Category: Conventions

April Update

captain-america-civil-warSo we had a great and busy Toronto ComiCON a few weeks back, and after some recovery time are ready to get moving on Spring. Goodbye Winter!

Batman V Superman: The Dawn of Justice has come and gone, and now we prepare for the next big comic movie of the summer: Captain America Civil War – out the first Friday in May.

Upcoming shows:

GTA COMIC CON
SUNDAY, APRIL 24th
in Oakville, ON

80s TOY EXPO (with All New Comics)
SUNDAY, MAY 1st
in Mississauga, ON

BOOKS OF NOTE – IN STOCK NOW
While we do special book orders for customers, we only order extras of a select number of titles per month.

Archie Vol. 1 (2015)
Batman: The Killing Joke (back in stock)
Batgirl Vol. 2
East of West Vol. 5
Giant Days Vol. 2
Gotham Academy Vol. 2
Hellboy in Mexico
Manhattan Projects Vol. 6
Paper Girls Vol. 1
Phonogram Vol. 3 Immaterial Girl
Rat Queens Vol. 3
Starfire Vol. 1
Tokyo Ghost Vol. 1
Walking Dead Vol. 25
Wonder Woman Earth One Vol. 1 HC

Coming Soon:
Amulet Vol. 7 (reorder)
Black Magic Vol. 1
Deadpool Vol. 1 World’s Greatest (2015)
I Hate Fairyland Vol. 1
Jem and the Holograms Vol. 2
Mary Wept at the Feet of Jesus
Star Wars: Vader Down
Wolverine Origin (reorder)
Wolverine by Claremont and Miller (reorder)
Wolverine Weapon X (reorder)
X-Men Dark Phoenix Saga (reorder)
X-Men Days of Future Past (reorder)

Toronto ComiCON was quite a smash for us with regards to sales of Pop Vinyls. We cleared out a lot of our old inventory and this will allow us to focus on new and existing stock at the upcoming events. There are simply way too many Pops Vinyls released each month for us to realistically order all of them, so we concentrate on the ones we think people will be interested in. If you want to special order any Pop! Vinyls from our inventory or from our distributor please email us at info@comicbooklounge.com

POP! VINYLS

Recently added – In Stock Already
– Harry Potter Dementor
– Game of Thrones Rhaegl 6″
– Game of Thrones Daenerys on Drogon
– Game of Thrones Night King
– Sherlock Moriarty with Crown Jewels

Confirmed for arrival next week:
– Fallout 4 John Hancock
– Star Wars Force Awakens BB-8
– GI JOE Cobra Commander
– DC Swamp Thing Glow in the Dark Px Exclusive
– Crimson Peak Mother Ghost
– Sesame Street Snuffleupagus 6″

Pending (some may be in next week’s shipment):
– All four Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
– Batman ’66 Batmobile
– Ghostbusters Stay Puft Marshmallow Man
– Fallout 4 T-60 Power Armor
– Harry Potter Dobby
– Sci-Fi Iron Giant and Car
– DC New 52 Batman
– Doctor Who 9th Doctor
– Doctor Who River Song
– Monty Python and the Holy Grail Black Knight
– Star Wars Darth Vader
– Star Wars Force Awakens Rey
– Star Wars Force Awakens Kylo Ren
– Alice in Wonderland Chesire Cat

And coming later this summer:
– Marvel Captain Marvel Carol Danvers Modern Version
– Marvel Spider-Gwen
– Marvel Dr. Strange Classic Version
– DC Supergirl
– DC Power Girl
– Batman ’66 Batman w/surfboard
– Batman ’66 Joker w/surfboard

Still around! Busy month, changes and more

Thanks to everyone we saw at the Niagara Falls Comic Con on June 5-7, we got in last minute as an exhibitor. Also thanks to the fine people we saw and purchased items from us at the Toronto Comic Book Show on Sunday, June 14th. We also went to the Ancaster Collectibles show on May 30, but we’re trying to forget the downpour that ruined load in and load out for us.

