I have a new comic store. And they just made me a loyal customer.
See, here’s the deal, I fell for the whole Countdown to Infinite Crisis hook like a hypnotized lemur. I put them all on my reserve file at my old comic book shop.
I checked back in a while later. I had issues 1 and 3 from one title. Only issue 2 from another. Only issue 3 from a third… it was pretty pathetic. So, I wandered into Hall of Heroes in Cherry Hill Mall in New Jersey and ended up talking to the guy behind the counter. He helped me plug most of the holes in all four series… even going to the back room to find some. He pointed out some great titles I’d forgotten to look for (Like “The Defenders”) and was an all-around likeable comic-shop guy. 🙂
Before I knew it, I’d started a new reserve list there and left with plans to cancel my reserve at the old place.
Good enough, right?
Well, first a little backstory…
I’m still sore about the OMAC project series. Issue #3 leaves off and says you have to read three other titles to fill in the gap between OMAC #3 and OMAC #4. I hate that. And I didn’t read it until I already had OMAC #4 in my hands, saying, “Wha–? When did that ha–? What’s going on h–?!”
So I go in to pick up my reserves today, and I get the OMAC #5 and a bunch of other titles.
It’s not till I get home when I find a little something that they threw in for me: The issue of Wonder Woman that was one of the three you needed to read to understand the OMAC gap. A wonderful ish. An ish not in my reserve list, but one I wanted very much.
The guy behind the counter (a different guy) had asked me to check them over to make sure they were the ones I wanted — and I didn, kinda — but I kinda thought it was a formality.
Anyway… Whoever was thoughtful enough to throw that WW issue into my file won over a loyal customer for a long time… and a little plug. If they had a Web site, I’d link it. But suffice it to say, stop in to Hall of Heroes in the Cherry Hill mall. It’s a really swank store with books, T-shirts, figurines, Godzilla stuff… kind of a comic con in a can.
Transcript
Panel 1
(Cassie Cruz speaking to Jeremy, who is standing in front of a board with pictures of various Evil Inc employees.)
Cassie Cruz: Jeremy, we have to find out who has been leaking information to the heroes before they pin it on me! The only nursing home capable of caring for my mother is contingent on my job here! — And even they have their hands full!
Panel 2
(A flashback scene shows Cassie narrating while Princess Charming, an elderly woman in a wheelchair, is interacting with another patient in the nursing home.)
Cassie Cruz (narrating): As a top-tier mind-controller with dementia, my mom keeps reliving the past — and pulling innocent people into her world!
Panel 3
(A flashback continues with an orderly, wearing a red shirt, standing near Princess Charming. Green energy surrounds them as the orderly appears to be in a trance.)
Cassie Cruz (narrating): Last week, an orderly forgot to turn on his neuro-dampener last week. Before anyone knew it, he was reenacting a battle between Mom and Hijinx.
Jeremy: Was Hijinx a hero she used to fight?
Panel 4
Cassie Cruz (narrating): Worse. It was a villain she had a rivalry with.
Princess Charming: I wish I could be like you. It must be so freeing not to stress over every little pound!
Panel 5
(Orderly is sitting on a couch, speaking with a therapist)
Cassie Cruz (narrating): The poor guy has been in counseling ever since!
Orderly: I mean… I thought I looked cute in bangs!
(Comic strip by Brad J. Guigar. © 2025. All rights reserved. Visit evil-inc.com)
