From Las Vegas... The ATOMIC BOMB! Well... Actually From The Atomic Testing Site Museum In Las Vegas! - Top Photo:  Tina LoSasso & Michael D Hamersky 'with' Miss Atomic Bomb 1957! - At the Top Left: Tina and Michael at the Ticket Booth of the Atomic Testing Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada!  - At the Middle Left: From 1946 - The #1 and only 'Atomic Bomb' comic book! - At the Bottom Left: From October 1946 - Action Comics #101 Featuring Superman photographing the Atomic Bomb! -

TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3315:

Tina and I arrived back home last night from Las Vegas, after a 6 & 3/4 hour drive... We hit rain and snow and a lot of trafic, but I understood that it took another person who left Vegas on Sunday, 14 hours to get to Los Angeles!  So traffic had to be crawling on Sunday.  Definitely NOT a good way to start of the New Year with a Bang!

Talking about going out with a bang, or in with a bang, Tina and I visited the Atomic Testing Museum in Las Vegas this trip!

Although I've been to Las Vegas several times before, I had never stopped in at this museum...

Of course I know there are comic book collectors who collect by subject, in this case... Comic Book Covers with Atomic Bombs... So I wondered if there would be any comic books in the museum? 

Well, I wonder no longer! Instead of the two comic book covers I chose to print here, (at the top left), the Atomic Testing Museum had copies of Superboy #115 from September 1964, and Li'L Abner in 'Operation Survival' from 1957!  The  latter was a promo comic where Li'L Abner just appeared on the front cover.  The story takes place in 'Centerville', which happens to be disaster-prone! In this case an atomic bomb is being threatened to be set off!

You may notice the lack of photos from inside the Atomic Bomb Testing Museum... Well, it wasn't until we arrived there that we were immediately told that the Museum did not allow photos inside!

It cost us $12 each to see the insides of this museum.  Some of the items I wanted to take photos of are shown on the museum's own web site.  Yet we were told no photos due to copyright infringements...

This 'no photos' policy extended to their 'gift shop' area also.  So to take a photo of something, you would have to buy it and then take it out to the expansive lobby to photograph it?!  Go figure!

Very poor photo policy on this museum's part, IMO!  I normally do not write negative reviews in this Blog of mine.  

But in this case, it is well deserved!  What items are inside this museum that would impose a 'copyright infringement'?  This policy is inane, IMO.

The musuem's exhibits are very interesting, and held our attention, but the frustration of not being able to take photos even in the gift shop is taking the 'no photos' policy way too far!

The museum is five years old, and when we were there, was poorly attended. I see nowhere on the museum's web site about a 'no photos' policy, nor do I see it mentioned on their Facebook Fan Page...

Although I enjoyed seeing the exhibits inside this museum... As I'm a history 'nut'... Save YOUR money for the other museums in Las Vegas that allow you to take photos... That's all I have to say here...

Michael D Hamersky, of 'Michael D Hamersky On Comics' - my New Facebook Fan Page, and Facebook Comic Con | Make It So Marketing - my Facebook Group Page which is under the 'virtual umbrella' of 'Facebook Comic Con'! Plus of course this blog, ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com! 

--------------

My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now at 3,315 total posts in number! I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!

BTW, You can 'follow' this Blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app!  We currently have over 2,100 'Followers'!  Thanks to ALL of YOU that have already clicked that button!  And for those of YOU that haven't yet...I would appreciate it if YOU would!!!

Note: Our online comic book shop carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items at the link seen below.

Holidays Note: The online store is closed till the 1st week of January 2011. So none of the listings are showing at this time.  

http://www.comicbookscircus.com/

 

---

 

"Hammering Out the Web For You Since May 12th, 1998!"       Note: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email us press releases, news items, and updates that you feel would be of interest to our blog readers. Including YOUR own works! To mail printed items to us for possible review, send to:   Make It So Marketing Inc. PO Box 130653 Carlsbad, CA 92013   ComicBooksCircus.com - It's Under The Big Top Of Comics! Click the Above Circus Tent to See Our Current Listings!

