Monday, October 30, 2006, 2:13 PM
OK Comics
Safe in the knowledge that so few people will read this, I can say that I love shopping. I do. And one of my favourite shops is OK Comics in Leeds.
No this isn’t a plug; seriously, think about the all things that make you happy. Then combine them. For me, that is this shop.
I came across OK Comics about 5 years ago in a small, slightly damp and smelly arcade in Leeds. It was essentially one small room. You could take a step into the shop, pick your comic off the shelf, pay for it and step out again. Then, I suppose I had little money and I felt bad visiting the shop, because I felt like a fraud, or at least someone who was just fuelling an occasional indulgence. So naturally I guessed I was wasting the owner’s time.
Shops in places like Leeds thrive off people fuelling indulgences. You go in, maybe buy something and leave because you know you aren’t really welcome anyway. And I forget (through clouded cynicisms) that there are certain independent shops that buck the trend, and are welcoming and do what they do because that’s what they’re passionate about doing.
So, OK Comics moved to Thornton’s Arcade in Leeds centre and since then has, as I can perceive, not just survived but become an essential part of the city’s supporting cast. Sure, I’ve seen people walking past it commenting on how geeky people must be to shop there but then in the same breath say how cool the Batman or Zombie comics are in the window. There isn’t an age range that isn’t attracted to it.
Let me describe OK Comics. No. Let me tell you a story about OK Comics. I was recently told that a specific member of staff in the last year was involved in a serious accident. He went to hospital, was kept in overnight, and a day later day turned up to work. Not because he had to but because he wanted to. There are few places I can honestly say I wouldn’t have taken time off from given half the chance. But this is just characteristic of the shop’s general atmosphere. You go in, you have a chat. There’s no obligation to leave. Browse, have a free coffee, sit on the sofa ...
So what am I saying? Shop there? Well, y’know “comics” isn’t just about men in tights nowadays. It’s about people sharing their imagination and expressing their thoughts and stories. Which brings me back to original point – why is it one of my favourite shops? It’s a shop that feeds my imagination, makes me happy and has introduced me to some fantastic people.
Seriously, where else can you get that?