We’ve been at our new delivery and pick-up system for two months now and we’ll be making some necessary changes going into July.

1. Daytime delivery will end after June 24.

Very few customers using the delivery service combined with low orders and cost of delivery = losses, so as of the week of July 1 we will not be doing daytime deliveries. Some clients who used to receive daytime delivery will now be getting their books in the evening, or they should make plans to pick them up from our pick-up locations during weekdays or on Saturday.

2. On August 1, the customer discount becomes qualified.

After August 1, in order to qualify for a 20% discount a customer must spend $80 or more after exchange, not including taxes. In order to justify the expenses and freebies we offer (free Previews, all comics bagged and boarded) we need to be making a minimum amount per month in orders from every customer. We’re not going to cut down the perks, but we can’t offer a price break if the customer’s orders are low.

April Showers bring Comic Shows

hflNext weekend – April 11/12, the Comic Book Lounge will be setting up a booth at HERO FEST KINGSTON, a new 2-day show taking place in Kingston, ON. Featured guests in include TY TEMPLETON, DAN DAY, Dr. Who’s COLIN BAKER and Star Trek: The Next Generation’s DENISE CROSBY (who recently appeared on the Walking Dead).

The following weekend we will be setting up on Sunday, April 19th at the next TORONTO COMIC BOOK SHOW.

Don’t forget, between now and April 24 we are having a 40% off older trades and hardcovers clearance sale. All books on the bookshelves on the walls are on sale – after the 24th we’re packing up the remainder for show backstock and for online sales. New books are not on sale.

After that we really start winding down the retail shop, and on the following weekend – April 25/26 we’ll be moving a lot of the remaining stock and fixtures into storage for shows and online sales.

FINALLY on Wednesday, April 29th – an event three years and three months in the making — we are throwing a LAST WEDNESDAY/FINAL NIGHT PARTY and staying open until 11PM with special appearances by comic guests like LEONARD KIRK (artist on Fantastic Four – the last issue of Fantastic Four ships that day), TY TEMPLETON (Batman ’66 Meets the Green Hornet artist), and more. It’s doubles as our final Industry Night at this location and the following day, April 30th we bid adieu to 587A College.

Update from the owner: March-April 2015

10500476_285421854962856_8804103666978402748_nLast date of operations on College Street: Thursday, April 30, 2015

CGC Update:
– all books sent before October 2014 are now graded. To be shipped up in advance of the Toronto Comicon 3/20.

Anniversary Sale Phase 2
– selected books, trade paperbacks: now 30% off US Cover price
– back issue sale – recent releases $2.99 = 1.99, $3.99 = 2.99, stickered comics and other higher priced releases: 30% off
– toys and statues, as priced – some discounted last month

Consignment Items to be retrieved by 4/30
– any items on consignment will need to be picked up from the shop before our final day of operations on College (Thursday, April 30). Any remaining items will be moved into storage and returned by appointment.

Inventory Move
Some graphic novels and back issues have been relocated as future show inventory already. Please note that most of our inventory will be moved into storage the week following the Toronto ComiCON. After March 27 we will have limited stock (mostly new releases) until our last date on College Street.

TORONTO COMICON Weekend (March 20-22)
– store will remain open during these three days.

EASTER WEEKEND – Closed on Friday and Sunday
– the Lounge will be closed on Friday, April 3 and Sunday, April 5. (Store will be open on April 4).

TTC
– No College Streetcar service April 6-April 27 (3 weeks) due to an intersection upgrade at College and Spadina. College Streetcars are being diverted to Dundas Street at Bay and at Ossington. Access to the Lounge – pedestrian and vehicle access only. Transit users will have to walk to College from Dundas, Bathurst, Harbord or Ossington.

Upcoming shows:
Toronto ComiCON – March 20-22
Oshawa Comic Con – April 4
HeroFest (Kingston) – April 11-12
Toronto Comic Book Show – April 19

Welcome to the future! 2014 is here

We are getting ready to start our third official year as the Comic Book Lounge + Gallery and many exciting things are in the works.

