Local Comics Store Spotlight: Flying Colors Comics & Other Cool Stuff
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Flying Colors Comics & Other Cool Stuff (Part Two)
Joe Field and Flying Colors owe a portion of their story to one of the great writers of origins in comics: Stan Lee. Field was working in sales and marketing at KJOY-AM in Stockton CA when he did a promotion asking Marvel to name Stockton as the "birthplace of the Fantastic Four." In early 1986 Stan Lee visited Stockton to officially bestow the FF"s hometown designation with lots of media in attendance. The pair hit it off and Lee invited Field to help him with some a freelance public relations gig. . It was a rabbit hole of comics fandom including promotion for Lee's wife's new book and the first few years of WonderCon. Field was hooked and opened Flying Colors only two years later.
Field captures a bit of Lee's own flair in how he promotes his store and the people who make it a unique hotspot for comics. He refers to his customers as the "FlyCo Faithful" in a manner similar to the "Merry Marvel Marching Society". The staff of Flying Colors, who have only numbered 53 in total over 28 years, are a source of immense pride for Field. That incredibly low turnover speaks to both their loyalty and a team people genuinely desire to be a part of.
The early years brought Field into touch with a lot of great young talent who would also leave a mark on the industry. He is quick to rattle off names like Dan Brereton, Jeff Johnson, Ken Hooper, and Darick Robertson. It was none other than Jim Lee who did his first professional store signing at Flying Colors' Grand Opening which was three weeks after the store opened.
Flying Colors is a store with roots firmly embedded in the comics industry. You only have to look at highlights like early flirtations with Stan "The Man" Lee, support of many rising stars, and the creation of a world-wide event like FCBD to realize this is a comics store that cares deeply about comics. That's a point Field doesn't shy away from either. There is the "Other Cool Stuff" portion of the name, but it's all a bonus that comes in addition to the comics. "We're not a game store, even though we carry a few card games. We are first, last and always a full service Comic Book Store, and everything we do spins out of that," says Field.
Flying Colors has already begun to gear up for its 30th anniversary coming in October 2018. There are a variety of events in the works and based on the store's track record it's entirely plausible the next FCBD might spin out of them. However, Field stresses that one of the most important things to do in comics is to remain flexible. The past 30 years of comics have been crazy with big ups and downs, and Flying Colors' ability to survive it all speaks to some hard won wisdom. "It's vital for us to stay low to the ground, and be flexible enough to charge hard when we can and pull back when we need to," says Field.
Whatever the 30th anniversary and years after it may bring, there's no doubt that Flying Colors will remain a leader in American comics. You only need to look at its history and how each of its ideas have played out to see how this store has consistently represented the future of comics. Field and his team led efforts to make their store inclusive and diverse before those were buzzwords. They actively pushed for new readers with events like FCBD. Artists teamed up with them to find readers and meet fans before striking it big.
Flying Colors is a testament to what one store can achieve and how ideas can spread to make an entire industry a little bit better.
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Store Info
Name: Flying Colors Comics & Other Cool Stuff
Address: 2980 Treat Blvd
Concord, CA 94518
Phone: (925) 825-5410
Website: Flying Colors Comics & Other Cool Stuff
Twitter: @flycojoe
Facebook: Flying Colors Comics & Other Cool Stuff
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