The hearts of local comic book fans will soar when they discover what’s behind the covered glass windows and superhero posters of a new Starkville store.On Nov. 1, Starkville comic fans will be able to read about their favorite super heroes between the Marvel red and DC blue walls of Yelverton Comics.
The owner of the store, John Yelverton, said comic books are often associated with college students, and he wanted to make comics easily available to Mississippi State readers.
“This is the largest university in the entire state and there’s not a comic book shop, and that didn’t make a lot of sense to me,” Yelverton said.
The store will be convenient for students who would otherwise have to return to their hometowns to find comics or order them off of the Internet, he said.
Although the store itself may cater to a small percentage of people, Yelverton said he hopes all students will visit the new establishment.
“Right now this is just to make it so when people come to the store they see something they’ve never seen before,” he said. “We want to make it a treat to come in.”
In addition to selling comics, Yelverton said the store will be stocked with amenities.
“We’re going to put [in] wireless Internet, a game console, TVs and a drink machine, so basically people can come in and sit down and enjoy the store and the atmosphere.”
Celebrity visits, movie nights and contests are some of the ideas Yelverton said he has planned for the shop in the future.
“I want this to be ‘What’s he doing this month?'” Yelverton said. “I want to make it a fun thing.”
Yelverton, 24, is an MSU graduate who received a political science degree in 2005. He said he has always loved comic books and has collected them since he was 10 years old.
“Comic books are today’s mythology. It’s about heroes who you can never be but someone you can aspire to be,” Yelverton said.
He said his experience as a student at MSU is one of the reasons he decided to open the store in Starkville.
“I remember what it was like to be a college student,” Yelverton said. “This store is going to be open until midnight, and [we welcome people who] want to come in and sit down or study, play games, talk or shop.”
Yelverton is not the first person to attempt to sell comics in Starkville. Recent attempts include Gun Dog Comics, which operated from 1989 to 2001, and its replacement Reality Check, which was in business until 2003.
Founder of Copy Cow in Starkville, Robert Snell, co-founded Gun Dog Comics. He said he thinks a comic shop in Starkville will work if the store provides great customer service, sells other merchandise in addition to comics and utilizes the Internet.
“It’s a tough business to be in,” Snell said. “Every month your product line changes. You have to stay on top of the industry trends and be psychic when you’re buying what you sell two months in advance.”
Snell said he will probably be a regular customer, and the few people who buy comics often buy them lots of them.
“Last time I saw demographic information, less than one percent of folks in the USA bought comics regularly, but the folks who do seem to spend $20 plus or so every two weeks.” Snell said.
Local business owners, such as House of Tux manager Scott Riley, are positive about the new store’s opening. House of Tux is adjacent to Yelverton Comics.
“I’m ready to start reading them again myself,” Riley said. “It can’t hurt. [Being next door] has got to be good PR [for us.] It may even bring kids from the middle or high schools that will have proms and stuff.”
Freshman graphic design major Ryan Filler, who has collected comics for three years, said he feels MSU students will react positively to the store.
“I would think with a college this big there is probably a significant amount of people into comics,” Filler said.