Diamond Comics has rolled out a new program called kidscomics.com. This website will allow retailers deemed ‘kids-friendly’ to be located through the comic shop locator search function. The end goal is for customers interested in age relevant / age appropriate / kid friendly comics to find a comic shop location to purchase product.
How does a store qualify as ‘kids-friendly’? Diamond originally instituted a flat policy:
Your initial order for kid-friendly items amounts to over $200 retail per month on a quarterly basis.
So for a retailer to be considered kid-friendly they had to purchase $200 of product at retail price every month for 3 straight months.
How can we put these figures into context? Ordering from the October 2010 Previews, and looking exclusively at BOOM! Studios, a company that have pushed their Disney-related kid-friendly offerings, there are 10 monthly/floppy comic releases:
Cars: The Adventures of Tow Mater #6
Chip ‘N Dale Rescue Rangers #1
Darkwing Duck #7
Donal Duck and Friends #361
The Incredibles #17
Mickey Mouse and Friends #303
The Muppet Show #13
Toy Story: Tales From The Toy Chest #8
Uncle Scrooge #398
Walt Disney’s Comics & Stories #714
This ignores the 11 trade paperback collections that are offered alongside these monthly comics, because many, many comic book retail outlets in North America still do not stock these types of books and continue to focus on the monthly, newsstand product.
If a retailer ordered only 1 copy of each of the above books they would hit $30.90 retail. If they ordered 6-7 copies of each title they would meet the ordering criteria. I do recognize that 7 copies of Darkwing Duck, or any other BOOM! title might not make sense for each store. If 1 copy of each trade collection was ordered, that would be $112.89 retail. The total retail value of ordering 1 copy of each BOOM! book would be $143.79.
Perhaps the retailer does not feel that these books are saleable, though. How can they possible meet Diamonds requirements and be labeled a ‘kid-friendly’ retailer?
Do I need to point out the obvious contradiction here? If you are already a kid-friendly retailer you are likely ordering a wide variety of great books through multiple distributors. But for those retailers who wish to only deal with a single distributor, there are still a number of kid-friendly books available throughout the Previews catalogue, and they all have a giant ‘kids-friendly’ logo beside them. The reason I chose to focus exclusively on the BOOM! products is because I see these as ‘easy to order and stock’. It’s Disney, the name recognition resonates with most retailers and allows for easy stocking without stepping outside of their comfort zone. A retailer without any desire to carry a broad range of products could easily meet the requirements by ordering 1 copy of each TPB and 3 copies of each monthly available from BOOM!
But there are loopholes that exist under the $200 retail per month system. The most jarring thing to me is the inclusion of Marvel Master Works and Marvel Omnibus as ‘kid-friendly’. These are $50 – $100 retail hardcover books which reprint 60’s, and now 70’s, Marvel comics. We could debate the relevance of these books receiving the ‘kid-friendly’ label, certainly, but what this does is allow nearly any comic shop to qualify through the required $ level. Returning to the BOOM! studios list, 1 copy of each TPB, plus a Marvel Omnibus, which will surely be sold to an adult, and you are a qualifying retailer.
Diamond recently altered their qualification criteria to allow even more retailers to qualify as a ‘kid-friendly’ comic shop:
In response to retailer feedback, Diamond has updated the criteria for retailers to qualify for the kidscomics.com shop locator by adding new, quarterly levels. The move should help smaller stores meet the minimum ordering criteria.
There are now three ways in which retailers can qualify to be part of the kidscomics.com shop locator:
1. Initial orders for kid-friendly items amounts to over $200 retail per month on a quarterly basis.
2. Your initial order is 30% or more of the total number of KID skus offered per month on a quarterly basis. If, for instance, there are 300 skus designated as kid-friendly items in the Retailer Order Forms for the three months making up a quarter, you will be added to the kidscomics.com shop locator if you order 90 of these skus or more for the quarter.
