New Comic Book Day is on Wednesday this Week!
Just a heads-up to anyone who was unsure when new books were being released this week due to President's Day:
New Comic Book Day remains Wednesday, February 17th!
February 16, 2010
February 12, 2010
Pentagon City is Once Again Open!!!
Finally! They managed to get the Yellow Line running and the store is open and the new books are ready to go! Phew!
February 11, 2010
Pentagon City still closed
Union Station remains up and running. However, until above ground metro service is restored, Pentagon City remains closed.
Again, we are very sorry for the inconvenience to our Virginia customers.
February 10, 2010
New Comic Book Day Status
Status for Wednesday, February 10:
Union Station: Will be open. The new books were delivered and sorted on Tuesday night, so all of the books are shelved and ready for our 10am opening.
Pentagon City: Will be closed. Unfortunately, above-ground metro stopped running before we could get the books new to Pentagon City. As soon as metro's back online we'll open the store back up, with this week's new books ready for sale.
We apologize to our Pentagon City customers. Please check back for updates.
January 19, 2010
New Comic Book Day is WEDNESDAY this week, per usual
With all respect to the great MLK, the comic book industry has decided that we've had our fill of delayed NCBDs over the past 2 months, so new books will be on the shelves tomorrow, Wednesday, January 20th.
December 30, 2009
New Year's Day Hours
Fantom Pentagon City will be running on normal business hours on New Year's Day.
Fantom Union Station will be closed.
Happy New Year!
New Comic Book Day Delivery
Just a reminder that we'll have only 2 new comic books this week (Wed, Dec 30th), and that next Wednesday - January 6 - we'll be back to normal, with new books on the shelves.
November 30, 2009
New Comic Book Day this Week is Thursday
New Comic Book Day is THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3rd this week.
November 23, 2009
Blackest Wednesday and Black Friday
IMPORTANT NEWS!!! IMPORTANT NEWS!!!
1) New Books Are Being Released on Wednesday Per Usual! Not only are they being released, they're releasing a ton of them, especially if you follow Blackest Night. That's why we're declaring Wednesday the 24th Blackest Wednesday. We've got:
a) Set of 7 Lantern Rings (black ring unavailable): We're selling these rings only as sets ($14.99). And because you have to order a lot of comics to qualify for each set of rings, we're only getting 50 sets! We cannot reorder these. When they're gone, they are gone. In the interest of fairness, we are only allowing 1 set per person and we will not put any of these rings on hold for anyone. It's first come first serve, and given the holiday traffic and size of Wednesday's delivery, we recommend you come for your rings on Wednesday.
b) Raffle: We will be getting in 1 copy of the sketch variant of Blackest Night #5. Retailers have to order 100 copies just to get one of these, and this book is already going for a pretty penny on eBay (check it out). We'll have sign up sheets for a raffle on Wednesday (and only Wednesday) to win this and the 1 in 25 copy of Blackest Night #5. Three runner ups will win the 1 in 25 copy. Results will be announced on Thanksgiving Day over twitter and on this website.
b) Blackest Night Books Being Released: BLACKEST NIGHT #5 (OF 8), GREEN LANTERN #48, JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #39, TEEN TITANS #77
c) 2 New Lantern T-Shirts: ORANGE LANTERN SYMBOL T/S and the VIOLET LANTERN SYMBOL
2) Black Friday at Pentagon City: From 5am - 9:59am Fantom Comics Pentagon City will be open for business and selling anything and everything in the store for 25% off! This sale applies only to Pentagon City, only for those hours and anything purchased during the sale is non-refundable.
October 30, 2009
Happy Halloween From Fantom Comics
Fantom had another successful Halloween Happy Hour last Wednesday at Chadwick's in Friendship Heights. Thanks for all those that came and especially those that came in costume. Hope to see you all next year!
October 17, 2009
Bill Willingham on Sirius XM
Hear Bill Willingham (Fables, Jack of Fables, JSA) interviewed on “Cover to Cover Live” on Sirius XM’s Book Radio channel (XM 163, Sirius 117). Bill will be discussing his new book, “Peter and Max: A Fables Novel,” and “Fables” in general. The interview airs Tuesday, October 20th at 3:00pm, with an encore presentation the following Sunday at 2:30pm. The interview is being conducted by Fantom regular Mark Syp.
October 3, 2009
Subscription Reminder
I just wanted to remind all of our subscribers that if you sign up for new comics released on Wednesday after 11:59pm Sunday night, you probably won't get them pulled.
We value our subscribers very much, but our reports and procedures had to be set up with a cut off date, and that date is Sunday night. After that, updating subscriptions for that week becomes difficult.
regards,
Matt
September 10, 2009
Marvels Project #2
Bad news: They didn't send us any of this comic today.
Good news: they're rushing the copies to our store tomorrow, so depending on when UPS arrives, they will be here.
