With 26 years in business, Tim Simms of Worlds Collide must be doing something right!

If you would like to see your store profiled here, please contact us: retailers@joeshusterawards.com.

Owner’s Name:  Tim Simms

Manager’s Name:  Tim Simms

Number of Employees:  4

Years in Business:  26

Physical Address:  80 Simcoe St N, Oshawa, Ontario, L1G 4S2

Phone Number:   905-436-8999

Website:  www.worldscollide.ca

How did you choose your store name?    I can’t recall

Favorite Comic Book, published in the past few months:

The issue of THOR where he visits Captain America’s grave. Can’t recall the issue # (ed: Thor #11)

Five all-time classic comics, graphic novels or story arcs?:

Cerebus Vol 2:  High Society

Watchmen

V For Vendetta

Mother Come Home

Transmetropolitan

The Cowboy Wally Show

What are you excited about for this coming year? What are your plans for the next 12 months?

Oshawa is a GM town. My plans are to tread water.

What has been one of the most rewarding parts of running your business?

People buying books I recommend, and coming back to rave about them.

What has been one of the biggest challenges?

Trying to be a business man, which I’m not….I’m a shopkeeper.

Why are you a comics retailer?

Because comics are the greatest form of mass communication ever invented.

Product Lines Carried:

Comics, Manga, Graphic Novels, Toys, T-shirts, Magic, War Machine, Board games – whatever it takes to support the comics.

Best selling books (and Best selling manga if you sell manga)

Currently: All avengers titles, Buffy, dark Tower, JSA, JLA

Manga: Death Note, Bleach

What percentage of your business is comics compared to the peripherals of  a ‘culture store’?

60% at least, if you count GN’s and Manga. (ed: I do!)

What books do you find yourself recommending the most?

Most Alan Moore books, Transmet, New Avengers, Nightly News, Smoke, Joe Sacco Stuff, Mother come Home when i can get it….

What great comic/manga should everyone under 14 be reading?

Whatever Bendis is writing.

What comic/manga would you recommend for an adult interested in returning to comics

Whatever Bendis is writing.

How important is the web to your business?

Not.  I had an on-line store for a couple years, and sold exactly zero books.

Does your store have an area of expertise? What makes your store unique?

We don’t act like Comic store guy, and I stock a wider selection of graphic novels than 90% of the stores I’ve seen. I believe in this artform, not just as entertainment, or a collectible (I hate that word).

Describe the comic book scene within your community?

There is a Durham Comics Guild that meets once a week to work on comic projects. They should have some web comics soon.

Do you participate in Free Comic Book Day?

Yes.

What aspect of your store are you most proud?

Selection and service.  A former employee recently told me that, while my competition tries to squeeze whatever they can out of their customers in as short a time as possible, I get customers for life.  The first guy who entered the store when I opened still has a file.

What have been some or your best/most fun promotions/events?

I’m not a promoter.

Have the last few years of Hollywood film releases changed your customer base?

No.

Graphic Novels have been a growth product for large bookstore chains, does  this affect your customer base or business?

Hard to say.  I get who I get.  I have no idea who I don’t get.  HOWEVER, I suspect they get the bulk of the business for whatever the hot movie property is (Watchmen currently).