Item! Temple of Toys is sticking around. Thanks to everyone who has made the fine folks at ToT feel so welcome at 587A College — they were happy enough with the results in November and December that they are going to stay on for the winter. They continue to offer the best in vintage and collector toys. From Masters of the Universe, TMNT, Star Wars, Marvel Legends and more… if you can’t find what you are looking for at Temple of Toys they will be able to find it for you! Temple of Toys BannerItem! Old Man Winter is blowing hard across Southern Ontario at the moment but that doesn’t mean that the comics aren’t hot at the Lounge. With All New Marvel New, new offerings from Image Comics and the 75th Birthday of the Batman (in Detective Comics #27 – out January 8th) there’s lots of great stuff coming out. detective27-leeItem! MIRACLEMAN is back! Yes, on January 15th the lost classic is back in a series collecting the long out of print stories from Warrior and the Eclipse comic series, and Neil Gaiman will be back to finish the Silver Age storyline when the series runs of out the older material to collect. Each issue includes interviews, designs and extra features and is sure to be a must-have for fans and collectors alike. Miracleman_1_Cassaday_Variant

Item! On Saturday, January 25th from 8pm-11pm it’s Ladies Night V – the night we kick the guys out and make the Lounge an exclusive place for female fandom to meet and network.

Item! Unfortunately due to space issues we will not be able to host a 24 Hour Comic Book Marathon at the Lounge as originally announced.

Item! On Sunday, January 19th the Comic Book Lounge + Gallery will be exhibiting at the Burlington Toy Show

Burlington Toy Show – January 19, 2014
Holiday Inn Burlington
Hotel & Conference Centre
3063 South Service Road
Burlington, ON
 Start Time: 9:00 AM
End Time: 3:00 PM
Early Bird is $10, General Admission is $5, Children under 5 admitted at no charge

Fan Expo and JSA wrap up, what’s happening in September

What happened to the summer?On August 21 we held the launch party for Reform School Ninja Girls which was a huge success — the original art is still up on display in the gallery until September 5th.

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Last weekend we wrapped up Fan Expo Canada for another successful year, and buzz around town is that they had well over 110,000 attendees over four days. It was an exciting weekend for the Lounge, what with our booth at the show, Kevin participating in the Canadian Superhero Renaissance Panel on Friday, JSA_poster_2013_LGRachel participating in the Golden Age of Canadian Comics panel on Sunday and the 9th Annual Joe Shuster Awards being presented on the Saturday night at the Art Gallery of Ontario.

Joe Shuster Award Winners:
Artist – Isabelle Arsenault  for Jane, le renard & moi
Writer – Fanny Britt for Jane, le renard & moi
Cartoonist – Jeff Lemire for Sweet Tooth and the Underwater Welder
Cover Artist – Mike Del Mundo for some amazing covers for Marvel Comics
Gene Day – The Pig Sleep by Cory McCallum and Matt Daley
Dragon Award – Cat’s Cradle Vol. 1  by Jo Rioux
Webcomics – Ant Comic by Michael DeForge
Harry Kremer Retailer – Heroes (London, ON)
Hall of Fame: Vernon Miller, Murray Karn, Arn Saba (Katherine Collins)

On Monday we had an impromptu visit/signing with the fine folks from UK publisher Neil Gibson Comics, including creator Neil Gibson himself. They’ve left some copies of TWISTED LIGHT at the store for sale along with a special offer to those that buy it to get a copy of TWISTED DARK for free either digitally or in print!

low_society_bw

Rachel will be enjoying a restful vacation from September 3rd to 19th and we hope she has a great time. Mike Bothelho and Kellam Templeton-Smith will be filling in for her while she is away.

Our next evening event in September is the CEREBUS: LOW SOCIETY book launch on Saturday, September 7th with special guests Rob Walton (editor), Gerhard and the many talented participants in the Comics Lab Project. We’ll have copies of the book well in advance of the distributed copies, courtesy of Aardvark-Vanaheim.