On a related note, when snafus like this arrive on new Comic Book Day morn, we often don't have time to update the website right away, but we do twitter the information immediately. Be sure to look for us on Twitter under the username FantomComics.
September 9, 2009
Bad Kids Go To Hell Creators at Fantom Comics
Thursday, September 10th!
Matthew Spradlin and Barry “Bazza” Wernick of Bad Kids Go To Hell will be at Fantom Comics Union Station from 11:30am until...well, whenever they feel like leaving.
So pick up your comics on New Comic Book Day and check out the creators of a hot comic book.
Reminder that New Comics are Released on Thursday this Week!!
Due to Labor Day.
August 24, 2009
Fantom's New Subscription Model Begins On Thursday!
If you're a subscriber and have not yet transferred your pull list to Comixology, please do so ASAP!
This Wednesday, August 26th will be the last day we pull your books from the lists we have on file. On Thursday we will be deleting every single book on subscription and using only the Comixology lists.
Visit our Subscription Policy page for instructions on how to sign up with Comixology. It's a huge, colossal improvement over our current method of tracking subs, and a fun website on top of that. So please sign up and enjoy!
PS: If you'd like us to email you your current pull list just email your request to info@fantomcomics.com. And here's the link to August Diamond Previews (deadline for guaranteed August books is this Friday at 11:59pm).
July 29, 2009
Alert About Today's New Books!
Due to store manangement (i.e. myself) incompetence we're already sold-out of several new books. All subscribers got all of their books (or will by the time UPS arrives this evening). It is only rack books that suffered. We're still adjusting to the Tenleytown subscribers move to Union, but we are getting a handle of it!
Of course, our excuses don't help you, our valued customers, and again, we at Fantom Comics are very sorry. Below is the situation:
Blackest Night Tales of the Corps #3: 13 more arriving this afternoon
Dark Reign Lethal Legion #2: 5 more arriving next Wednesday
Dark Reign Goblin Legacy: 6 more arriving this afternoon
Dark Reign Hood #3: 6 more arriving next Wednesday
Dark Reign Sinister Spider-Man #2: 12 more arriving next Wednesday
Dark Reign Young Avengers #3: 4 more arriving next Wednesday
Dark X-Men Beginning #2: 12 more arriving this afternoon
Ultimatum Spider-Man Requiem #2: 8 more arriving on Friday
X-Men Forever #4: 7 more arriving this afternoon
June 16, 2009
Comic Book Store at Your Front Door Update
The Tenleytown store has been closed a few weeks now and we are finally settling into the current situation. We will continue changing and expanding our services to better serve our customers.
The Tenleytown phone number now forwards to the Union Station store. Any requests or questions can be addressed by phone to 202-362-5051, or feel free to send an email to subscriptions@fantomcomics.com.
We are suspending Saturday deliveries due to a lack of demand. All books will be delivered on Wednesday for the time being.
We are also limiting payment to credit cards an debit, no cash.
June 6, 2009
Comic Book Store at Your Front Door Update
Verizon still hasn't setup the forwarding service for the Tenleytown phone number, so until we get this resolved (hopefully in the next few days), please submit requests via subscriptions@fantomcomics.com. We'll try to respond just as promptly.
June 3, 2009
Today's Books
Some notes for today, Wednesday, June 3:
-Books are on their way to Union Station and should be there by noon at the latest. We're still adjusting to the new distribution pattern and apologize for the inconvenience.
-Our Tenleytown phone number won't be set-up properly until Friday. So for today's Wednesday delivery service please email subscriptions@fantomcomics.com. We'll have folks checking it and do our best to get somebody right out to you.
thanks,
Management!
May 27, 2009
Fantom Comics Tenleytown is Shutting its Doors!
Dear Tenleytown Fantom Comics Customers,
As many of you know, the Fantom Comics Tenleytown location is closing its doors for good this coming Sunday, May 31st. (Please note that this week’s new comics will arrive at Tenleytown tomorrow per usual).
Tenleytown isn’t closing for bad reasons, but for good ones. As anyone who has been in the store during rainy days knows, the ceiling leaks like a sieve, and the space is awkward and somewhat off the beaten track. The Fantom crew has grown quite fond of our odd little first store and will always remember it fondly, but we’re growing up and our goal is to lease a larger, better space.
Unfortunately, negotiations are dragging on for said space and rather than compromise with a less than ideal location management has decided to wait it out until the perfect spot comes along. As valued customers and friends we are offering you a couple of options:
Option 1: Union Station. Transfer your subscriptions to our Union Station store. We’ll have you up and running over there by next Wednesday.
Option 2: Home Delivery. Fantom Comics has wanted to experiment with home delivery for quite some time, but we’ve never gotten around to it. Until now! This struck us as the perfect time to introduce our comic book store at your front door program. Here’s how it works:
Call the Fantom Comics phone number (unchanged at 202-362-5051), or email us at subscriptions@fantomcomics.com at any point in the week and give us your name and address and we’ll send someone there right away (assuming it’s during delivery hours) or at a future open slot of your choosing.