3. Your order for KID skus represents 125% or more of the company-wide average per month, on a quarterly basis. Currently, on a company-wide basis, kid-friendly items comprise 3.25% of the average retailer’s total initial order every quarter. Therefore, if, in a given quarter, your initial orders for KID skus represented 4.06% (125% of the current 3.25% average) or more of your total initial orders, you would qualify as a kidscomics.com shop locator participant. The kid-friendly average will be evaluated and updated quarterly as well.
These new criteria were added as a means for smaller retailers in smaller communities to qualify as kid-friendly comic shops.
Diamond is monitoring the status of retailers on a quarterly basis, and making appropriate adjustments to the kidscomics.com shop locator service. When launched, Diamond tagged over 800 retailers as qualifying retailers. Ordering criteria was reviewed again in July 2010 (for April, May, and June orders) and October 2010 (for July, August, and September). Retailers who meet the criteria are added to the service, while those that no longer qualify were removed.
While this does lower the bar and allow more retailers into the party, there is an upside to these new qualifying levels:
1) requiring stores to purchase 30% of titles offered will result in a diversification of stock, increasing the likelihood that a child will find a book of interest
2) the 125% of average is a floating figure. As more retailers order product to qualify as a ‘kid-friendly’ retailer the average per retailer will increase. For stores not hitting the $200 retail per month or 30% of titles per month, they will need to find a way to stock more books, resulting in new titles ordered rather than more copies of the same ordered. (edit: Qualifying by meeting Diamond requirement #3, 125% of average, or 4.06% of total initial order, is actually one of the hardest to meet if you are a massive account in a major urban location. Even the smallest of stores would spend more money on kids comics through this method than method #2, but still less than $200 retail.)
I do see flaws in these systems, the most blatant being the $200 retail system. Ordering 2 Marvel Masterworks and an Omnibus does not make you a ‘kid-friendly’ retailer, but you hit the required number.
Also, another obvious flaw is that to qualify as a ‘kid-friendly’ retailer you need only spend money. There are no other requirements or qualifications for staff or store.
I would like to think that if a store intends to be listed on the kidscomics.com locator service they perceive themselves as having met a certain level of standard for store appearance and staff training on the material. If being listed as a ‘kid-friendly’ retailer is an ego move, with no intention of becoming a kid-friendly retailer, the whole idea becomes pointless and further damages the industry as a whole.
(Edit: I’m adding the complete kidscomics releases for November, just to see how easy it would be to qualify using the 3 criteria.)
DC COMICS
NOV10 0247 ALL NEW BATMAN THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #3
01/12/11 ……………………$2.99
NOV10 0248 CARTOON NETWORK ACTION PACK #56
01/26/11 ……………………$2.99
NOV10 0249 SUPER FRIENDS MYSTERY IN SPACE TP
02/02/11 ………………….$12.99
NOV10 0250 TINY TITANS #36
01/19/11 ……………………$2.99
NOV10 0251 LOONEY TUNES #194
01/05/11 ……………………$2.99
NOV10 0252 SCOOBY DOO WHERE ARE YOU #5
