Since I've been following Blackest Night, I've been regularly frequenting comic shops in a way I haven't done since the '90s boom went bust. All I can say is, once Blackest Night is over, I'll probably shake their dust from my feet and never darken their doorways again if I can help it.
Zack Soto commented that the comic shop where I bought Blackest Night #6 a week early was "pretty lame" for breaking tomorrow's street date. Well, Zack, you don't know the half of it. I tried to set up a pull-list there in the beginning. They got it 100% wrong every fucking week. Whatever was supposed to be in my folder (or whatever) wasn't, and instead they'd hand me some random stuff not on my list. I'd hand it back and then go get what I wanted off the new comics rack. Worst of all, they'd always get resentfully defensive, as if it were my fault that my list didn't match up with what they pulled for me. After a few weeks of that, I said fuck it and told them to cancel my list. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't, not that it would make any difference, and I damn sure couldn't care less.
I tried to take my business elsewhere, but the other comic shops are so far out of my way, I can't get to any of them consistently enough week-to-week to set up pull-lists with any of them. Which one I end up at on any given Wednesday depends on a whole complex of factors involving my work schedule, errands, personal visits, etc. The problem is, they order so close to the bone that I'm often out of luck. Seldom can I get everything I want for the week in a single stop.
Guess where that means I usually go to fill the gaps? Unfortunately, that place is both the most conveniently located for me, and also consistently orders enough issues that I can always get one, even if I don't make it there until the weekend. I hate it, because all the guys who work there are douchebags. One is always outside on a smoke-break, and always glares at me as I walk in, because I'm interrupting his fucking smoke-break. Another always has his nose in the latest issue of X-whatever, and glares at me for interrupting his read when I go to the counter to, you know, pay for my fucking purchase.
This last week, I managed to pop into one other place just as it opened. I was on my way to work and in a hurry, but I knew what I wanted, grabbed the issues off the table, and went to the counter to pay. Apparently, the guy hadn't gotten around to the pull-lists yet, because he consulted a checklist, then set Blackest Night: JSA #1 aside. He lamely waggled the Green Lantern and Teen Titans issues, mumbled, "These two," and proceeded to ring up just those two. Incredulous, I said, "You're not going to sell me that JSA?" He said he only ordered three, and they were all spoken for.
As I mentioned, I'm used to these other places selling out of stuff I want. Usually, I just buy what they have and get the rest at the sucky shop. But you know, this was the first time I actually carried an issue to the counter in my hand--you really feel like it's yours, at that point--and someone wouldn't sell it to me. I'd come a long way out of my way to patronize this place, at the risk of running late, and I thought, "If this is going to be a problem for me, it's going to be one for this motherfucker, too." That's what I thought, but I wasn't nasty about it or anything. I just shrugged and said, "Well, I'll get them downtown, then." He shrugged and nodded. That's the last time I waste my fucking time dragging all the way out to that fucking place.
So later that day, I made it to the sucky shop, and what do you know--not only did they have all the issues I wanted on the rack, but also Blackest Night #6. Damn skippy I bought it. Not only did I get an issue early that I'd been looking forward to, but it meant I really could skip "Skip Week." How nice to have a week off from dealing with these hassles and assholes.
By now I'm sure I've pissed off someone. You could say I punished the first guy's good behavior of honoring his pull-lists, and rewarded the sucky shop's bad behavior of breaking a street date. Fair enough. I'll own it. You could also say the bottom line is that the first guy couldn't/wouldn't/didn't sell me the comics I wanted, and the sucky place could/would/did.
Really, I'll be glad to put such bullshit behind me. I don't see myself needing to follow anything in floppies once this event is over, and graphic novels are cheaper on Amazon anyway.