Deliveries will take place every Wednesday (11am-7pm) and Saturday (noon-6pm).
We will deliver to any home or office within the following zip codes: 20007, 20008, 20015, 20016, 20815 and 20816.
Subscribers have no minimum purchase requirements. For non-subscribers the minimum is $15.
We will still accept credit cards.
There is no service charge and our people will not be allowed to accept gratuity. Comic book store at your front door will cost you nothing extra!
We will bring along your subscribed books, already sorted, as well as the entire stock of new books for the week, which you can browse and purchase to your heart’s content. We can also do special requests on older material, but we need a week’s heads-up on that.
If you are a current subscriber, please confirm with us by Sunday, May 31st at subscriptions@fantomcomics.com as to how you’d like us to deal with your subscription. If you're not a subscriber, here's a good chance to try it out!
And of course, if neither of these options appeals to you, please keep up with our website and/or email list so you’ll find out where the next Fantom Comics NW DC is setting up shop as soon as we do.
Thanks for 4 great years, Tenleytown. There’ll be many more locations, but you’ll always be our first!
Yours,
Management
PS: Here is a link to an updated subscription sheet. If you’d like to make any changes, please fill it out and return it to subscriptions@fantomcomics.com along with your confirmation. Otherwise, we will continue holding the same books for you that we have in the past.
April 3, 2009
Join Fantom Comics for Free Comic Book Day!
We've got lots lined up for you this year! Here's what we've got arranged so far:
Free Comics. Duh. And lots of them. Great crop this year, and they'll be available all day, though be sure to get here early to ensure you get copies of everything you want.
Arvid Nelson of Rex Mundi fame! That's right, one of Dark Horse's hottest creators has agreed to make our humble Tenleytown store his HQ for FCBD! Arvid is most famous for his series Rex Mundi. Here's the opening blurb from Wikipedia: The series is a quest for the Holy Grail told as a murder mystery. It is set in the year 1933, in an alternate history Europe, where magic is real, feudalism persisted, and the Protestant Reformation was crushed by a still politically powerful Roman Catholic Church. Arvid is also the man behind the new Kull series and the unfairly under the radar post-apocalyptic thriller Zero Killer. Mr. Nelson will be at our Tenleytown location from 12 - 2 and 4 - 6. Tenleytown Only
Local DC comic book stars Jim Dougan, whose graphic novel Crazy Papers is a funny, entertaining romp through Washington, DC, and Molly Lawless, creator of Infandum!...Ad Infinitum. Tenleytown Only
Prize Wheel for prizes every hour on the hour. Tenleytown Only
Krispy Kreme donuts. A whole table's worth. Be sure to bring pants with a stretchy waistband.
March 13, 2009
Announcing Hundreds of GNs at 25% OFF!!!
Fantom is proud to announce a new, ongoing sale at our stores called Fantom Red. Weve discounted just over half of our stock of graphic novels and trades by 25%! Thats hundreds and hundreds of books.
Youll know a Fantom Red book when you see one. Itll have a happy, adorable red banner sticking out, enticing you to buy it. How can you say no to construction paper?!
Fantom Red is an ongoing sale and books included in the sale will be added weekly. However, those that go on sale will not be back in the store, so be sure to get a lick at the selection before the book(s) you want goes the way of Uncle Ben.
March 4, 2009
Watchmen, Twitter and Deadpool
1) First, the sad news. Deadpool #8 was not delivered to our Tenleytown store (Union Station is a-ok). Our distributor is sending us an emergency shipment ASAP, though, and we should have them in by Friday afternoon.
2) Fantom Comics is now on Twitter! Username: FantomComics. We'll post store news (like the Deadpool fiasco), breaking industry news (did you know JMS was spotted in a Starbucks yesterday?!) and occasionally a funny remark or two about comics (...sorry, I have nothing at the moment), and so forth.
3) WATCHMEN!!! Fantom Comics would like to invite you to join the crew in seeing the new Watchmen movie this Friday evening. Here's the plan:
5:30pm Friday, March 6: We start trickling in to the classy yet divey Nanny O'Brien's Irish Pub in Cleveland Park.
7:45pm: We watch the movie at the majestic AMC Loews Uptown (tickets available now at Fandango.com).
Approx 10:45pm: We exit the Uptown and go somewhere for refreshments and Watchmen talk (or, Watchtalk, if you prefer)
February 3, 2009
Obama Spider-Man For Sale Tomorrow
The 4th printing of Amazing Spider-Man #583, featuring President Obama, will be available at all Fantom Comics locations tomorrow, Wednesday, February 4th.
We think we ordered plenty, but given the tremendous demand for previous printings we advise you try and come as early as possible on Wednesday.