On September 13-15 we’ll be exhibiting at the MONTREAL COMIC CON (look for us at booth 429) and Kevin will be accepting CGC Signature Series requests for the event. If there is something you would like us to bring to the event for you please let us know in advance.

On September 20-22 it looks like Kevin will be driving down to Columbus, OH for Wizard World Ohio to complete the Stan Lee signing that was originally schedule for Fan Expo (unfortunately Stan was not feeling well and had to leave early) and as a result he will be accepting some CGC Signature Series requests for that event as well.

On Saturday, September 28th we have LADIES NIGHT IV, one of our most popular reoccurring events.

Upcoming: Uys-Faber signing 5/31, Utopia Hall Show 6/2 & Niagara Falls ComicCon 6/8-9

On Friday, May 31 from 6-9 we’ll be staying open late to host a signing to celebrating the release of Uys-Faber’s TOTEM SACRED – TAY-RA #1

969585_578112555543523_464650993_nThen on Sunday, June 2nd we’ll be loading up the car and heading to Utopia Hall for the Cool Collectibles Show and Sale

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And then the following weekend, on June 8-9 we’ll be exhibiting at the Niagara Falls Comic-Con. Look for us near the main entrance at booth 141 (shared with Hairy Tarantula and 3rd Quadrant Comics). Comic book guests include Marc Silvestri, George Perez, Colleen Doran, Ken Lashley, Leonard Kirk, Dave Ross, Spent Pencils, Stephen Burger (Talk!) and our very own Chris Yao as well as a number of other great creators.

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Heading into April – What’s new and what’s changing at the Comic Book Lounge + Gallery

boneIt’s been a busy month, and lots of things are going on here at the Comic Book Lounge and with our partner in the space Guerilla Printing. As pointed out earlier, this weekend we are closed on Friday and Sunday for the Easter Holidays. We will be open on Monday.

Tomorrow night, March 28, it’s the end of an era at 587A College as it marks the final night for the last Toronto Cartoonists Workshop course at our location. The TCW may offer courses again in the future, but at this point there is nothing new scheduled. We’ll be working with Guerilla to get a new door sign made to mark this adjustment a.s.a.p.

yaoWith no upcoming classes Guerilla and the Lounge have been working to improve the community space to make it a bit more retail oriented and filled with fun stuff. The area will still house the Gallery portion — and currently we still have J. Bone’s Rocketeer Hollywood Horror #1 art on display (until April 1) as well as a series of cover recreation paintings by local artist Amato available.

We currently have a HUGE SALE on selected Marvel, DC, Dynamite, Boom! and IDW hardcovers and trades in the community space. We’ve been adding items to this area every week, and there are some AMAZING deals! Trades as low as $2 and hardcovers as low as $5!!!!!

sean wardOn most days of the week you will also find our artist in residence, Christopher Yao, hard at work on his various assignments and producing sketch covers. Chris has a whole selection of sketch covers on sale right now at the Lounge.

We’d also like to take the time to welcome Sean Ward to 587A College. Sean is now based in the Guerilla Printing section of 587A but is often engaging customers and staff alike at the Lounge with his ineffable wit and charm.

UPCOMING EVENTS

April has a lot of things lined up for it already. Here’s a quick overview of the next few Lounge events:

April 5 – Rock Testament art show and Industry Night (8-11pm)
April 6 – The 12 Hour Comic Book Marathon (11am-11pm)
April 13 – Ladies Night II (7pm-Midnight)

We do have some plans for the upcoming Free Comic Book Day (Saturday, May 4) and the Comic Book Lounge will be exhibiting at two upcoming conventions in May and June:

Ottawa Comic Con – May 10-12
Niagara Falls Comic Con – June 8-9

Also, keep in mind that the Taste of Little Italy Street Festival is scheduled for June 15-17. That means that College Street will be blocked off to vehicular traffic between Bathurst and Ossington.