Special (and Sweet!) Event Saturday February 19

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Nuff Said

This New Year: Bigger and better for everyone (we hope!)

There's a new interview up at Newsarama  talking once again about how digital comics were the huge story of 2010.

As a retailer of good ol' print comics, I hope it doesn't come off as arrogant to say that, even with the new market of digital comics barely at the starting gate in the Great Horse Race of the comics' world, I am tired of all the talk dedicated specifically to digital comics.

I'm also hopeful, though.

I believe in the resilience and the long-term staying power of printed comics... whether 32-paged periodicals, 100+ paged trade paperback compilations or original graphic novels, like SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE or PRIDE OF BAGHDAD or Darwyn Cooke's THE OUTFIT (all excellent and all pictured here).

The late great WILL EISNER often talked about how many times the comic book business nearly went under during his 60+ years in the industry. For instance, when TV became the big thing in the late '40s and early '50s, that was supposed to spell the end of comics.  Didn't happen.

The Great DC Implosion of the '70s was thought to be a sign the end of comic books was near. Didn't happen.

The bubble market of huge growth and huge losses in the 1990's was thought to be the last gasp of comics. That didn't happen, either.

There have been several more such difficult times in the history of the American comic book market... and yet, comics are still here. In many ways, comics are stronger and more ubiquitous than at any time in the last 50 years.

We live in a culture that is soaked in comics--- from all the big budget movies, to TV shows, to advertising--- all visual media get their strongest and most profitable ideas from comics.

And while it's true that comic book sales are no longer anywhere near the million copies per issue level the best-sellers once boasted, the current market is in so many ways more vibrant than ever.

All across the comics' spectrum, there is entertainment for anyone who loves to READ!

That is the key. Reading! While more people spend more time in front of a computer screen or locked onto their smart-phones, iPads and other digital devices, blogging, tweeting, scanning short status updates from friends, browsing news headlines and sports scores... there has to be less and less actual time dedicated to reading going on these days than ever.

Reading... especially reading comics, takes dedicated time, energy and the willingness to be  something more than just a passive observer (see: TV, movies, etc). Comic book readers need to be willing to engage both sides of their brains at once--- the cognitive for reading the words and the interpretive for seeing and absorbing the pictures.

There's a wide variety of material available in comics--- and plugging here, Flying Colors carries a good assortment of the styles and genres found in contemporary comics. Yes, we have an abundance of super-heroes (they are super-popular!), but for nearly every book genre you can think of, there's a comic book for that category, too... often many good ones!

We're a week into this bright and beautiful New Year. There's a lot of hope and a long way to go to see this one to the finish. Along the way, please accept my invitation to visit us at Flying Colors. Challenge us to find a comic book or graphic novel that you will love!

...and your pleasure reading will be so much better for it!
More soon...

Peace!

FlyCoJoe

(Knowing that many people read this blog who are too far away to visit Flying Colors in Concord CA,  please let me suggest that there are a couple of good sources to find other comic book specialty stores. As president of the industry's retailer trade association, my first suggestion is to check out ComicsPRO's list of retailer members. Also, please check the Comic Shop Locator Service for a list of other comic shops all over the world.)

New Comics on Wednesday December 29

We've posted a list of all the New Arrivals hitting the shelves at Flying Colors on Wednesday December 29. Yup, that's right ... there is NO delay caused by the holidays this year. We'll have our shipment of Comics & Other Cool Stuff ready to rock when we open Wednesday at 11am.



To check out the list, hit this link!
Flying Colors Facebook Fan Brigade!


Flying Colors OPEN hours for this week:
Tuesday December 28 (Stan Lee's birthday!) until 7pm
Wednesday December 29 11am-8pm
Thursday December 30 11am-7pm
Friday December 31 11am-5pm
Saturday January 1, 2011 --- CLOSED for New Year's Day
Sunday January 2 11am-7pm

Hope to see you soon in Flying Colors!

Peace!

FlyCoJoe

Merry Christmas, One & All!

Flying Colors will be CLOSED on Saturday December 25 for Christmas. We will be open Sunday December 26 for our regular hours of 11am-7pm.

We will be having an After Christmas Two-Day Sale on Sunday December 26 and Monday December 27. For sneak peek at our After Christmas Sale, please hit this link!

From all of us here at Flying Colors, we send you our warmest wishes for a beautiful and peaceful holiday. 

Peace! 

New releases for Wednesday December 22, 2010

Over at the Flying Colors Facebook Fan Brigade Page, we post a list of all the New Releases each and every week. The New Releases list for Wednesday December 22 has just been posted.