January 15, 2009
Inauguration Day and Obama / Spider-Man
Fantom Comics will close at 2pm at UNION STATION ONLY on Monday, January 19, and Tuesday January 20 for the inauguration day ceremonies.
Also, we are out of the Amazing Spider-Man 583 with Barack Obama. However, if you didn't get one the first time, we will be receiving another shipment this coming Wednesday (January 21).
December 31, 2008
New Year's Store Updates
1) New Books come out this Friday, January 2nd.
2) Our Union Station store will be closed on New Year's Day, but our Tenleytown store will be open intermittently. Management plans to hang out at the store for a bit to judge the value of being open. Please call before coming.
3) Happy New Year's!
December 12, 2008
2ND ANNUAL HOLIDAY PARTY AND YANKEE SWAP!
50% off all Yankee Swap gifts!
Heres how it works:
At 6:30pm on Friday, December 19, well start a Holiday Happy Hour at Jame's Hoban's Irish Restaurant and Bar in DuPont Circle. (FYI: its $2.50 Miller Light Night).
Itll be a fun time. A great chance to meet up with the geek community in DC. Well also be playing YANKEE SWAP (aka White Elephant, Lazy Scranton, Thieving Elves, Miguel Sanchez, etc). The rules of the game are pretty simple (from Wikipedia):
All participants bring their gift to the pile. Gifts are wrapped, but are not labeled to reflect a sender or recipient. Everyone then draws a number, which determines the order of gift choosing. The person who drew #1 chooses a gift from the pile, and then shows it to everyone. It is now Person #2s turn. They can either steal an item previously unwrapped or open a new gift from the pile. If a person's gift is stolen, that person can immediately unwrap a new gift or steal another person's gift. This process repeats until a gift has been stolen 3 times or until a person chooses to unwrap a new gift (as opposed to stealing a gift), at which point play proceeds to the next person. Owners of opened gifts must keep them visible for all to see and hold them up when requested.
Heres how you get into the Yankee Swap pot: from now until noon on Friday the 19th, you can buy ANY product or products in either Fantom store that fall between $9.99 and $24.99 for 50% off. Well wrap your present up and hold onto it for the game on the 19th. (Note: Yankee Swap purchases are unreturnable/unexchangeable).
We want to stress that you DO NOT need to participate in the Yankee Swap to join us for the Happy Hour. All are welcome!
Hope to see you there!
Questions can be emailed to: info@fantomcomics.com
December 4, 2008
The Books are on the Shelves!
This week's comics are all set. Thanks for your patience.
December 3, 2008
Late Comic Book Delivery on Thursday!!!
The Diamond Comics delivery truck has broken down on its way to the Baltimore distribution center. As a result, we will not be getting our books in until later in the day. Management cannot give an accurate time of when the books are expected. We are very, very sorry about this. Please keep an eye on the webpage, as we will post as soon as the delivery arrives!
See message from Diamond below:
"The truck delivering the weekly shipments to BALTIMORE DROP has broken down. I will be contacting you tomorrow as soon as the truck arrives. Shipments will not be ready at their normal pick up times. I apologize for this delay."
November 22, 2008
Regarding Thanksgiving Week
This coming week has more books pulled for people's subscription boxes than we've EVER had. It's gargantuan! Why? Perhaps the publishers feel we could all use something to tide us over on Thanksgiving when we're stuffed with food and ready to hit Uncle Chip who you used to like as a kid til you grew up and realized how weird and irresponsible he is.
For whatever the reason, there's tons of books coming out, and since this coming week's new comic book day remains Wednesday, 9 out of 10 doctors recommend stopping in Wednesday morning to make sure you have something to read on your ride home.
Please also note that while new books come out this coming Wednesday, the following week they will be released on Thursday. So the schedule for the next 2 new comic book days is: Wed, Nov 26th and Thurs, Dec 4th. We will be closed on Thanksgiving Day.
Also, the new Previews catalog comes out this week. We offer these free to anyone, and for those of you that subscribe to 5 or more comics, you have til the 20th of December to email us at subscriptions@fantomcomics.com any and all items costing $39.99 or more that you'd like us to order for you, and you'll get them for 35% off!
And if we at Fantom don't see you before Thanksgiving, let me just wish you a Happy Holiday right now!
November 11, 2008
New Comics come out on Wednesday as usual
Veterans Day has not caused a delay in delivery. We'll have the books for y'all Wednesday morning.
October 29, 2008
Tonight's Halloween Happy Hour and Changes to Subscriber Rewards
Happy Halloween! With Halloween taking place Friday night, we know youve got plenty of big parties to attend over the weekend, but how about taking a practice run on that costume and joining us for our Wednesday night happy hour at Chadwicks in Friendship Heights! The happy hour crowd is a lot of fun and Chadwicks has great drink specials til 11pm.
