Save Clifton Comics! - Update 2

Steve over at Clifton Comics needs our help. The Uptown Consortium have targeted his building for demolition. The's are the same jokers who razed everything along Calhoun St years ago displacing numerous businesses and have done nothing with it. The who and the what is still unclear in this, we're all assuming its Uptown Consortium at some level, but so far all his legal stuff has avoided using their name in any way. We do know what the project is - here is the site for it. The details should get cleared up at the public hearing.

Steve has been served notice to vacate papers through various 3rd parties to help Uptown Consortium avoid paying him any sort of relocation fee's, so this entire thing is a pile of BS.

How can you help? Sign the petition and visit the store. There is a public hearing soon where Steve can present his signatures and make his case, as can other businesses and people being affected. Visit the stores Facebook Page for the latest updates from Steve and follow the links below for both printable and digital copies of the petition.

Printable sheet

Link to the digital one Steve has created

Whether you're into comics or not, the issue is here is the continued bullying of local businesses by the Uptown Consortium and the destruction of small and local businesses. The land is being taken to put in some huge student housing complex that will be owned and operated by a company that isn't even local to Cincinnati. 

I'll update this page as info changes

updated 5/3/2011 - changed link to new form-based petition - if you signed previous versions you're still good, he's printing it all for the hearing

Reminder! Cincinnati Comic Expo is Saturday

Hey, just a quick reminder that Saturday is the Cincinnati Comic Expo at the Cintas Center - this is the first year for it, so be sure to attend. Tons of great sessions and speakers, not to mention a growing list of exhibitors and vendors! Our favorite, Clifton Comics will be there as well, so be sure to swing by and say hi.

For the most up-to-date information about the show visit their website: http://www.cincinnaticomicexpo.com/

Buying local for Christmas

For this past Christmas, I challenged myself to buy locally as often as I could. I had a great time doing it! I couldn't show you the pictures before the holidays because, um, they were GIFTS, but I wanted to take a moment to show you three of my purchases that supported local biz. (Sorry for the ill lighting.)


Here's a Clifton Comics gift certificate, lovingly drawn by the proprietor himself. (I also bought some Magic: The Gathering cards from him, as stocking stuffers-- I'd usually buy these at a Target or something so I hope buying from him made a better impact?)
Clifton Comics website: http://cliftoncomics.com/


We have here the much-adored VisuaLingual "seed bombs"-- another great stocking stuffer that my brother loved. No one in my family had heard of these "guerilla gardening" bombs, and when I explained the concept they were really excited. I might be buying more of these in the near future...
VisuaLingual's Etsy: Midwest Seed Bombs


And last but not least, my own favorite... the Steve Zissou finger puppet. I first came across these puppets at Crafty Supermarket, and snagged a business card with the Etsy address. Maybe not the most USEFUL thing in the world, but I think the unique artistry and the adorable detail made this 100% worth it!
AbbeyChristine's Etsy store: Steve Zissou finger puppet

Clifton Comics & Games

One of the benefits of visiting Dan in Clifton is that he has a local comic book store, where I have none.

I've been to a good handful of comic book stores in my day, and this one may be my favorite so far-- even just based on the fact that someone talked to me, asked me if I was finding things, engaged in conversation with me.

I'm here to tell you that the entire clichéd "sole woman in the comic book store" situation is often true: there is almost the sound of a breath being drawn in, like everyone simultaneously sucked in their gut. I've never felt comfortable in comic book stores alone, no matter how much I buy or what geek trivia I lay down. I thought it'd be better walking into stores on the arm of a guy, but it rarely changes the feeling much. In fact, the proprietors/cashiers will usually talk to the guy I'm with, even if I'm the one trying to pay for something or ask a question. It can be a pretty horrible feeling.

At Clifton Comics, there's still a little bit of an awkward feeling right off the bat, but nothing you wouldn't expect when walking into a room full of geeks. This time when we visited I struck up a conversation with the proprietor (once he asked me if I needed help, WIN) and he was beyond helpful to me. I was asking for information on a card game I am learning to play, and he not only gave me suggestions on what to buy but threw in some starter decks for free. (I'm sure this is a common ploy to get people hooked, but hell, I was already trying to get hooked.)

And once again, I'm trying to "shop local." The cards I was buying-- as well as the Green Lantern books that Dan was buying and the board games and comic books we both buy-- could easily be found at Target or Amazon. But when you ask a Target clerk about their products, the most they can do is point to an aisle. They can't speak knowledgably, they won't hand you free product, and they definitely won't share your excitement about your new investment.

Clifton Comics & Games
Website: http://cliftoncomics.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/cliftoncomics