My Comic Shop History

It’s Christmas time again on My Comic Shop History! For the second annual holiday special, host Anthony Desiato proudly presents a supersized double feature. First up: Anthony sits down with returning guest Chris Wilcock of Undiscovered Realm to talk market trends, moving a store, the inside scoop on running a comic book convention, and of course, Funko POPs! Then, in the second half, Anthony introduces listeners to a new shop, It'z Vintage, a mecca of classic toys and collectibles. Anthony chats with the store's owner, Allen Baus, about his comic shop history, the timeless appeal of the Kenner Super Powers line of action figures, and the ins & outs of running his shop, which consists almost entirely of his personal collection. It's a holiday podcast extravaganza featuring two in-depth, one-on-one conversations not to be missed!

Host Anthony Desiato seeks the guidance of guests Mike Capolino and Craig Higgins as he tries to reconcile his nostalgia with his current experience reading "DC: Rebirth." Season 2 of My Comic Shop History concludes with the biggest piece of the collecting puzzle: Can you go home again?

Host Anthony Desiato brings in The Dads (John-Eric Aguilar, Matt Horton, and Joe Morciglio) to talk fatherhood and collecting: finding the time, space, and money to continue the hobby; charting a course for the next generation of collectors; and keeping those prized collectibles out of reach. It's the penultimate episode of Season 2!

Host Anthony Desiato reunites with his Season 1 Finale guests, Steve Oto and Bill Maio, to discuss the aftermath of Alternate Realities' closing and to answer the question, "Whatever happened to the man behind the counter?"

Host Anthony Desiato presents a special double-sized installment of My Comic Shop History: two episodes in one! First up is "In Defense of Batman v Superman," in which Anthony sits down with Doug Doescher, Ralph Puma, and Damien Torres to discuss the film and try to find some redemption for it. The second half, "Other Side of the Table," features cartoonist (X-Babies, Pix: One Weirdest Weekend) and podcaster (Stuff Said, Cruisin' Together) Gregg Schigiel. In an informative one-on-one chat, Anthony and Gregg discuss the creator perspective on comic conventions and store signings and deliver a crash course on self-publishing a comic book project.

Host Anthony Desiato interviews New York Times writer/editor George Gustines about his path from collector to journalist, the process of pitching stories at The Times, and the nature of comics journalism. Anthony and fellow Bleeding Cool reporter Mike Sangregorio also recount their San Diego Comic Con experiences, including a brief stalking of legendary writer Grant Morrison, a Steve Oto doppelganger, and a surprisingly contentious screening of Batman: The Killing Joke (spoiler alert).

Host Anthony Desiato enlists Zach Woliner and John-Eric Aguilar to discuss the relationship between fandom and collecting. How do changes to characters and their storylines affect our buying habits? Plus: Pop updates!

Host Anthony Desiato founds the Alternate Realities Book Club with Phil Hussain, Rich Roney, and Mike Sangregorio to discuss the Darwyn Cooke masterpiece DC: THE NEW FRONTIER. The group examines the story's sprawling scope, human heroes, and lasting legacy.

Host Anthony Desiato dives into the highly addictive world of Funko's Pop Vinyl figures with his collecting partner in crime (and fiancée) Stephanie Chow. Together, they welcome Undiscovered Realm owner Chris Wilcock (AKA the King of Pops) to talk about the appeal of these figures, the tricky task of self-policing one's buying habits, industry trends, and some must-hear tips for Pop collectors.

Host Anthony Desiato teams up with 13th Dimension's Dan Greenfield and former comic shop employee Sean McInerney to tackle the completist mentality that drives many collectors. Why do we continue to buy and read comics we may no longer enjoy simply to maintain that coveted complete run?