See you tonight, and dont forget to come in costume!
When: 8pm on Wednesday, October 29th (that's tonight!)
Where: Chadwicks Friendship Heights
Changes in Subscriber Rewards: Starting next Wednesday, Fantom Comics will no longer offer a free Wizard to subscribers of 5 or more titles. The primary reason being, most people just don't seem to want Wizard! Some of you even refuse to take the free copy. We want our customers happy, so we've devised the following system instead:
Fantom Rewards: Everyone is eligible for Fantom Rewards. Starting on Wednesday, you can sign up for a Fantom Rewards card that will get you a $5 gift certificate for every $75 you spend. Ask the clerk at either store to sign you up.
Super-duper discounts: For you 5 titles or more subscribers, we're offering any item in the Diamond Catalog that sells for $39.99 or more for 35% off! Just let us know by the 20th of every month. November's catalog was supposed to be at the stores today, but due to a snafu we only have Marvel Previews. The big book will be here next Wednesday. We made sure to order plenty of extra. Pick one up (they're free), comb through it, and email us at subscriptions@fantomcomics.com by the 20th of each month with your requests.
October 14, 2008
New Books are coming out on WEDNESDAY, OCT 15th
Diamond doesn't consider Colombus worthy of a day off, which is good news for all of us. New books are being released this week on Wednesday, as usual.
October 9, 2008
Fantom Comics Announces its new Discounted Graphic Novels Section
Fantom Comics has set aside a section for discounted graphic novels. We plan on having several different discount tiers in future, but for now we've rounded up hundreds of graphic novels in both stores and set them aside at an across-the-board 50% OFF. So come on in and git while the gittin's good!
October 7, 2008
The Wacky Wednesday Wiveaway (as in "Giveaway"...get it?
Fantom Comics Tenleytown just did some Fall Cleaning, as is our want, and discovered:
---a huge box of slightly to fairly damaged graphic novels;
---non-damaged GNs that we didn't order but that the distributor never asked us to return;
---toys and figurines nobody ever wanted
We decided to just give 'em away, starting tomorrow morning. So for this New Comic Book Day, come early to get your free stuff (limit 2 free items per person). The giveaway will last as long as there's stuff.
September 10, 2008
No All Star Batman And Robin #10 This Week :(
Sorry guys, while we listed this book as coming out this week - and while we actually DID get it in - we are not allowed to sell it and I have in fact shredded all the copies we received. Why? Because DC Comics censors were asleep on the job and a lot of bad, bad words that should have been blacked out were not. What mouths these characters have! Anyway, a safe, sanitized shipment will be released on September 24th. Check out the email I got from our distributor below for the scoop. If it's any consolation, I read a copy before we wiped them out and it was AWESOME! Actually, that may make you feel worse so please disregard that last comment.
-------------------
Dear Diamond Customer:
Please be advised that copies of DC Comics' ALL-STAR BATMAN & ROBIN THE BOY WONDER #10 (FEB080203-4D) may be included in your September 10 shipment.
At DC's request, please do not place this book out for sale to your customers. Instead, please destroy any copies that you receive. You will be credited for these copies on your September 17 invoice.
Diamond apologizes for any inconvenience this creates for you or your customers. If you have additional questions, please contact your Diamond Customer Service Representative. Thank you.
DIAMOND COMIC DISTRIBUTORS
September 2, 2008
New Comics are Released on THURSDAY!!
Due to the Labor Day holiday, new comics will be coming out Thursday and not Wednesday this week. Please make note.
September 1, 2008
Fantom Comics will have normal hours on Labor Day
Fantom Comics management has cruelly forced its employees to go to work today. Why not give their sacrifice meaning and stop on in?
July 21, 2008
Town Hall Debate for President: Iron Man vs Batman
Date: Saturday, July 26th
Time: 12 O�clock noon
Location: Fantom Comics Tenleytown
This Saturday Fantom Comics Tenleytown will host a town hall debate between Bruce �Batman� Wayne and Tony �Iron Man� Stark.
Several months ago Fantom Comics posed the question: which super-hero would make the best American president, were they to run in the 2008 presidential election? We offered our customers the choice of 16 candidates: 8 from Marvel Comics and 8 from DC Comics.
This May, on Free Comic Book Day, the customers spoke. Batman was nominated as DC�s candidate, and Iron Man as Marvel�s.
Since then the debate has been raging. Who would be the better president? This coming Saturday you�ll have a chance to ask the candidates the tough questions.
The debate will start at noon and run for one hour. As this is a town hall style debate, the questions will be asked by the audience, so be sure to bring some good ones along with you!
Snacks will be provided for all attendees!
Iron Man will be portrayed by professional stand-up comedian and uberdork Jimmy Meritt. Batman by professional comic book slinger and strong-jawed Jordan Kessler.
See you then!
