The Evans location of Gotham Newsstand closed down after six and a half years of business. The comic book shop, owned by Peter Hensel, has officially moved to 10109 Broadway St. The switch comes at a tumultuous time for Hensel as he seeks to rebrand the comic shop and his endeavors.
“Our Broadway store also is more centrally located, and while the multiple generations of comic stores give the address of the Evans space a built-in audience, we found out people drew conclusions linking us to the previous two comic store owners there,” Hensel commented. “And we feel that at the Evans location, we were more editing an existing idea of a store, whereas we feel more like we can build Broadway into the comic store that we want it to be.”
The Broadway comic shop features the latest issues of major publishers, alongside indie comics. Hensel also has a display dedicated to his comic creations, which includes “Suspense Stories of the Silent.”
“Suspense Stories of the Silent” acts as nearly an anthological telling of the Silent’s adventures, although Hensel has plans to release a trade paperback version with an overarching narrative.
“I feel that the real breakthrough is going to come when I compile material into a graphic novel collection, as I have a coherent narrative in mind,” Hensel remarked. “As you probably read from number two, it feels more like unconnected moments and pages of pop-art production rather than a long-form story.”
The series is part of the reason why Hensel has transitioned away from the two stores and into one. He finds himself wanting to pour more energy into his creative side and helping to spotlight up-and-coming artists.
“Number five I have already drawn and have maybe two months of scanning, design, lettering and coloring to do before the month of print production happens. Fingers crossed February we’ll see number five,” Hensel stated regarding his “Suspense Stories of the Silent” comic series.
Hensel is eager to produce more content related to his comic book. He already has plans for issues six and seven. Until then, shoppers have the opportunity to explore the worlds of familiar favorites or venture into new territory with an indie title.
Boxes upon boxes of past installments fill the building’s main room. Off in a side room, shelves are lined with graphic novels and omnibuses. The stories range from the Marvel superhero to a biography of Audrey Hepburn.
While many shops shy away from discounts on merchandise and often hike up the prices, deeming the piece “a collectible,” Hensel revels in customer deals. He has a shelf of omnibuses offered at discounted prices, and for November, he offers a buy-two-get-one-free sale on all graphic novels.
With its amazing prices, Gotham Newsstand is clearly in tune with its customers. The friendly staff, which includes Jesus Cosme and Michelle Alejandro, further amplifies the shop’s emphasis on customer service and satisfaction. Strike up a conversation, and Alejandro will begin spurting comic reference after comic reference. Discussions of a newspaper quickly derailed into a historical lesson of news agencies in comics and a quick plug for “Absolute Superman.” Cosme, on the other hand, is the expert on indie comics. He tends to stick to the miniseries, much preferring a crisp narrative than filler issues. He currently recommends Jason Aaron’s ongoing “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” series. With a knowledgeable staff, Gotham Newsstand becomes the perfect place for anxious, new readers to make the jump into comics.
Alongside the physical shop, Hensel also runs the company’s Ebay page. If the physical storefront does not carry a certain issue, customers can always check online. If customers already know what they are looking for, Gotham Newsstand offers the ability to pre-order or create a subscription, that way readers will never miss an episode of their favorite character’s shenanigans.
Gotham Newsstand is open Sunday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., while on Friday and Saturday, the store is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. New comics are released on Wednesday, with the store opening a half hour earlier than usual at 10:30 a.m. and closing at 6 p.m. Stop by to browse, talk comics and even — if so lucky — be graced by the presence of the owner’s cat.
