Comic Book Jones Defeats the Evil Print Sales of the Comic Book Industry!

In a world of dwindling comic sales, heavy promotion of digital formats and constant book canceling, Comic Book Jones strives to come out on top using innovative methods to make it stand out as more than just a comic book shop. Comic Book Jones is located on Forest Ave. in Staten Island and is one of the few remaining comic book shops on the island. It is no wonder that Comic Book Jones was voted “Best Comic Book Store in NYC” by Dark House Comic readers and it couldn’t have been more deserved. When it opened four years ago, many were less than hopeful about its future but the storeowners, Socko and Tiger Jones, were fully prepared to go above and beyond the typical standard of a comic book store.

Upon entering, you will immediately feel the cozy atmosphere thanks to spacious lounge area and smell of freshly brewed, complimentary, coffee. The place is colorful and full of character, as are the employees. Although only a handful work of people work there, each one is just as knowledgeable and help as the other and stand out with their very nickname. "The problem with most comic book stores is that they don't care about their customer," Tiger Jones, co-owner of the store said. "We don't want to just stand behind a register waiting for sales. We want to create an environment that people feel comfortable to come hang out."

It looks like they accomplished their mission since at least twice a month, the store host special events from movie tailgate parties to band performances to trivia contests. This is when Comic Book Jones shines as something much more than a store, which is why it's been growing strong for four years thanks to positive word of mouth. “I’ve been coming here for years despite it being so far,” said Kevin Hooper. “There’s one closer to my house but this place is worth the trip. Such a great atmosphere.”

So while the comic book industry struggles to find ways to reinvent the medium, Comic Book Jones will continue to discover ways to reinvent the idea of a local comic book store.

Marvel Tries New Way to Create Buzz for Next Year's Event

Comic Book readers have become a bit jaded when it comes to the "Latest Crossover that Will Change the Universe Forever" due to the fact that Marvel and DC are guilty of using that tagline once a year. So, Marvel used a different tagline for next years crossover event, Avengers VS. X-Men or AvX, by boldly claiming it as "the best comic book story ever." They've also been slowly revealing more details about the event after initially revealing the Phoenix "It's Coming" teaser last month.

Last week, Marvel did something to make sure fans knew this event would be historical by having a live web chat with the various writers that will crafting the story, including some of the industry's biggest names such as Matt Fraction and Jason Aaron. Fans were able to submit questions via twitter and participate in a live chat with other viewers. Marvel's plan seems to have worked as the hashtag #AvX managed to trend in the United States for at least an hour. If they manage to keep this up, Marvel could be looking at a surge in sales once this epic crossover takes over the Marvel Universe this spring!  

It's Coming But Is SHE Coming?

Few things are teased as often as Jean Grey's inevitable return is. Then again, few things excite comic book fans more than the prospect of Jean Grey gracing the Marvel Universe with her fiery red hair and angelic/demonic personality.

One of the original X-Men, Jean Grey, also known as Marvel Girl and Phoenix, is arguably the most popular female marvel character due to her role in one of the most treasured comic book stories of all time, The Dark Phoenix Saga where she destroyed an entire universe before ending her life. Since then, she's been depicted in all X-Men media from the cartoons to the blockbuster movies, where she was portrayed by Famke Jansen.

Jean Grey is also the symbol of the often criticized comic book rule of "Nothing stays dead." Having died in 197 at the stunning conclusion of The Dark Phoenix Saga, a clone of her named Maddie Pryor appeared shortly after. Jean herself returned years later as Maddie was driven insane and killed. Jean continued to have a prominent role in the X-Men universe until her death in 2004. She returned briefly in the 2006 miniseries, Phoenix: Endsong, and fans have been waiting for her to return permanently ever since.

Marvel has acknowledged that no character receives more fan mail than Jean, many of the letters begging Marvel to bring the character back. Marvel writers have enjoyed teasing fans of her return over the years, including their most recent teaser poster for the 2012 company wide event which shows the Phoenix insignia with the words, "It's Coming." Although the Phoenix Force itself has been used in storylines without Jean Grey, Marvel knows full well that fans will associate the fiery bird with everyone's favorite sun-consuming telepath. They are also aware that few things create more buzz than Jean Grey due to her significance, power and overall popularity. But will Jean finally make her anticipated return as the "Heart of the Marvel Universe"  or is this yet another tease in a long line of red herrings. Only time will tell...