01/05/11 ……………………$2.99
MARVEL COMICS
NOV10 0518 OZMA OF OZ #3 (OF 8)
01/05/11 ……………………$3.99
NOV10 0534 AVENGERS VS PET AVENGERS #4 (OF 4)
01/19/11 ……………………$2.99
NOV10 0536 AVENGERS EARTHS MIGHTIEST HEROES #3 (OF 4)
01/05/11 ……………………$3.99
NOV10 0574 SPIDER-MAN MAGAZINE #15
01/05/11 ……………………$6.99
NOV10 0576 SPIDER-MAN #10
01/26/11 ……………………$2.99
NOV10 0577 SUPER HEROES #10
01/12/11 ……………………$2.99
NOV10 0631 X-MEN OMNIBUS HC VOL 02 CASSADAY CVR
04/06/11 ………………….$99.99
NOV10 0632 X-MEN OMNIBUS HC VOL 02 DM CLASSIC VAR CVR
04/06/11 ………………….$99.99
NOV10 0633 MMW DOCTOR STRANGE HC VOL 05
04/13/11 ………………….$54.99
NOV10 0634 MMW DOCTOR STRANGE HC VOL 05 DM VAR ED 157
04/13/11 ………………….$54.99
NOV10 0635 MMW FANTASTIC FOUR TP VOL 05
01/26/11 ………………….$24.99
NOV10 0636 MMW FANTASTIC FOUR TP VOL 05 DM VAR ED 25
01/26/11 ………………….$24.99
NOV10 0655 MARVEL ADVENTURES AVENGERS THOR DIGEST TP
01/12/11 ……………………$9.99
NOV10 0656 LOCKJAW & PET AVENGERS UNLEASHED TP GN
01/19/11 ………………….$14.99
NOV10 0657 MARVEL ADV SPIDER-MAN SPECTACULAR DIGEST TP
01/26/11 ……………………$9.99
NOV10 0678 ESSENTIAL IRON MAN TP VOL 02 NEW ED
01/05/11 ………………….$19.99
NOV10 0679 ESSENTIAL IRON MAN TP VOL 03 NEW ED
01/19/11 ………………….$19.99
ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS
NOV10 0736 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #221
01/26/11 ……………………$2.99
NOV10 0737 SONIC UNIVERSE #24
01/12/11 ……………………$2.99
NOV10 0738 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG SELECT TP VOL 03
02/09/11 ………………….$11.95
BOOM! STUDIOS
NOV10 0820 CARS TP VOL 05 RUST BUCKET DERBY
01/26/11 ……………………$9.99
NOV10 0821 CARS TP VOL 01 ROOKIE
12/29/10 ……………………$9.99
NOV10 0822 CARS TP VOL 02 RADIATOR SPRINGS
12/22/10 ……………………$9.99
NOV10 0823 CARS TP VOL 03 RALLY RACE
12/29/10 ……………………$9.99
NOV10 0824 CARS TP VOL 04 ROUTE 66 DASH
12/22/10 ……………………$9.99
NOV10 0825 CHIP N DALE RESCUE RANGERS #2
01/26/11 ……………………$3.99
NOV10 0827 DARKWING DUCK #8
01/26/11 ……………………$3.99
NOV10 0828 DARKWING DUCK #5 LONG BEACH COMIC CON GET A SKETCH VARIANT COVER
01/26/11 ……………………$9.99
NOV10 0829 DONALD DUCK AND FRIENDS #362
01/26/11 ……………………$2.99
NOV10 0830 MICKEY MOUSE #304
01/26/11 ……………………$3.99
NOV10 0832 UNCLE SCROOGE #399
01/26/11 ……………………$2.99
NOV10 0833 WALT DISNEYS COMICS & STORIES #715
01/26/11 ……………………$3.99
DISNEY PRESS
NOV10 0850 PHINEAS & FERB EARLY COMIC READER #4 ITS ABOUT TIME
02/09/11 ……………………$4.99
:01 FIRST SECOND
NOV10 0942 ZITA THE SPACE GIRL GN
01/19/11 ………………….$10.99
GRAPHIX
NOV10 0949 MISSILE MOUSE GN VOL 02
01/26/11 ………………….$10.99
NOV10 0950 PILOT & HUXLEY GN VOL 01
01/26/11 ……………………$7.99
LERNER PUBLISHING GROUP
NOV10 0967 ON THE CASE WITH HOLMES & WATSON GN VOL 06 ADV SUSSEX VAMPIRE
01/05/11 ……………………$6.95
PAPERCUTZ
NOV10 0984 GERONIMO STILTON HC VOL 07 DINOSAURS IN ACTION
01/26/11 ……………………$9.99
NOV10 0985 SMURFS GN VOL 04 SMURFETTE
01/26/11 ……………………$5.99
NOV10 0986 SMURFS HC VOL 04 SMURFETTE
01/26/11 ………………….$10.99
(Are there any books in this list that stand out as odd?)
Ordering to meet Diamond requirements clause #1 ($200 in Retail orders):
I won’t tell you how I think your store should order, but there are a lot of great books here that quickly add up to $200 retail. They are making it easy for you by listing 5 volumes of Cars books, just order one of each volume and there is $50. The real gem of the month is :01 First Second Publishing’s Zita The Space Girl, this book is great.
