Andrew (R.S Admin) @ajroach42@retro.social

Alright, I put inquiries in with everyone I could find who was distributing comics.

If there is a title you want, I'll see what we can do.

@mathew Adorable.

I had Secret Hiding Places for Clever Kids, the Junior book of codes and cyphers, and "COMPUTER SECRETS" which consisted of type in BASIC programs for encryption, that relied on computers I had never seen in real life.

So apparently DC just cut ties with Diamond, and Diamond is likely to be entirely revamping their business as a result.

Interesting times.

@Alexis @reinderdijkhuis I'll read this. Thanks for sharing. I hope this means a new distributor is coming.

@reinderdijkhuis LMFAO

They just opened back up and local shops were saying that things are actually pretty good. And then DC does this.

Damn.

Good thing DC doesn't have a book worth buying right now.

@Ethancdavenport Yeah, me too.

@Ethancdavenport @garbados I'm not a good cryptographer.

I can use encryption. I can't solve it.

@Ethancdavenport I appreciate your support.

@garbados We're the same age.

I saw the same thing.

It led to us doubling down, and to me researching and designing modems for long range radio communication.

It's what led me to where we are now.

We were 1950s style spies, basically.

Anyway, I think about that a lot.

Remember when kids programs advertised encryption as a toy?

When I was 10, we had decoder rings, and we sent messages back and forth to one another with covert dead drops and an ever escalating set of cyphers and encryption methods.

We built book safes and false bottom boxes. We hid secrets. We organized against our teachers. We agitated.

I was a child, it was a game.

Was your childhood like this?

@sconlan I think we definitely will.

I think I could have enough local business to justify it pretty quickly, but I'd feel a lot more confident if I could get a pick list going.

So, are any of you #comicbook fans without a home comics store, that would be willing to keep a pick list with our coffee shop, to have shipped to you?

I'd do free shipping on orders of 5 books or more, and would ship each week or each month at your option.

I'm considering setting up an account with Diamond (the only comic book distributor in the country) so that we can carry a small smattering of comics.

Their minimum order is $425/month, and you have to place a monthly order or they won't do business with you.

That works out to be about $100/week, which isn't Horrible, but it's also not great when you're talking about items that mostly cost $3/each. So I'd need to be moving 141 comic books a month to meet their minimums.

This week, for far too many reasons to enumerate, is kicking my ass.

Today, for the first time in a while, I feel hopeful about the state of the world. I don't know why, but I woke up feeling like things had turned a corner and might actually get better.

It felt today like we are winning.

I hope I'm not wrong.

@Ethancdavenport we missed you

It's time to talk about some stuff, yeah?

How are you? What's good? What is bringing you joy?

@thegibson well shit