My thanks to those of YOU that have read today's blog post! I do appreciate that! For those of you that didn't know me before today... I first set up as a 'dealer' at the 1972 San Diego West Coast Comic Con (SDCC) at the El Cortez Hotel. So I've been around comic conventions for a little while, LOL!   My wife Tina and I now have an on-line exhibitor (dealer) table at the first "virtual" comic con titled the "Facebook Comic Con" (FBCC)!   You can view our dealer table and interact with us there on Facebook by clicking this link, which takes you to our table named: 'Facebook Comic Con | Make It So Marketing'. Plus I have a chapter in a new book coming out in December of 2010, that is pictured above, "Gotham City 14 Miles"!  Click here to become a 'Fan' of the GC14M Facebook Fan Page!.     Also, if you are a Facebook member and would like to also join my Facebook Network, I would have liked to have sent you a Friend Request.  However,  I have reached the maximum of 5,000 Facebook Friends and Fan pages 'limit' already, so I have now added on a personal Facebook Fan Page of my own! Just click this link to be taken to 'Michael D Hamersky On Comics' where you can click the 'Like' button there! And Thanks!         ------------------- Talking about comics: if YOU are a comics creator, (writer, penciler, inker, colorist, letterer, etc.), OR even a Comics / Magazine Publisher, feel free to contact me regarding YOUR works for a possible mention / review! I've made a special blog post about: "How To Best Submit YOUR Publication For Possible Review!" for those creators / publishers that would like to possibly have their publications mentioned or reviewed. Just click on the link provided in this paragraph! ~Michael @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com   WEB PAGE NOTE:  This blog post is written for the IE Browser standards. Chrome, Safarai, Netscape, Firefox and the others serve the page up differently, sorry about that! The screen display x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer. NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

 

- Happy New Year... From Las Vegas! - (Top Photo:)  Starting off the Year 2011 with three sets of fireworks that we could easily see! Above is Planet Hollywood's! - (At the Top Right:) Tina and Michael taking elevator down to 'The (closed) Strip' in Las Vegas.   - (At the Second Right:) Paris, France... No... Paris, Las Vegas, Nevada! - (At the Third Right:)  Tina told me that attendees at the Coldplay Concert in the Cosmopolitan paid up to 5K to see it in person. It was shown on a large screen with sound for Free on The Strip! - (At the Fourth Right:) Tina and Michael on 'The Strip' before we were joined by 280,000 others in attendance! - (At the Fifth  Right:) All kinds of neon signs were displaying why all 280,000 people were out in 28 degree weather! - (At the Sixth Right Photo:) 19 seconds countdown to the New Year 2011!  - (At The Seventh Right:) Just one shot I took of the fireworks shot off the rooftop of the Aria.  We were right in front of Planet Hollywood, and could see Aria very well also, and MGM Grand.  But for me...The Planet Hollywood Fireworks were best!  - (At the Eighth Right:) Tina taking photo of Michael videotaping about 4 minutes of the 8+ minutes fireworks!  After I upload it to my Facebook page(s), I'll post a link to it here! - - NOTE: You can see a much larger view of the photos if you 'right click' on the photos using the Firefox browser - using option 'view image'! - - - - -   -

TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3314:

Tina and I want to wish ALL of our Blog readers, Facebook Fan Page fans, Facebook Group Page members, and everyone else that reads this blog post...

A Very Happy New Year from Las Vegas!!

Tina and I have closed the book promotion service, and the online comic book shop / social media promotions, long enough to take in a Holidays Excursion to Las Vegas / Kingman areas, as I blogged about yesterday in Blog #3313.

The photos at the top and the top right are just a few of the 1810 pics taken with our new camera from Christmas, but No... I'm not going to bore you with family vacation photos in this blog post.  Well, just 9 of them, as shown above, LOL!

We both thank all of YOU that have read this Blog during the past year, and look forward to sharing with you more pics from this trip, which include stopping at Local Comic Book Shops, like 'Velvet Underground' and 'Alternate Reality Comics' in Las Vegas, plus one more named 'Comic Oasis', and another one that is brand new in Kingman, Arizona!

I'll be sharing more pics and info from our trip including photos from the Andy Devine Collection in Kingman, Route 66 Museum also in Kingman, plus museums in Las Vegas that you wouldn't think would have a 'comics' connection!

But more on that in the days / weeks to follow!

Again, Our Best Wishes to YOU for the 2011 Year!

--------------

Plus... My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now at 3,314 total posts in number! I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!

BTW, You can 'follow' this Blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app!  We currently have over 2,100 'Followers'!  Thanks to ALL of YOU that have already clicked that button!  And for those of YOU that haven't yet...I would appreciate it if YOU would!!!

Note: Our online comic book shop carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items at the link seen below.

