Secret Headquarters — Local services in Los Angeles

I have an issue with this place. A big issue. About a year ago, the writer I was working with and I came into the store to try to get out comic book on the shelves. Seeing as we were independent comic book creators, we thought this store could be a great match. Meltdown Comics and Golden Apple Comics ended up selling our comics, but this store did not.

Now, I don't have an issue with them rejecting the comic, I really don't. I have an issue with the way in which it was done. Whoever the man is who was working there that day probably thought I was just a chubby nobody chick looking through the comics while he discussed the comic with the writer he didn't know I was working with. He probably thought that the artist of the comic, me, would never hear what he had to say. But I did.

He had the audacity to say, as he roughly flipped through the 24 page comic book, that I "clearly have no natural talent". I find what he said to be not only rude, but completely inappropriate. He is not the sole dictator on what passes as art. He needs to learn how to interact with artists and writers who come to him. Like I said, I don't really care that he didn't accept my comic, but I care that he had so little decorum that he would carelessly throw out one of the most offensive phrases one could ever say about a creative person.

It's sad that such a beautiful and well-stocked store is run by such a discourteous and condescending man.

I haven't made a single comic book since he said that and after 6 years of working together my creative partnership is over, leaving us with thousands of dollars worth of useless printed comic books. I still make art but his destructive words have never left my mind and still affect me...

In Los Angeles at least, this is surely the best comic shop for 1) artistic zines/comic zines (if you don't know what a "zine" is look it up; they are smaller than a comic book/comic magazine, that's the fastest way to describe them) 2) zine-type "home-pressed" artistic pamphlets 3) Probably also best for books that collect underground and small press comics, especially now that Meltdown Comics is gone 4) and probably now best also for books that collect material similar to that found in underground comics and zines, for books that are "zine-like". Some nice stuff. Not all the zines are comic zines, they have other kinds of zines too, but mostly comic zines. Mega City One comics probably has a better selection of actual Indie comic books, as opposed to little zines. I haven't seen little zines at Mega City One before. For Secret Headquarters, my big complaints are two: 1) that they don't carry Regular Sized Mylar Bags and Boards, and when I told them this two different times, both times they thought I was referring to Current Size bags and boards. No, Current Size is Current Size, while Regular Size bags and boards are larger and much better for 80s and 90s comics. Hopefully they will carry Regular Size bags and boards, because those are actually the Go-to sizes at most comic stores, not the Current Size ones. I know that because I've been to a number of comic stores. 2) They don't have parking, and as they know, it's usually difficult to find parking. A fun comic shop to browse and shop, most definitely, but they should move to a place with parking available and while they're at it how about moving to nearby East Hollywood! East Hollywood is cooler than Silverlake and more people pass through...

At this stage in my years-long obsession with small press comics, it's always a blessing to go to a shop and learn something new. Like: Jordan Crane's Non anthologies are that thick? They're huge! eBay does not provide the right perspective on that important matter. The point is: Secret Headquarters has stuff you're looking for, no matter what kind of reader you are. There's a wall of new issues from Marvel, etc., and there's also a strong selection of new zines and minicomics (plus shelves of manga, kids' comics, and book-length comics from Fantagraphics, D&Q, Peow, Silver Sprocket, etc.). For me, the few rows of older comics make this tiny shop a gem. (I know they've had to move around a lot! This location is not huge, but they use the space well.) I really enjoyed looking through some of those rarities, and the range of imports (from France and elsewhere) was also nice. The staff also recommended Dune for dinner down the street, and that was a terrific call. I hope to come back one day! My picks: New Pets by Jesse Jacobs, War Epic No. 2 by Nathan Cowdry, Denim by Tom Herpich, Cowabunga Schnauzer by Marc Bell, and Sock Nos. 1 and 2 edited by Conor...