July 20, 2008
Beware of Those Who Lie in Shadows
by Brandon Baker-Rice
In this race for President, there is a stark contrast between the two candidates. Though both have dedicated their lives and fortunes to combating the dangers in this world, the difference between the two is clear as night and day.
Tony Stark is a man who represents the bright, shining prospect of tomorrow. He operates in the full light of day, working with our proud first-responders in order to keep this entire country safe from threats both big and small, local and galactic. He believes that the United States should continue to act as a shining beacon of hope, to which other nations can look for inspiration and purpose.
Batman, on the other hand, slinks about in the shadows, shirking both law and responsibility, on a single-minded quest for vengeance. He never once questions how his extra-judicial methods impede the cases of legitimate law enforcement agents, contributing to the revolving door that is Gotham's judicial system. He is too busy jumping around on rooftops, hiding from the light of day. The light of truth. His administration would be one of secrecy, of darkness, of deception, and ultimately, one that would spell dark days for this country.
No one can question Batman's noble goals. However, his tactics and focus show that his first concern is not to move this country forward on the path towards a new tomorrow, but instead to drag it down to the shadowy realm in which he dwells.
July 16, 2008
OP-ED: Bruce Wayne is the Better Man for President
Bats beats Shellhead's Shenanigans any day of the week
by: Jeffrey Howe
Bruce Wayne or Tony Stark? President or dictator? If you elect the latter, a dictator is what you will get.
Consider Tony Stark: A brilliant mind once seeking to better humanity, now pursuing an agenda of complete military and political control. We are on the verge of electing a war criminal that has already effectively gained military control over the whole of the U.S.
Stark was at one time the Secretary of Defense (pretty convenient for a weapon's manufacturer). This was supposedly to keep track of his technology. Now he is the head of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers. Is Stark content with so much power? Sadly, no. Now he seeks to control the rights of those who, through an accident of birth or circumstance, find themselves endowed with extraordinary abilities. The Avengers Initiative is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to consolidate all meta-humans under his thumb.
Perhaps this could be forgiven if Stark were competent enough to wield this power effectively. Sadly, he is not. Even with all of the resources at his disposal, Stark was unable to prevent � and indeed instigated � a massive conflict among the superhero community with the passing of the super-registration act. The country has still not recovered from the resulting damage and loss of life. Cities were leveled and heroes murdered. On the heels of this debacle, an irate Hulk returned to earth, after a forcible exile by a cabal of Stark and his peers. Stark is not even in office yet and he has brought our country to its knees twice in the space of a year. If this same caliber of damage had come from outside, it would be called an act of war.
This is in sharp contrast to Bruce Wayne, native son of a city so vile, even its prominent citizens could not walk the streets safely. Here more than anywhere else is where Wayne/Batman should be hopelessly outclassed by the government-endorsed, better-funded Stark; yet operating entirely on his own, at his sole expense, Wayne has managed to keep Gotham City in one piece, even reclaiming it from the devastating earth quake and subsequent No Man's Land conditions of 1999. Here, in a city that was riddled with corruption, rife with murder, and in the grip of a pandemic of criminal insanity, this ever-vigilant figure has managed to maintain order in what should be a lawless city.
No one has any illusions about Gotham City. At any given time one might run into the Joker or another rogue fresh from the revolving door that is Arkham Asylum. It is a city constantly on the verge of tearing itself apart. Yet the city stands. Its citizens live, prosper, and dream. How is this possible? The sheer determination of Mr. Wayne. His relentless dedication to the people of Gotham city has ensured the continued survival of his city.
By all rights Gotham should have fallen long ago to either anarchy or a heavy-handed fascist. Yet thanks to Mr. Wayne, this has never occurred. With a fraction of Stark's resources and casualties, he has maintained peace and order where there should be only chaos.
The people of this nation require competent leadership. Mr. Stark simply cannot provide that. He has spread himself too thin, and has too many vested interests to be either trustworthy or reliable. His actions have repeatedly endangered this country. On the other hand, Mr. Wayne has snatched his city, and in many cases the whole world, from the jaws of disaster time and again. In both cases the results speak for themselves.
The real question is whether you, the people, want America still standing in four years� time.
July 9, 2008
New Comics come out on Thursday, July 10
Due to the Independence Day holiday last weekend the books are delayed a day this week.
July 2, 2008
Fantom's Hours for the 4th
This Friday, the Fourth of July, Fantom Comics locations will be open from 10am - 1pm.
June 19, 2008
Join Fantom's Email List!
Look to your right. See that email list sign-up sheet? Sign up! Come on, you know you want to. We'll be providing updates on store news, new comics and our new monthy discounted book offers. BE SURE TO CHECK THE BOX OF EVERY UPDATE YOU WANT! If you don't check a box, you don't get that email. You can, of course, check multiple boxes.
May 3, 2008
The Votes Are In!