Holidays Note: The online store is closed till the 1st week of January 2011. So none of the listings are showing at this time.  

http://www.comicbookscircus.com/

 

---

 

"Hammering Out the Web For You Since May 12th, 1998!"       Note: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email us press releases, news items, and updates that you feel would be of interest to our blog readers. Including YOUR own works! To mail printed items to us for possible review, send to:   Make It So Marketing Inc. PO Box 130653 Carlsbad, CA 92013   ComicBooksCircus.com - It's Under The Big Top Of Comics! Click the Above Circus Tent to See Our Current Listings!

My thanks to those of YOU that have read today's blog post! I do appreciate that! For those of you that didn't know me before today... I first set up as a 'dealer' at the 1972 San Diego West Coast Comic Con (SDCC) at the El Cortez Hotel. So I've been around comic conventions for a little while, LOL!   My wife Tina and I now have an on-line exhibitor (dealer) table at the first "virtual" comic con titled the "Facebook Comic Con" (FBCC)!   You can view our dealer table and interact with us there on Facebook by clicking this link, which takes you to our table named: 'Facebook Comic Con | Make It So Marketing'. Plus I have a chapter in a new book coming out in December of 2010, that is pictured above, "Gotham City 14 Miles"!  Click here to become a 'Fan' of the GC14M Facebook Fan Page!.     Also, if you are a Facebook member and would like to also join my Facebook Network, I would have liked to have sent you a Friend Request.  However,  I have reached the maximum of 5,000 Facebook Friends and Fan pages 'limit' already, so I have now added on a personal Facebook Fan Page of my own! Just click this link to be taken to 'Michael D Hamersky On Comics' where you can click the 'Like' button there! And Thanks!         ------------------- Talking about comics: if YOU are a comics creator, (writer, penciler, inker, colorist, letterer, etc.), OR even a Comics / Magazine Publisher, feel free to contact me regarding YOUR works for a possible mention / review! I've made a special blog post about: "How To Best Submit YOUR Publication For Possible Review!" for those creators / publishers that would like to possibly have their publications mentioned or reviewed. Just click on the link provided in this paragraph! ~Michael @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com   WEB PAGE NOTE:  This blog post is written for the IE Browser standards. Chrome, Safarai, Netscape, Firefox and the others serve the page up differently, sorry about that! The screen display x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer. NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

 

- Ringing In The New Year... - (Top Photo:)  ...'With' Roy Rogers,as seen on the front cover of Roy Rogers Comics #85 - January 1955! - (At the Top Right:) ...On Roy Rogers Drive in Victorville. Close to where the Original Roy Rogers Museum was in Apple Valley... Sadly the Branson, Missouri Museum where the Original was moved to,  closed this year...   - (At the Second Right:) ...From Stateline / Primm, Nevada. Enroute to Las Vegas for our Holidays Excursion! - (At the Third Right:)  ...From Pahrump Winery in where else(?)... Pahrump, NV! We do take in more than just LCBS on our vacation trips! LOL. - (At the Fourth Right:) ...From the only 'disappointment' so far this trip, Blue Diamond, NV.  Contrary to the travel guides, there isn't anything to see there! - (At the Fifth  Right:) ...From Spring Mountain Ranch Park.  Excellent diversion for us, at the Ranch that Vera Krupp owned, and then Howard Hughes! - (At the Sixth Right Photo:) ...From Red Rock Canyon. Tina LoSasso and Michael D Hamersky at the visitor center's outlook to this area, which reminded us of Sedona, Arizona!  - (At The Seventh Right:) ...From the Velvet Underground LCBS in Las Vegas, where we met my Facebook Friend and his wife! (L-R) Michael D Hamersky, Tina LoSasso, Diane Okano, Patrick Okano.  - (At the Eighth Right:) ...From the Hoover Dam in Boulder City, Nevada. Very windy day.  You should see some of the shots taken! - Please Note: Our Online Comic Book Shop Is Closed Until the 1st Week of the New Year.  The Store Aisles will be refilled at that time with 'goodies' that we pick up on this Holidays Trip! - - - - - -   - NOTE: You can see a larger view of the pics if you right click on the above photos using the Firefox browser - 'view image'!

TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3313:

Tina and I want to wish ALL of our Blog readers, Facebook Fan Page fans, Facebook Group Page members, and everyone else that reads this blog post...

A Very Happy New Year from Las Vegas!!

Tina and I have closed the book promotion services, and the online comic book shop / social media promotions, long enough to take in a Holidays Excursion to Las Vegas / Kingman areas.

