The foundation of ComicBook.Com is comics. While we love to cover all aspects of pop and geek culture, our roots lie in the comics community and the plethora of characters and stories that have sprung from it. If you speak with anyone in the comics community about what has made the medium successful in North America, you’ll quickly discover one answer that stands far above the rest: local comics stores. They are the bedrock of comics in the United States and Canada, supporting fans, communities, and conventions with open doors and a dedicated staff.
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This year on ComicBook.com we are highlighting this important aspect of comics and culture by taking a look at one local comic store each week. These are stores that embody what it means to support culture and community. We hope you can visit some of them throughout 2017.
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There are a fair number of stores in comics whose popularity and influence have grown outside of their own communities. We’ve covered a variety of them in this very column – highlighting the holidays, organizations, and advertisements that have grown from local shops to national ideas. It’s exceedingly rare for a comic book store to reach the pop culture consciousness outside of their chosen medium though. That broad influence and national recognition is one of the things that makes Meltdown Comics in Los Angeles, CA a truly special store.
Before arriving at its current stature, Meltdown Comics had very humble beginnings. Gaston Dominguez-Letelier and Ilia Carson-Letelier opened their shop on Sunset Boulevard in 1993, the same street and block they occupy today albeit at another location. At that time it was known by the longer moniker of Meltdown Comics and Collectibles, and the shop began “with little more than some Vertigo comics, a run of The Crow, and some Spider-Man T-shirts.” Like so many other comics shops, it was a dream (and a longshot) for the owners, but one that would succeed beyond the wildest dreams of most others.
The first store only had 1,500 square feet of space, more than many other comics stores, but not enough for what Dominguez-Letelier and Carson-Leterlier had in mind. In less than 10 years, Meltdown Comics had moved twice and arrived at its current location — complete with more than 9,000 square feet. That expansion has made Meltdown the largest comic book shop west of the Rocky Mountains in the United States. It’s a big title, but not nearly as big as the reputation the store has earned with that space.
Selling comics was never enough at Meltdown. Over the years, the store has continually expanded its goals to provides its regular customers and random visitors alike with one of the most immersive shopping experiences in all of comics fandom. They’ve created an extensive network to help readers find whatever they’re looking for, even if it’s not within the spacious walls of Meltdown. There’s also ample space for plenty of collectibles, as well as classes and other events.
There are still plenty of comics available in the store though. More than 2,000 square feet were transformed from storage to a massive showroom for back issues in 2004. The result is a space in which fans of any era or genre of comics can dive through back issue bins for days. Whether you’re seeking bronze age issues of Suicide Squad, classic issues of Amazing Spider-Man, or the start of a new Image Comics series, Meltdown Comics is the place in Southern California to search for it.
Resting in Los Angeles has provided Meltdown Comics with more opportunities than most stores to engage with stars of pop culture, both in and outside of comics. There’s one ever-present example in the shop and on the website that many bystanders are likely to miss. The alien mascot of Meltdown, who goes by Mel, was created by none other than Dan Clowes, the creator of Ghost World and many other beloved indie comics. Clowes association with Meltdown is just one of many examples though and far from the most famous.
Meltdown Comics is loved by many fans far from California for its extensive podcast network. The shop hosts a variety of shows, some of which deal with comics and many which veer into other topics of interest, often with live audiences. There’s something for fans of anime, Disney, hip hop, and so much more. The podcast that made Meltdown Comics a household name for many Americans though is the town hall known as Harmontown.
Harmontown began as a monthly podcast hosted in the store’s recording studio until its host Dan Harmon, creator of Community and Rick and Morty, was fired from his current job and transformed it into a weekly experience. The show has grown into a phenomena that has toured across the United States and been the feature of a documentary by the same name. While Harmontown is by far the most popular podcast to come out of Meltdown Comics, it’s far from the only success.
The space in which Harmontown was initially recorded goes by several names: The Nerdist Showroom, NerdMelt, and NerdMelt Showroom. The space is not only designed for podcasts, but provides recording and performing space for comedians. It is co-sponsored by fan culture site The Nerdist, whose CEO Chris Hardwick got his start in standup comedy. It’s a space that has hosted many of Hardwick’s peers including Jim Gaffigan, Robin Williams, and Kumail Nanjiani.
Looking at the stories to evolve from The Nerdist Showroom, it’s difficult not to see the seemingly endless opportunities within a comics store. While comics formed the heart of the dream and community for Meltdown Comics in 1993, the people it attracted have allowed both the store and its dreams to grow. Talented individuals like Hardwick and Harmon recognize the power of pop culture and how a great comics shop turns that power into something physical and real. Walking into Meltdown it’s easy to experience just why that is in a testament to what comics stores can achieve.
Store Info
Name: Meltdown Comics
Address: 7522 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90046
Phone: 323-851-7223
Website: Meltdown Comics
Twitter: Meltdown Comics
Facebook: Meltdown Comics
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