Ordering to meet Diamond requirements clause #2 (30% of KID skus):
There are 47 titles. One way to qualify is to order 15 titles from above.
Looking at nothing but price, here are 15 titles you could order, to get in as cheaply as possible (though you would have to order one of the four Disney reprint books listed at the very end):
ALL NEW BATMAN THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #3
$2.99
CARTOON NETWORK ACTION PACK #56
$2.99
TINY TITANS #36
$2.99
LOONEY TUNES #194
$2.99
SCOOBY DOO WHERE ARE YOU #5
$2.99
OZMA OF OZ #3 (OF 8)
$3.99
AVENGERS VS PET AVENGERS #4 (OF 4)
$2.99
AVENGERS EARTHS MIGHTIEST HEROES #3 (OF 4)
$3.99
SPIDER-MAN #10
$2.99
SUPER HEROES #10
$2.99
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #221
$2.99
SONIC UNIVERSE #24
$2.99
CHIP N DALE RESCUE RANGERS #2
$3.99
DARKWING DUCK #8
$3.99
DONALD DUCK AND FRIENDS #362
$2.99
MICKEY MOUSE #304
$3.99
UNCLE SCROOGE #399
$2.99
WALT DISNEYS COMICS & STORIES #715
$3.99
For $48.85 Retail you now meet the requirements of Diamonds Kids program. That is one (1!) single copy of the 15 cheapest comics available. You have to be able to sell through on that order, don’t you? And for what it cost, you could give the comics away as a marketing effort to introduce children to the available comics.
For a medium sized store doing $24,000 to $32,000 retail per month, to qualify using Diamond method #3 you would need to order $974.40 to $1299.20 from this months Previews. Now, obviously this isn’t necessary, as the $200 level is well surpassed, qualifying your store using what Diamond’s customers considered a too stringent measurement; Diamond tweaked the ways to qualify because many felt $200 a month was punitive.
All of this comes back to my original point: ordering $48 worth of kids comics does not make your store kid friendly, but it will get you listed on the Diamond website. Reviewing the retailer interviews, most store owners acknowledge a lack of young customers in their stores. The comments range from, ‘we don’t have a store for kids’ to ‘our kids section is there because we believe in stocking everything’.
As always, I’d like to hear from our retailing friends on what they do in their stores and what they would like to see in the industry.
++++++++++++++++++++++++
So what comic book retailers in Canada currently qualify as ‘kid-friendly’?
Going through the retailer links and entering postal codes from these retailers into the kidscomics.com locator service, below are the retailers by province.
The Joe Shuster Awards have been giving out our Harry Kremer Retailer of the Year award since 2006 and while not surprising, it is gratifying to see all five of our past winners on the list, as well as the sponsor store of our Comics For Kids award. Promotion of age appropriate reading and a kid-friendly environment, while not explicitly stated, is a major criteria in the selection of Retailer of the Year.
Timemasters Inc
Address: 33 Kenmount Road, 2nd Floor, St. John’s, NL, A1B 1W1
Telephone: 709-754-3654
.
Monster Comic Lounge
Address: 2091 Gottingen Street, Halifax, NS, B3K 3B2
Telephone: 902-429-2398
Strange Adventures Comic Bookshop
Retailer of the Year in 2006 [Facebook]
Address: 5262 Sackville Street, Halifax, NS, B3J 1K8
Telephone: 902-425-2140
Email
.
The Comic Hunter [Facebook]
Address: 181 Queen Street, Charlottetown, PE, C1A 4B4
Telephone: 902-566-2926
Email
Hours:
Mon – Sat: 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
.
