, I am an OCD retailer constantly attempting to improve my store via product updates, renovations, and visual aides hence the name Comic Evolution. Oh, you've heard of us? Good.

While I am pleased with the general direction of the industry during these tough economic times, I am increasingly cynical about many of the products I have to force down the throat of my customers. This will now be my primary venue for psychotherapy. Who better to analyze and diagnose my psychosis than myself?

Stay tuned friends and d-bags...