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The time a comic shop owner tried to 'correct' my friend on a Silver Age fact
We were at a shop in Portland called Cosmic Pages, just browsing the back issues. My buddy Mike was talking about the first appearance of the Barry Allen Flash, saying it was in Showcase #4 from 1956. The owner overheard and cut in, saying 'Actually, it was 1958, kid.' He was totally wrong and said it with this smug tone. Mike, who's a walking DC encyclopedia, just pulled up a scan of the cover on his phone with the date right there. The owner got real quiet and walked away. It was a small thing but it felt like a real power move against gatekeeping. Has anyone else had a store employee try to flex with wrong info?
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wesleyburns2mo ago
That reminds me of the time a clerk insisted my Amazing Spider-Man 300 was a second print. Pulled out the price guide app right there like jakep24 said, felt kinda silly but also necessary. You ever get that urge to fact check on the spot even when it's awkward?
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jakep242mo ago
I mean, was the guy just mistaken or actually gatekeeping? Comic book dates get mixed up all the time, especially with reprints and stuff. It's not like he was giving bad investment advice on a key issue. Sure, it's annoying when someone acts smug, but whipping out your phone to prove a point feels just as try-hard. Sometimes people are just wrong, not trying to keep you out of the hobby.
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