Strange Adventures Comic Bookshop [Facebook]
Address: 68 York Street, Fredericton, NB, E3B 3N5
Telephone: 506-450-3759
Email
Hours:
Mon – Sat: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
The Comic Hunter [Facebook]
Address: 465 Main Street, Moncton, NB, E1C1C2
Telephone: 506-855-4950
Email
Retailer Interview
Hours:
Mon – Thurs: 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Fri: 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
Sat: 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Mad City Comics (aka Read’s Comic Shop) [Facebook]
Address: 347 Mountain Road, Moncton, NB, E1C 2M7
Telephone: 506-855-3447
Email
Hours:
Mon – Saturday: 9:00 am – 10:00 pm
Sun: 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
Mad City Comics (aka Read’s Comic Shop)
Address: 25 Charlotte Street, Saint John, NB, E2L 2H3
Telephone: 506-693-4835
Email
Hours:
Mon – Saturday: 9:00 am – 9:00 pm
Sun: 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
.
La Boîte à B D de Laval Inc
Address: 3161B, boulevard Dagenais Ouest, Laval, QC ,H7P 1T8
Telephone: 450-628-9917
Horaire / Hours
Mon – Tues: 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Wed: 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Thurs – Fri: 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sat: 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sun: Closed
Capitaine Québec les Livres Comiques
Address: 1837 Ste Catherine O, Montréal, QC, H3X 2H9
Telephone: 514-939-9970
Librairie Astro
Address: 1844, rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest, Montréal, QC, H3H 1M1
Telephone: 514-932-1139
Email
Librairie Millénium [English] [Facebook]
Address: 451, rue Marie-Anne Est, Montréal, QC, H2J 2A2
Telephone: 514-284-0358
Email
Horaire / Hours:
Monday & Tues: 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Wed: 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Thurs & Fri: 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Sat & Sun: 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Studio 9 Comic Shop
Address: 5835 Saint-Hubert Street, Montréal, Quebec, H2S 2L8
Telephone: 514-272-6043
Librairie Première Issue Enr
Address: 27A, rue d’Auteuil, Quebec City, QC, G1R 4B9
Telephone: 418-692-3985
L’imaginaire [English] – Place Laurier Shopping Mall
Address: 2740 blv. Laurier, 3rd Floor, Sainte-Foy, QC, G1V 4P7
Telephone: 418-658-5639
Email
Cosmix
Address: 931, boulevard Décarie, Saint-Laurent, QC, H4L 3M3
Telephone: 514-744-9494
Email
.
Gnu Books
Address: 190 Harwood Avenue South, Ajax, ON, L1S 2H6
Telephone: 905-427-8070
Email
Hours:
Mon – Fri: 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Sat – Sun: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Blue Beetle Comics [Facebook]
Address: 241 Essa Road, Barrie, ON, L4N 6B7
Telephone: 705-739-1513
Email
Retailer Interview
Hours:
Mon & Tues: 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Wed – Fri: 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sat: 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sun: 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Comic Warehouse [Facebook]
Address: 20 Strathearn Avenue, Brampton, ON, L6T 4P7
Telephone: 905-799-3509
Email
Hours:
Mon – Tues: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Wed – Fri: 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sat: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Conspiracy Comics South
Address: 2388 Fairview St., Burlington, ON, L7R 2E4
Telephone: 905-333-1552
Email
Hours:
Mon – Fri: 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Sat: 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Retro Rocket Comics And Toys [Facebook]
Address: 124 Bishop Street North, Cambridge, ON, N3H 2K1
Telephone: 519-653-4460
Hours:
Mon: Closed
Tues: 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Wed & Thurs: 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Fri & Sat: 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Fantasy Realm Comics & Cards
Address: 227 Pitt Street, Cornwall, ON, K6J 3P8
Telephone: 613-933-7997
Email
The Dragon – Old Quebec Street Mall Sponsor of the Comics For Kids Award
www.comicsintheclassroom.ca
Address: Unit T12 – 55 Wyndham Street North, Guelph, ON, N1H 4E2
Telephone: 519-763-5544
Email
Hours:
Mon & Tues: 10:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Wed – Fri: 10:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Sat: 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Sun: 10:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Retailer Interview
Big B Comics Retailer of the Year in 2008 [Facebook]
Address: 1045 Upper James Street, Hamilton, ON, L9C 3A6
Telephone: 1-888-272-8831
Email
Retailers Interview
