Hold onto your capes, Aggies! Acme Comics is bringing your favorite heroes and villains to your local community.
With over 100,000 back issues dating back to the 1980s and various vintage comic books from the 1940s through the 1970s, Acme Comics has inaugurated a new downtown location in Greensboro.
In addition to its Lawndale Dr. site, the new Acme Comics is also located at 335 S. Davie St.
This locally operated comic book store was established in 1983, making it the oldest and largest store in the Triad region.
Along with Marvel and DC must-have issues, they offer a plethora of comics from smaller publishing houses such as Image Comics, Dark Horse Comics and Oni Press.
Ben Roberts, the co-owner of Acme Comics, believes that the store is more than just a place to go and buy a comic or graphic novel.
“We want people who have never read comics before to come in and be like, ‘Oh, I see what people love about this. I love it too now, or I’m going to love it,” Roberts said.
Employees are encouraged to treat the shop like a library, allowing them the freedom to take books home when interested. This way, they can serve customers better in their selections.
Whether you’re adjusting your free subscription list, hunting for sought-after vintage issues, or seeking guidance as a newcomer to comics, the staff is ready to assist.
“Greensboro is finally at a point where it’s inviting people of varying ages and backgrounds to be a part of what’s going on down here,” Roberts said.
“I’m thrilled that young people now have a comic book store, so we like to be extremely knowledgeable about the issues, very personable, hands-on and friendly,” Roberts continued.
Acme Comics aims to attract college students by leveraging their experiences and resources available and by offering a 10 percent discount on any purchase to students and educators with a valid ID.
Malcolm King, a sophomore IT student, says that issues like Deadpool and Guardian of The Galaxy are some of his favorites, and he’s looking forward to finding new issues at Acme Comics.
“I started reading comics in sixth grade, and they kept me engaged when it came to reading,” King said. “Reading comics doesn’t feel like a task to me; I feel like I experience a new world on paper.”
Austin Getzelman, the co-owner of Acme Comics, says they want to promote “progressive readership,” reaching readers in the community while they are young up until they are older readers.
“We’re trying to curate a good young adult section, from newer releases to more mature titles,” Getzelman said.
“Instead of doing vintage back issues, as we do at the Lawndale location, we wanted to make things more accessible and kind of like a grab-and-go type of situation.”
If you’d like to set up a free pre-order subscription to ensure you don’t miss an exciting series you are expecting, please visit the website.
For vintage back issues, visit Acme Comics at 2150 Lawndale Dr. For graphic novels, action figures, and single-issue comics, you can visit the downtown location at 335 S. Davie St.
The store operates from Wednesday-Saturday from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