If you are not yet signed up for our Flying Colors in-Frequent Flyer email bulletins, look to the left of this page where it says "News! Deals! Cool Stuff! Join the FlyCo Email Brigade!" and enter your email address. Flying Colors does NOT sell, rent or give away any email addresses!

The perfect fit! A Flying Colors Gift Card (starts at $15). It's the COOL card!

  


 







<---- Pres. Obama & Sarah Palin meet in Riverdale for a milkshake!  Can the Apocalypse be too far behind? 
Check out ARCHIE #616!  

Flying Colors is OPEN 11am-7pm every day of the week.

We will be OPEN Friday December 24th, Christmas Eve, from 11am-6pm. We will be closed on Christmas Day.

DC Super-Hero Plushies are now in stock----

and 

they make great Stocking Stuffers!

 



BATMAN perches atop your computer monitor! 
Now in stock, these cool figures are another cool
gift add-on! --->

New for Wed Dec 8

Check out all the new and cool stuff at Flying Colors for Wednesday December 8 by clicking the link HERE!

The link will take you to Flying Colors Facebook Fan Page where over 500 members of the Flying Colors Fan Brigade meet.

One of the BIG releases of this week is FABLES issue #100. The cover is shown here. It is an amazing anniversary issue with many stellar artists and surprises inside.  BONUS PICK: the FABLES #100 poster that doubles as a Fables board game in the vein of CandyLand.

Peace!

FlyCoJoe

Marvel's newest ensemble comic book, GENERATION HOPE, is igniting interest among fans. With the Thursday December 2 release of issue #2 of this series, Flying Colors has a very cool deal for you.

While supplies last, when you buy GENERATION HOPE #2 for $2.99, we will give you a FREE copy of GENERATION HOPE #1 (a $3.99 value)!

If by chance you have already purchased issue #1 when it was released last month, this would be a great way to introduce a friend to the start of this series.

For a complete list of all the New Releases at Flying Colors this week, hit this link to get to our FACEBOOK FAN PAGE !

Peace!

FlyCoJoe

Happy Thanksgiving!!

ITEM: First, last and always--- THANK YOU for supporting Flying Colors Comics & Other Cool Stuff with your business and enthusiasm all these years!

ITEM: You do know that SATURDAY NOVEMBER 27 we'll be hosting artist DAN BRERETON to showcase his new art book called "THE GODDESS & THE MONSTER"? Dan will be here at 2PM... and you should, too!

ITEM: If by some stroke of inconvenience or just plain bad luck you haven't yet received our latest e-mail newsletter, Flying Colors In-Frequent E-Flyer, click on the link and get the scoop on the COOL DEALS we'll have in-store for you this coming Friday, Saturday & Sunday.

ITEM: Lastly, THANK YOU!!! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and we hope to see you very soon in Flying Colors!

Peace!

FlyCoJoe

Be Here Saturday November 27th!

Saturday November 27... two days after Thanksgiving,
Flying Colors will be proud to once again host our long-time friend and fantastically talented comic artist/painter DANIEL BRERETON.

Dan's new art book called "The Goddess and The Monster" has just been released. It's a beautiful full-color art book encompassing Dan's nearly 25 year career (so far!). The book even includes a short piece that I wrote, along with Dan's amazing cover called "Age of Wonder" that he did for our 10th Anniversary Special back in 1998.

So be here on Saturday November 27 at 2PM for Dan's visit here. He'll be happy to sign your books... he'll likely do some sketches and give encouragement to young artists, too. Flying Colors will serve some refreshments, too.


It's always a good time when Dan comes to Flying Colors... lots of great art, stories and even something of a family reunion since Dan spent a good chunk of his younger years in Contra Costa County. So join us Saturday November 27---it'll be an excellent time to pick up on some cool gifts for the comic art lovers you know!

Saturday November 27 also is the first-ever "SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY" sponsored by American Express.
 
What is "Small Business Saturday"?  
"First there was Black Friday, then Cyber Monday. This year, November 27th is the first ever Small Business Saturday, a day to support the local businesses that create jobs, boost the economy and preserve neighborhoods around the country. Small Business Saturday is a national movement to drive shoppers to local merchants across the U.S." More than a dozen advocacy, public and private organizations have already joined American Express OPEN, the company’s small business unit, in declaring the Saturday after Thanksgiving as Small Business Saturday."

 

Go HERE to get to the "Small Business Saturday" Facebook page and learn even more about the event.

Peace!

FlyCoJoe