In a close race, the prince of Gotham, Bruce Wayne won the DC comics nomination, norrowly defeating Ollie Queen, the once mayor of Star City.
The winner of the Marvel Nomination was, in a historic landslide, none other than Stark Industries founder Tony Stark.
Free Comic Book Day
Today is FREE COMIC BOOK DAY. All day today, from 10 to 9, at both the Tenleytown and Union Station store, several special comics will be made available for free. Included are all new Hellboy, X-men, and many other original works, as well as re-releases of recent hits, such as All-Star Superman. Make sure to get there early - because books will be going fast, the number per person may be limited.
In addition to the free comics, there will also be trivia contests at both stores throughout the day for the chance to win $10 gift cards, as well as periodic contests on the Wii for extra gift cards at the Tenleytown store.
Also, dont forget that today is the day to vote for the DC and Marvel Primaries for the Presidential election. In case you havent been following the campaign on the website, check out the full list of candidates and rules here. You must vote in person at either location, and remember, polls close at 4:30pm, with the winner to be announced at 5:30pm.
Its going to be an exciting day, so make sure to come out, get your free comics, and enjoy the festivities.
April 29, 2008
Marvel Presidential Endorsements
A few Marvel �super� delegates have weighed in with who they support for the Marvel nomination in the ongoing Presidential race. Perhaps their insight will help you decide who should lead the Marvel ticket.
From Bruce Banner, the Hulk:
Some decisions are complex and require a great many hours of deliberation. The decision of who to nominate for President however, is easy. Jennifer Walters is the clear choice, and not just because she is my cousin. She is a smart and able woman who understands the importance of helping others. Her years of work as both a lawyer and super-hero show that she is fully prepared to handle whatever situation comes this way. Furthermore, she understands the need to protect people's civil liberties and individual rights. Nothing is more important than allowing people to be themselves and be free from the government trying to control their every action. She is nothing like Iron Man, or Mr. Fantastic, OR ANY OF THOSE OTHER FACISTS. THEY JUST MAKE ME SO ANGRY THAT I WANT TO SMASH SOMETHING. THEY THINK THEY CAN DO THAT TO THE HULK. ARGHKLHALKH;GDHLAGKDFJGKJDHVKAJSDHFAKJSHDF��
From Peter Parker, Spiderman:
Picking the next President is a big deal, and one that not even I take lightly. After thinking about it, and considered many of the qualified candidates, I believe the right choice is Matt Murdock. In the countless times I have worked with him, he has always shown himself to be and adept and courageous man, working to help those in need, both as the Daredevil and as a defense attorney. His desire to stick up for the little guy and fight the business goliaths like the Kingpin (talk about a heavy hitter), mirrors my own values. Furthermore, as recent events have taught me, you need to have someone who understands the people and doesn't just try to dictate rulings and laws from their Tower. Therefore, I think Matt Murdock is a great visionary who will be able to lead this country to a brighter tomorrow.
From Scott Summers, Cyclops:
I am well aware the pressure and responsibility that comes with leading, and the amount of responsibility associated with being President is monumental. Therefore, I can only recommend one man for the job, and that is Professor X. Though relationships have been tense recently between us, the truth is that the man�s convictions and beliefs are just as relevant today as they have always been. The experience he brings, combined with his hopes and aspirations, would help heal a divided nation, while protecting and assisting those in need. His compassion, intelligence, and drive will serve both him and this nation well. Though we may not agree on every issue, there is no nobler man who I rather see serve as President of the United States.
April 28, 2008
More Marvel Ads
Matt Murdock:
Carol Danvers:
Reed Richards:
Norman Osborne:
Charles Xavier:
Jennifer Walters:
April 24, 2008
We are out of passes to IRON MAN
We are officially out of free passes to "Iron Man". We started giving them out earlier today and gave out the last one in the early afternoon. Sorry for all of you hopefuls out there.
April 20, 2008
DC Presidential Ads
Bruce Wayne:
Lois Lane:
April 18, 2008
Marvel Presidential Ads
TONY STARK:
NICK FURY:
And in just a few days -- the DC Ads!
April 17, 2008
The Nominees!
Okay, here they are, the 16 nominees for president: 8 Marvel and 8 DC. Let the campaigning begin!
MARVEL
Carol Danvers "Ms. Marvel"
Carol Danvers has a long, distinguished career in government service. She served in the Air Force as both a pilot and intelligence officer, served as NASA's Security Chief; and worked for the Department of Homeland Security. Additionally she is noted for her time as a magazine editor and her heroic work with the Avengers. She believes in a strong rule of law, immigration reform, and stronger punishment for criminals. She also supports better programs for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Nick Fury
Though most famous for being the commander of the US Army's Howling Commandos during World War II, Fury also is a veteran of World War I, Korea, and Vietnam. He continued his years of distinguished service after leaving the army, first with the CIA, and later with the international organization known as S.H.I.E.L.D. He supports the use of international organizations, but also believes in the use of preemptive force when necessary. He is anti-illegal aliens and supports a strong anti-drug policy. He also believes in the need for a robust intelligence service and government independence when taking appropriate actions.