Hours:
Mon – Fri: 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sat & Sun: 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
REBEL COMICS
1231 INNISFIL BEACH ROAD
INNISFIL, ON
(705) 294-0744
Action Packed Comics [Facebook]
Address: 730 Princess Street, Kingston, ON, K7L 1G2
Telephone: 613-547-5730
BA’s Comics
Address: 426 Hamilton Road, London, ON, N5Z 1R9
Telephone: 519-439-9636
The Comic Book Collector
Address: 779 Dundas Street, London, ON, N5W 2Z6
Telephone: 519-433-6004
Email
Retailer Interview
Hours:
Mon & Tues: 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Wed: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Thurs & Fri: 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Sat: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Heroes Cards And Comics
Address: 179 Dundas Street, London, ON, N6A 1G4
Telephone: 519-439-4955
Email
Retailer Interview
Hours:
Mon & Tues: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Wed: 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Thurs & Fri: 10:00 am – 7:30 pm
Sat: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
L A Mood Comics & Games [Facebook]
Address: 350 Richmond Street, London, ON, N6A 3C3
Telephone: 519-432-3987
Email
Retailers Interview
Hours:
Mon, Tues & Thurs: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Wed: 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Fri: 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sat: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Worlds Away
Address: 666 Dundas Street, London, ON, N5W 2Y8
Telephone: 519-433-1267
Pendragon Comics and Used Books
Address: 154 Main Street North, Markham, ON, L3P 1Y3
Telephone: 905-205-0204
Email
Altered States Comics
Address: 1701 Lakeshore Road West, Mississauga, Ontario, L5J 1J4
Telephone: 905-855-1288
Email
Hours:
Mon – Thurs: 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Fri: 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Sat: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sun: 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Image Collections
Address: 181 Queen Street South, Mississauga, ON, L5M 1L2
Telephone: 905-542-8307
Comic Book Shoppe
Address: 1400 Clyde Avenue, Nepean, ON, K2G 3J2
Telephone: 613-228-8386
Retailer Interview
The Neutral Zone
Address: 5986 Lundy’s Lane, Niagara Falls, ON, L2G 1T1
Telephone: 905-357-1701
Email
Retailer Interview
Hours:
Mon – Sun: 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Pulp Comics
Address: 4413 Queen Street, Niagara Falls, Ontario, L2E 2L2
Telephone: 905-353-0666
Email
Hours:
Mon – Fri: 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Sat – Sun: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Comic Connection
Address: 146 Kerr Street, Oakville, ON, L6K 3A7
Telephone: 905-338-2209
Hours:
Mon – Fri: 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Sat: 11:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Gnu Books
Address: 250 Taunton Road East, Oshawa, ON, L1G 7T1
Telephone: 905-434-1463
Email
Hours:
Mon – Fri: 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Sat – Sun: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Worlds Collide
Address: 80 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, ON, L1G 4S2
Telephone: 905-436-8999
Email
Retailer Interview
Mon – Fri: 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sat: 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Comic Book Shoppe
Address: 228 Bank Street, Ottawa, ON, K2P 1X1
Telephone: 613-594-3042
Silver Snail Comics
Address: 391 Bank Street, Ottawa, ON, K2P 1Y3
Telephone: 613-232-2609
Email
Crafts N’ Things Hobbies & Games [Facebook]
Address: 21 James Bay Junction Rd, Parry Sound, ON, P2A 2W8
Telephone: 705-746-6107
Email
Hours:
Mon – Thurs: 9:00 am – 5:30 pm
Fri & Sat: 9:00 am – 7:00 pm
Sun: 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
Jeff’s Cards & Comics [Facebook]
Address: 422 George Street North, Peterborough, ON, K9H 3R5
Telephone: 705-876-0127
Heroic Dreams
Address: 7 – 1211 Kingston Road, Pickering, ON, L1V 6M5
Telephone: 905-492-1240
Email
Hours
Mon: Closed
Tues – Thurs: 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Fri: 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Sat: 10:30 am – 6:00 pm
Sun: 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Kaos Komix
Address: 4A Levendale Road, Richmond Hill, ON, L4C 4H2
Telephone: 905-508-5890
Mostly Comics
Address: 413 St. Paul Street, St. Catharines, ON, L2R 3N1
Telephone: 905-682-6147
Email
The Comic Room
Address: 659 McCowan Road, Scarborough, ON, M1J 1K2
Telephone: 416-439-3045
Email
Hours:
Mon: Closed
Tues – Thurs: 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Fri: 11:00 am – 8:30 pm