The photos at the top right are just a few of the over 1450 pics taken with our new camera from Christmas, but No... I'm not going to bore you with family photos in this blog post.  Well, just 8 of them, as shown above, LOL!

We both thank all of YOU that have read this Blog during the past year, and look forward to sharing with you more pics from this trip, which include stopping at Local Comic Book Shops, like 'Velvet Underground' and 'Alternate Reality Comics' in Las Vegas, and another one that is brand new in Kingman, Arizona that we just visited last night!

Plus more pics and info from our trip including photos from the Andy Devine Collection in Kingman, Route 66 in Kingman, plus museums in Las Vegas that you wouldn't think would have a 'comics' connection!

But more on that Next Year!  Starting tomorrow!  WoW!

Again, Our Best Wishes to YOU for the Upcoming 2011 Year!

I'm posting this blog a 'little early' this last day of 2010, as we will be checking out more museums in Las Vegas today, and then be on 'The Strip' tonight, which closes down several hours before midnight to traffic.  Only pedestrians are allowed on 'The Strip', so we have to be back to our room before then in the early evening!

--------------

Plus... My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now at 3,313 total posts in number! The number '13' is my 'lucky number', so I find it strange to end the 2010 year with blog #3313... I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!

BTW, You can 'follow' this Blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app!  We currently have over 2,100 'Followers'!  Thanks to ALL of YOU that have already clicked that button!  And for those of YOU that haven't yet...I would appreciate it if YOU would!!!

Note: Our online comic book shop carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items at the link seen below.

Holidays Note: The online store is closed till the 1st week of January 2011. So none of the listings are showing at this time.  

http://www.comicbookscircus.com/

 

---

 

"Hammering Out the Web For You Since May 12th, 1998!"       Note: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email us press releases, news items, and updates that you feel would be of interest to our blog readers. Including YOUR own works! To mail printed items to us for possible review, send to:   Make It So Marketing Inc. PO Box 130653 Carlsbad, CA 92013   ComicBooksCircus.com - It's Under The Big Top Of Comics! Click the Above Circus Tent to See Our Current Listings!

My thanks to those of YOU that have read today's blog post! I do appreciate that! For those of you that didn't know me before today... I first set up as a 'dealer' at the 1972 San Diego West Coast Comic Con (SDCC) at the El Cortez Hotel. So I've been around comic conventions for a little while, LOL!   My wife Tina and I now have an on-line exhibitor (dealer) table at the first "virtual" comic con titled the "Facebook Comic Con" (FBCC)!   You can view our dealer table and interact with us there on Facebook by clicking this link, which takes you to our table named: 'Facebook Comic Con | Make It So Marketing'. Plus I have a chapter in a new book coming out in December of 2010, that is pictured above, "Gotham City 14 Miles"!  Click here to become a 'Fan' of the GC14M Facebook Fan Page!.     Also, if you are a Facebook member and would like to also join my Facebook Network, I would have liked to have sent you a Friend Request.  However,  I have reached the maximum of 5,000 Facebook Friends and Fan pages 'limit' already, so I have now added on a personal Facebook Fan Page of my own! Just click this link to be taken to 'Michael D Hamersky On Comics' where you can click the 'Like' button there! And Thanks!         ------------------- Talking about comics: if YOU are a comics creator, (writer, penciler, inker, colorist, letterer, etc.), OR even a Comics / Magazine Publisher, feel free to contact me regarding YOUR works for a possible mention / review! I've made a special blog post about: "How To Best Submit YOUR Publication For Possible Review!" for those creators / publishers that would like to possibly have their publications mentioned or reviewed. Just click on the link provided in this paragraph! ~Michael @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com   WEB PAGE NOTE:  This blog post is written for the IE Browser standards. Chrome, Safarai, Netscape, Firefox and the others serve the page up differently, sorry about that! The screen display x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer. NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

 

Alternate Reality Comics In Vegas  "An Alternate Universe Comic Book Shop!"* 4110 S Maryland Pkwy #8 Las Vegas, NV 89119 (702) 736-3673 * Per Tina LoSasso! - - - Top Photo:  Ralph Mathieu, Owner of 'Alternate Reality Comics' LCBS In Las Vegas, with Michael D Hamersky! - At the Top Left: The exterior photo shot of this LCBS!  - At the Second Left: From the front door... The 1st interior shot of this LCBS! - At the Third Left:  Ralph has had this LCBS for 16 years! He starting reading comics in 1975. - At the Fourth Left: Ralph showing us where the comic book signing events are held. The area is normally stocked with the Dollar Bin Comics & Comics Supplies. - At the Fifth (Bottom) Left: Michael and Tina at the LCBS. - Note: You can see a larger view of the pics if you right click on the photos using the Firefox browser. And then left click 'view image'. -

TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3312:

Tina and I had another great day yesterday... Traveling to Hoover Dam in Boulder City, Nevada, but that's a story for another blog!

