Visser will miss all the friends he made. A group of them, who met at the store, still go out for dinner every Saturday after they've picked up their comics.

"Sometimes I felt like a bartender; people would spend the whole day here talking and telling me their problems," said Visser, who created his own comic, called Paladin. "I feel really bad about closing the store, like I'm stabbing them in the back. Some have been with us the whole 28 years and now I'm closing the door on them."

However, he's going to continue on in some capacity, calling it a buying club for his devoted regulars.

The lure of comics and graphic novels, said Anthony, is that they transport readers to a different world, with endless possibilities.

"To (readers), comics are a form of escapism," he said. "Personally, I like escapism because life can be just too dreary sometimes."

Over the years, Visser has owned copies of valuable titles such as The Amazing Spider-Man No. 1, X-Men No. 1 and Uncanny X-Men No. 1. Still, he doesn't regret selling them to devoted collectors.

How serious are the store's regulars? Rita remembers when a couple, married earlier that day, swung the limo by and, still dressed in formal attire, hurried in to pick up a few issues before the honeymoon.

Visser said he plans to take a vacation and wants to continue writing for Quantum Leap and Star Trek fanzines, among other publications.

Labels: comics retailers, comicshoptalk