Sat: 10:00 am – 5:30 pm
Sun: 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
Comics North
Address: 106 Elm Street, Sudbury, ON, P3C 1T5
Telephone: 705-674-1015
Hill City Comics & Cards
Address: 26 Court Street South, Thunder Bay, ON, P7B 2W5
Telephone: 807-344-8774
Email
Hours
Mon – Wed: 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Thurs & Fri: 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sat: 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Atomic Age
Address: 497 Pape Avenue, Toronto, ON, M4K 3R1
Telephone: 416-778-5131
Email
Hours:
Mon: Closed
Tues: 11:30 am – 6:00 pm
Wed – Fri: 11:30 am – 8:00 pm
Sat: 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Sun: 12:30 pm – 6:00 pm
The Beguiling Retailer of the Year in 2010 [Facebook]
Address: 601 Markham Street, Toronto, ON, M6G 2L7
Telephone: 416-533-9168
Email
Hours
Mon – Thurs: 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Fri: 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Sat: 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Comics & More [Facebook]
Address: 1325 Danforth Avenue, Toronto, ON, M4J 1M8
Telephone: 416-778-8314
Email
Hours
Mon: Closed
Tues: 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Wed – Fri: 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sat: 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Cyber City Comix
Address: 1025 Steeles Avenue West, Toronto, ON, M2R 2S9
Telephone: 416-667-7592
Email
Hairy Tarantula Games & Comics
Address: 354 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1S5
Telephone: 416-596-8002
Email
Hours
Mon & Tues: 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Wed – Fri: 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Sat: 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Pendragon Comics and Cards
Address: 3759 Lake Shore Boulevard West, Toronto, ON, M8W 1R1
Telephone: 416-253-6974
Email
Hours:
Mon & Tues: Closed
Wed & Thurs: 11:00 am – 7pm
Fri: 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sat: 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sun: 11:30:00 am – 5:00 pm
Red Nails 2 – Wilson
Address: 93 – 1700 Wilson Avenue, Toronto, ON, M3L 1B2
Telephone: 416-242-7899
Silver Snail Comics Ltd
Address: 367 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON, M5V 2A4
Telephone: 416-593-9433
Email
Hours
Mon & Tues: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Wed – Fri: 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sat: 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Carry-On Comics & Books [Facebook]
Address: 32 King Street North, Waterloo, ON, N2J 2W8
Telephone: 519-886-4267
Hours
Mon – Tues: 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Wed – Thurs: 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
Fri – Sat: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Comic Book Addiction [Facebook]
Address: 1022 Brock Street South, Whitby, ON, L1N 4L8
Telephone: 905-666-0011
Email
Retailer Interview
Hours
Mon – Fri: 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sat – Sun: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
.
Cover to Cover
Address: 1187 Pembina Highway, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2A5
Telephone: 204-275-5700
Email
Retailer Interview
Hours:
Mon: Closed
Tues – Fri: 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sat: 11:00 – 5:00 pm
.
Comic Readers – South [Facebook]
Address: 2104B Grant Road, Regina, SK, S4S 5C8
Telephone: 306-586-1414
Email
Retailer Interview
Hours:
Mon – Tues: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Wed – Thurs: 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
Fri: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sat: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Comic Readers – Downtown [Facebook]
Address: 2125 11th Avenue, Regina, SK, S4P 3X3
Telephone: 306-779-0900
Email
Retailer Interview
Hours:
Mon – Thurs: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Friday: 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Sat: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
8th Street Books & Comics
Address: 1006 8th Street East, Saskatoon, SK, S7H 0R9
Telephone: 306-343-6624
Email
Retailer Interview
Hours:
Monday & Tuesday: 10-6
Wednesday: 10-7
Thursday: 10-9
Friday & Saturday: 10-6
Sunday: 12-6
Amazing Stories Ltd. [Facebook]
Address: 270 – 2600 8th Street, Saskatoon, SK
Telephone: 306-242-8996
Email
Store Hours:
Mon & Tues: 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Wed & Thurs: 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Fri: 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sat: 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
.