On the way back to our hotel we stopped in Las Vegas at the #1 recommended Local Comic Book Shop by my Facebook Friends!

When I say the #1 recommended... I'm talking about the responses I received when I queried my Facebook Friends on what 2 - 3 stores I should stop in at during our holiday vacation in the Las Vegas Metro Area.

This LCBS really interested my wife, Tina LoSasso, enough that I asked her on her opinion of this LCBS.  For those of you that don't know, Tina is a 'mainstream' reader, and only reads graphic novels TPBs, and a few floppy comics that would interest the general public. She has her own business promoting non-fiction books and conducting Amazon Book Launches.  I'm the comic book fanboy!

Here's Tina's post:

There are a ton of positives for Alternative Reality Comics:

-- Owner Ralph is extremely customer service oriented. He greeted us the moment we walked in. He seemed to know everyone else and greeted them by name. The store is set up with customers in mind. Here's how:

-- Displays of comics, books, and graphic novels are themed: horror, crime, humor, Alan Moore (Ralph's fav), you get the picture. This makes it easy for readers of one genre to find more great stuff that they're sure to love. It's also super easy to find what you're looking for.

-- The inventory is wide ranging. I discovered a bunch of indie and small press books by people that Michael and I know like Batton Lash (Wolff & Bryd), Derek McCulloch (Pug), and the team at Archaia Entertainment(Syndrome).

-- Like a great bookstore, there were small signs with "Recommended" or "New" next to some books, in addition to the genre designations. Another great way to help shoppers find something they might otherwise miss.

-- It's a comic book shop - not a gaming or toy shop. There are some toys, but not tons of dusty boxes piled to the ceiling as in many shops.

-- The store is clean and well-lit with aisles you can walk through easily without having to squeeze past other shoppers. There's even a table for people perusing the $1 boxes.

-- I also enjoyed the movie and comic book posters that lined the walls.

One "negative"

-- The $1 boxes are hard to navigate. There's no rhyme or reason to how they are organized, at least that I could see.

All in all, Alternate Reality Comics is like being in an Alternative Universe where the comic book stores are CLEAN, the salespeople friendly and helpful AND, there's no dust! Don't miss it the next time you're in Vegas!!

~Tina!

--------------------------------

Thanks, Tina, for the above review of this LCBS!

Here's my 'take' on this LCBS:

As stated above at the beginning of this post, this LCBS in Las Vegas was the #1 recommended LCBS by my Facebook Friends for us to stop in at during our holidays vacation. 

Traveling in the dark from Hoover Dam in the Southeast to the LCBS for the 1st time, I drove into this LCBS's old location parking lot, and found a deserted store, which had the neon signage and graphics on the windows.  That was surprising! I had no knowledge of this and was a little 'put off' that it would be closed during what would be normal operating hours!  Thank goodness for the small paper sign on the window that it had moved further North up the same street!

So I was pleasantly surprised to find the LCBS had moved from a location that was run down, to a better shopping center strip, as seen in the top left photo.

I could see from the front door as I entered, (second photo), that this would be a LCBS that Tina would probably like. I was definitely right in this thought, as seen by Tina's review above!

I found that the sections that were in their own racks and physically separated from other sections, had their own genre of comics / graphic novels / TPBs.  Humour in one section, HoRRoR in another, and in the photo immediately above these paragraphs of mine... comics classics collections, like 'The Art of Steve Ditko' that I am shown holding.

The Dollar Bins area was very well lit and the table placed there so that the customer could pull down or out a box and then place on that table was a cool idea! 

The fact that the comic supplies were placed on its own table was great merchandising! Too many times I have to ask where comics supplies are in a store!

Ralph was very knowledgable on new (Modern Age) comics and graphic novels.  He had two showcases of Silver Age Comics, which he is just getting into selling at this LCBS.

