Crown Heights’ new comic book shop will also have real artists working in-store • Brooklyn Paper
Talk about drawing inspiration!
A new comic book store in Crown Heights will also provide studio space for real live graphic artists, and the owner hopes the ability to work surrounded by shelves stacked with superheroes will be a big selling point for local cartoonists. .
“When you’re in an environment that’s already suited to the work you’re doing, it can be more inspiring,” said Dimitrios Fragiskatos, owner of upcoming Anywhere Comics. “That’s the idea.”
The ground floor of the nerd-porium on Union Street between Nostrand and Rogers avenues — slated to open March 1 — will showcase comic books and the bizarre action figure, while the space downstairs will be reserved for artists and gamers, with an area reserved for customers to play Magic the Gathering and other popular geek sports, according to Fragiskatos.
“It will be a store, but also a hub,” he said.
It’s more common to see bookstores close than open these days, but Fragiskatos is no newbie – he spent a decade managing Midtown Comics’ venerable Lexington Avenue location on remote Manhattan Island. .
Midtown is known for its inviting glass facade and open, airy interiors, which contrast sharply with the dark, dungeon-like interiors of traditional comic book stores (think Android’s dungeon on “The Simpsons”) – and Fragiskatos says he intends to bring that same sensibility to his shop, with a well-lit interior that’s welcoming to die-hard fans and noobs alike.
“What Midtown does is they move away from this closed dungeon like a comic book store, they try to keep it open and really welcoming to people,” Fragiskatos said.
Sure, Anyone Comics’ modest space will only be a quarter the size of the mammoth Midtown Comics, but Fragiskatos says it’ll get by by offering fewer toys and focusing more on reading material. himself.
Most of the books on offer will have an “indie flavor,” though readers can expect plenty of the latest Marvel and DC comics dominating the business, the owner said.
But over time, Fragiskatos plans to fill its shelves with whatever sells best, meaning it’s up to locals to shape what will be the neighborhood’s only comic book store.
“It really depends on what Crown Heights customers gravitate toward,” Fragiskatos said.
Fragiskatos says he will celebrate the store opening with discounted titles and artists on hand to sign autographs.
Get your comic book fix at Anyon Comics (1216 Union St. between Nostrand and Rogers Avenues in Crown Heights, www.anyon