Baby Love Products
5015 46th St
Camrose, AB
(780) 672-1763
Another Dimension Comics [Facebook]
Address: 424B 10 Street NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1V9
Telephone: 403-283-7078
Email
Retailer Interview
Hours:
Mon – Thurs: 10:30 am – 6:00 pm
Fri: 10:30 am – 7:00 pm
Sat: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Comic-Kazi [Facebook]
Address: 4307 MacLeod Trail SW, Calgary, AB, T2G 0A3
Telephone: 403-286-0544
Email
Hours:
Mon to Tues: 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Wed: 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Thurs to Fri: 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Sat: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Redd Skull Comics & CD’s [Facebook]
Address: 720A Edmonton Trail NE, Calgary, AB, T2E 3J4
Telephone: 403-230-2716
Email
Hours:
Mon & Tues: 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Wed to Fri: 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sat: 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm -6:00 pm
Words & Pictures
Address: 6-2610 Centre Street NE, Calgary, AB, T2E 2V4
Telephone: 403-282-8870
Comic Fever
Address: 11338 132 Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB, T5E 1A1
Telephone: 780-452-6324
Happy Harbor Vol. 1 Retailer of the Year in 2007 [Facebook]
Address: 12226 – Jasper Ave, Edmonton, AB, T5N 3K3
Telephone: 780-452-8211
Email
Warp 2 Comics & Games
Address: 12863 97 Street NW, Edmonton, AB, T5E 4C2
Telephone: 780-478-7767
Email
Hours:
Mon – Tues: 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Wed – Fri: 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Sat: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Showcase Comics
Address: 1271 3 Avenue South, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 0K2
Telephone: 403-328-0123
Comic Readers
Address: 924-B South Railway Street S.E., Medicine Hat, AB, T1A 3G4
Telephone: 403-528-9474
Email
Hours:
Mon – Sat: 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Amazing Fantasy
Address: 5003 50 Street, Red Deer, AB, T4N 1Y2
Telephone: 403-346-7505
Email
Hours:
Mon – Sat: 11:00 am – 5:30 pm
Sun: Closed
Wizard’s Comics & Collectibles Inc
Address: 2008C Sherwood Drive, Sherwood Park, AB, T8A 0Z1
Telephone: 780-467-7737
Email
Hours:
Mon – Fri: 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sat: 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
.
Tazmanian Comic Connection [Facebook]
Address: 4702 Hastings Street, Burnaby, BC, V5C 2K7
Telephone: 604-298-6208
Email
Hours:
Monday: Closed
Tues to Thurs: 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Fri: 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Sat: 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Haney Books
Address: 22330 Dewdney Trunk Road, Maple Ridge, BC, V2X 3J2
Telephone: 604-467-4913
The Comicshop [Facebook]
Address: 3518 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V6J 1N3
Telephone: 604-738-8122
Email
Rx Comics [Facebook]
Address: 2418 Main Street, Vancouver, BC, V5T 3E2
Telephone: 604-454-5099
Hours:
Mon – Sat: 11:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Curious Comics [Facebook]
Address: 631 Johnson Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 1M7
Telephone: 250-384-1656
Email
Hours:
Mon – Sat: 9:30 am – 6:00 pm
Sun: 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Legends Comics & Books Retailer of the Year in 2009 [Facebook]
Address: 633 Johnson Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 1M7
Telephone: 250-388-3696
Email
Retailer Interview
Hours:
Mon & Tues: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Wed – Sat: 10:30 am – 6:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
THE JOE SHUSTER AWARDS 
[…] side also includes a “kid-friendly comic shop” locator. At the Joe Shuster Awards blog, Joe (actually it’s Robert) Haines takes a look at Diamond’s criteria for making that list. Originally, the requirement was to […]