As Tina stated, Ralph is very customer oriented.  Would you believe that for the Last Wednesday New Comics Day of 2010, (yesterday when we visited), he had Free Vegan Ronald's Donuts near the check out counter for customers?!   Plus a new club sheet for titles coming out the next three months!  I noticed his 'pull' sections for subscribing customers were pretty large also, behind the check out counter...

There was a steady stream of customers coming in last night.  Of course it was the Last Wednesday New Comics Day of the year, but Ralph called each customer by name, picked their 'pulls' from behind the counter, and still had a lively conversation with us!

I found that Ralph knew his 'stuff', and had the most organized store I've seen in ages, (Tina called it the Barnes & Nobles of comic book shops!), and knew the merchandising of comics very well.

He should, as he has been doing for 16 years now, and has been reading comics since 1975! 

Matter of fact, his LCBS was one of the finalists in 1998 for the The Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award!

That award is "presented under the auspices of Comic-Con International: San Diego, is given to an individual retailer who has done an outstanding job of supporting the comics art medium both in the community and within the industry at large".

I can see why this store was nominated for this award, after visting Ralph Mathieu's newly re-located LCBS!

 All in all, I would agree with the Facebook Friends of mine that suggested that this should be one of the two to three LCBS that I should visit in the Las Vegas Metro Area!  Thanks Facebook Friends!

Plus many thanks to Ralph Mathieu, owner, who even though it was a busy Last Wednesday New Comics Day of the 2010 Year, spent a lot of time with both Tina and myself talking about his store.

I would have to agree with Tina, and my Facebook Friends.  When YOU next go to Las Vegas, and want that 'new comics fix', this is so close to The Strip that I would also personally recommend it for those looking for 'NEW comics / graphic novels / TPBs', while on vacation in Vegas!

YOU can find Ralph's Facebook Fan Page for Alternate Reality Comics Las Vegas here. (The Alternate Reality Comics LCBS in Chicago is NOT affiliated with Ralph's LCBS).

YOU can find his shop's web site here.

Happy Holidays to all reading this blog post during the last days of 2010!  New Year's Eve is coming up fast!

~Michael D Hamersky, of 'Michael D Hamersky On Comics' - my New Facebook Fan Page, and Facebook Comic Con | Make It So Marketing - my Facebook Group Page which is under the 'virtual umbrella' of 'Facebook Comic Con'! Plus of course this blog, ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com! 

--------------

My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now over 3,310 total posts in number! I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!

BTW, You can 'follow' this Blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app!  We currently have over 2,100 'Followers'!  Thanks to ALL of YOU that have already clicked that button!  And for those of YOU that haven't yet...I would appreciate it if YOU would!!!

Note: Our online comic book shop carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items at the link seen below.

Holidays Note: The online store is closed till the 1st week of January 2011. So none of the listings are showing at this time.  

http://www.comicbookscircus.com/

 

---

 

"Hammering Out the Web For You Since May 12th, 1998!"       Note: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email us press releases, news items, and updates that you feel would be of interest to our blog readers. Including YOUR own works! To mail printed items to us for possible review, send to:   Make It So Marketing Inc. PO Box 130653 Carlsbad, CA 92013   ComicBooksCircus.com - It's Under The Big Top Of Comics! Click the Above Circus Tent to See Our Current Listings!

My thanks to those of YOU that have read today's blog post! I do appreciate that! For those of you that didn't know me before today... I first set up as a 'dealer' at the 1972 San Diego West Coast Comic Con (SDCC) at the El Cortez Hotel. So I've been around comic conventions for a little while, LOL!   My wife Tina and I now have an on-line exhibitor (dealer) table at the first "virtual" comic con titled the "Facebook Comic Con" (FBCC)!   You can view our dealer table and interact with us there on Facebook by clicking this link, which takes you to our table named: 'Facebook Comic Con | Make It So Marketing'. Plus I have a chapter in a new book coming out in December of 2010, that is pictured above, "Gotham City 14 Miles"!  Click here to become a 'Fan' of the GC14M Facebook Fan Page!.     Also, if you are a Facebook member and would like to also join my Facebook Network, I would have liked to have sent you a Friend Request.  However,  I have reached the maximum of 5,000 Facebook Friends and Fan pages 'limit' already, so I have now added on a personal Facebook Fan Page of my own! Just click this link to be taken to 'Michael D Hamersky On Comics' where you can click the 'Like' button there! And Thanks!         ------------------- Talking about comics: if YOU are a comics creator, (writer, penciler, inker, colorist, letterer, etc.), OR even a Comics / Magazine Publisher, feel free to contact me regarding YOUR works for a possible mention / review! I've made a special blog post about: "How To Best Submit YOUR Publication For Possible Review!" for those creators / publishers that would like to possibly have their publications mentioned or reviewed. Just click on the link provided in this paragraph! ~Michael @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com   WEB PAGE NOTE:  This blog post is written for the IE Browser standards. Chrome, Safarai, Netscape, Firefox and the others serve the page up differently, sorry about that! The screen display x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer. NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

 

It's The Velvet Underground - A LCBS In Las Vegas! 4241 W Charleston Blvd # H Las Vegas, NV 89102-1611 (702) 258-2689 - - - Top Photo:  Steven (The Riddler) Riddle, owner of the 'Velvet Underground' with Michael D Hamersky! - At the Top Left: The exterior shot of the LCBS!  - At the Second Left: After seeing the exterior, I was stunned to see the interior of this LCBS! - At the Third Left:  Even more foliage for the store! - At the Fourth Left: A showcase featuring Silver Age Comics. - At the Fifth (Bottom) Left: Michael in the filming section. (See this link.) -

TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3311:

Tina and I had a great day yesterday... Traveling to Pahrump to do a wine tasting at the Pahrump Winery, but that's another blog post for the future!

We then drove to Blue Diamond, Spring Mountain Ranch, and Red Rock Canyon.  To end the day, we stopped in at the 'Velvet Underground' Local Comic Book Shop (LCBS) in Las Vegas!

Why this LCBS out of the 10 that I'm aware of in the area?

Well, I asked a question last week on my Facebook Member Page, Fan Page, and Group Page, as to what 2-3 LCBS in the Las Vegas Metro Area that my Facebook Friends or Fans would recommend!

This 'Velvet Underground' LCBS was one of the two top vote getters!  So realizing that we would be ending at the North end of Las Vegas yesterday... I planned to exit out of Red Rock Canyon onto West Charleston where this LCBS is located.

It is a loooong way from Red Rock Canyon driving on West Charleston to drive East toward the I-15!  So I would recommend coming up the I-15 and driving West!  We were driving in the dark, so I overshot it, as Tina saw the street number, but not the LCBS.

Turning around, I came by the address again, and turned in.  The 'shopping center' is an L shaped area, with the top of the 'L' facing the street. Not well lighted at night, and the LCBS is at the back of the center.  It stayed open till 6PM on Tuesday.

I saw the lights for the LCBS, drove up close to it and parked.  The top left photo shows the exterior at night.  The rest of the shopss in this center are varied in nature.

I took a few pics of the exterior... Tina took a few pics of me at the front window, before we went in. 

Walking in, I was 'floored' by all the foliage!  That was very intriguing right from the start! (2nd photo top left.)  I have been to a LOT of LCBS in my days... but this was truly a 'Unique LCBS'!  Steven Riddle incorporates his other business, (Crafting this foliage), into his LCBS. It added a lot of 'Flavor' to this LCBS, which is 3300 square feet.

The third photo at the top left shows that the whole LCBS is immersed in this foliage, and makes for a pleasant visit while inside the shop.

But YOU don't go to a LCBS for just scenery, right?!  The fourth photo at the top left shows just some of the 'Silver Age' comics that Steven has for sale.

The fifth photo at the top left is the section that Steven is using to film his new videos about his LCBS.  The latest video was on Vampirella, so I couldn't help but ask Tina to take a photo of me in the area!  (Thanks Tina and Steven!)

At the top right is a photo of Steven (The Riddler) Riddle and myself.  Near the bottom right of this blog post is a photo of 'The Riddler' incorporated into a display, which is 'play' on the Riddler name.  Due to industry corporate policies, Steven can no longer advertise with the 'Riddler' signage. 

Steven has had this LCBS for about 20-21 years.  Due to information gathered from Facebook Friends, including Patrick Okano, who we met there with his wife Diana, (Hi!), I was able to piece out the history of this LCBS.

It seems that Steven first started his LCBS 'Velvet Underground' in a warehouse space over near the Fantastik Indoor Swap Meet. From what I gather that 'little garage' like structure was 'way cool'.  Steven moved the LCBS to this location, and had not, until just 3 months ago moved into the 'internet age'.  A good friend gave him a laptop, and now he has a Facebook Fan Page for the LCBS, and his web site is a YouTube video display type of site. 

I enjoyed visiting the LCBS, and so did my wife Tina. The 'pros' of visiting this shop are a good selection of comics from the Silver Age to current Modern Age.  The LCBS has a good decor with the foliage inside, making for a pleasant shopping experience for both Tina and myself.

The 'Cons' are that the shop is a little hard to find in the evening when it is dark, and that the boxes and boxes of back issues are not indvidually priced.  Which makes it hard for the traveler with a time limit to fully enjoy the selection.  We were there from 5 - 6 PM last night, (Tuesday).

However, as I thumbed throught the back issue boxes, I found the selection to be varied and worth the trip for someone visiting Las Vegas with a little more time.  Plus Steven mentioned that all I had to do was pull individual issues and he would price them fairly for me.  Tina also noticed the varied selection of new comics and magazines. 

The staff that was there last night was attempting to finalize the Diamond order, and Steven needed to finish it before the evening was through.  Thus I decided not to ask too many specific questions on back issues, and just enjoyed seeing his LCBS as a first time visitor.

I also want to thank Claudia, who took the time to orient me to the shop, while Steven was helping other customers. 

All in all, I would agree with the Facebook Friends of mine that suggested that this be one of the two-three LCBS that I should visit in the Las Vegas Metro Area!  Thanks Friends!

Plus many thanks to Steven Riddle, who would have loved to show me more of his LCBS, etc. A gracious host!

YOU can find his new Facebook Fan Page here.

YOU can find his new web site at YouTube here.

Special thanks to Patrick and Diana Okano for meeting us at this LCBS!

Happy Holidays to all reading this blog post during the last days of 2010!

Michael D Hamersky, of 'Michael D Hamersky On Comics' - my New Facebook Fan Page, and Facebook Comic Con | Make It So Marketing - my Facebook Group Page which is under the 'virtual umbrella' of 'Facebook Comic Con'! Plus of course this blog, ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com! 

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My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now over 3,310 total posts in number! I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!

BTW, You can 'follow' this Blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app!  We currently have over 2,100 'Followers'!  Thanks to ALL of YOU that have already clicked that button!  And for those of YOU that haven't yet...I would appreciate it if YOU would!!!

Note: Our online comic book shop carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items at the link seen below.

Holidays Note: The online store is closed till the 1st week of January 2011. So none of the listings are showing at this time.  

http://www.comicbookscircus.com/

 

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"Hammering Out the Web For You Since May 12th, 1998!"       Note: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email us press releases, news items, and updates that you feel would be of interest to our blog readers. Including YOUR own works! To mail printed items to us for possible review, send to:   Make It So Marketing Inc. PO Box 130653 Carlsbad, CA 92013   ComicBooksCircus.com - It's Under The Big Top Of Comics! Click the Above Circus Tent to See Our Current Listings!

My thanks to those of YOU that have read today's blog post! I do appreciate that! For those of you that didn't know me before today... I first set up as a 'dealer' at the 1972 San Diego West Coast Comic Con (SDCC) at the El Cortez Hotel. So I've been around comic conventions for a little while, LOL!   My wife Tina and I now have an on-line exhibitor (dealer) table at the first "virtual" comic con titled the "Facebook Comic Con" (FBCC)!   You can view our dealer table and interact with us there on Facebook by clicking this link, which takes you to our table named: 'Facebook Comic Con | Make It So Marketing'. Plus I have a chapter in a new book coming out in December of 2010, that is pictured above, "Gotham City 14 Miles"!  Click here to become a 'Fan' of the GC14M Facebook Fan Page!.     Also, if you are a Facebook member and would like to also join my Facebook Network, I would have liked to have sent you a Friend Request.  However,  I have reached the maximum of 5,000 Facebook Friends and Fan pages 'limit' already, so I have now added on a personal Facebook Fan Page of my own! Just click this link to be taken to 'Michael D Hamersky On Comics' where you can click the 'Like' button there! And Thanks!         ------------------- Talking about comics: if YOU are a comics creator, (writer, penciler, inker, colorist, letterer, etc.), OR even a Comics / Magazine Publisher, feel free to contact me regarding YOUR works for a possible mention / review! I've made a special blog post about: "How To Best Submit YOUR Publication For Possible Review!" for those creators / publishers that would like to possibly have their publications mentioned or reviewed. Just click on the link provided in this paragraph! ~Michael @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com   WEB PAGE NOTE:  This blog post is written for the IE Browser standards. Chrome, Safarai, Netscape, Firefox and the others serve the page up differently, sorry about that! The screen display x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer. NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.