Matt Murdock �Daredevil�
Matt Murdock is a traditional Irish-Catholic, who grew up on the hard streets of New York. Blinded at a young age, Daredevil sees an important role for the government helping out those in need of assistance. Though he made his money as a defense attorney, he takes a strong stand against organized crime and drugs and is pro-gun control. He believes in traditional moral values.
Norman Osbourne "Green Goblin"
A famed industrialist and entrepreneur, Osbourne currently heads the group known as the Thunderbolts. He supports reduced taxes, reduced government regulation of the economy, the legalization of some drugs, and the death penalty. He is opposed to gun control.
Reed Richards �Mr. Fantastic�
Reed Richards is perhaps the greatest scientific genius on the planet and the leader of the Fantastic Four. He is a great supporter of education, science, and space exploration. He also believes in strong rule of law, and supports increased funding for law enforcement as well as stronger penalties for criminals. He has established a strong anti-illegal alien stance.
Tony Stark "Iron Man"
Tony Stark made his money as a defense contractor and remains one of the United States foremost industrialist. As Iron Man, he has lead the Avengers and also served as the director of the international organization S.H.I.E.L.D. He believes in a firm rule of law and harsher sentences for criminals. He believes in an aggressive foreign policy, the use of force, and the right to bear arms. He believes in free market principles and increased trade, but holds an anti-illegal alien stance.
Jennifer Susan Walters "She-Hulk"
Daughter of a Los Angles Sheriff, Jennifer Susan Walters is a skilled attorney as well as a former member of the Avengers and Fantastic Four. She believes in the rehabilitation of criminals, protecting the environment, and the need to balance concerns of civil liberties with security measures.
Charles Xavier "Professor X"
The founder and former director of Xavier�s School for Gifted Youngsters, Professor X has been a pioneer in civil rights. A natural genius, he would obtain 3 doctorates, serve in the Korean War, and work with holocaust survivors, all before founding the X-Men. In addition to his efforts of peaceful reconciliation, he has also railed against criminals, drugs, the death penalty, and terrorism. He is a firm supporter of education, health care, pro-choice policies, and the government assisting those who are less fortunate. He takes a less aggressive stance in foreign policy, and believes that proper mediation can instead resolve many disputes.
DC
Commissioner James Gordon
Originally from Chicago, James Gordon would gain fame as police commissioner in notoriously dangerous Gotham City. He took a strong stance against crime and corruption within the department. He believes in a strong rule of law and the need for government reform. He supports gun control efforts, and anti-drug policies.
John Henry Irons "Steel"
A Washington, DC native, John Henry Irons is a small business owner and community leader. He takes a strong stand against crime and drugs, but also believes in the need for reforming corporate governance. He supports urban revitalization projects and blue collar workers in traditional American industries.
Lois Lane
The famed reporter for the Daily Planet is known for her hard hitting investigative style. She possess a strong interest in government reform and increased oversight of business practices. She believes in increased government openness. She has a strong civil rights record and is somewhat distrustful of Big Business.
Dr. Will Magnus
Creator of the Metal Men, Doc Magnus is credited as one of the greatest scientists alive. He is a promoter of education and increased funding for math and science programs. He supports traditional American industries and workers. He also remains suspicious of rising Chinese power and influence in global affairs.
Oliver Queen "Green Arrow"
Former columnist and Mayor of Star City, Oliver Queen believes that drastic change is needed to place the United States on the right path. He supports gay marriage, gun control, rehabilitation of criminals, and increased funding for education. He believes in the need to increase government intervention in the economy and reduce subsidies and tax breaks that benefit large corporations. He also anti-death penalty and an environmentalist.
John Stewart "Green Lantern"
A decorated Marine sniper and former architect, John Stewart is well respect throughout the galaxy for his work with the Green Lantern Corps. He holds a pro-immigration stance. He believes in an active role for international (and inter-galactic) institutions and the need to use US power for good in the world. He opposes the death penalty and believes in the rehabilitation of criminals.
Bruce Wayne "Batman"
Batman is known throughout the country for his efforts to clean up the streets of Gotham. He is a crusader for anti-crime and drug efforts, as well as gun control. He is opposed to the death penalty, but does believe in harsher sentencing requirements for criminals. He supports a strong effort on the War on Terror. He is a strong backer of urban renewal efforts and increased civic participation.
Amanda Waller
A former congressional aide and the head of the Suicide Squad, Amanda Waller was eventually tapped to become the Secretary of Metahuman Affairs for the United States. In addition, she led Checkmate, both when it was a United States agency, and later, when it came under the auspice of the United Nations. She takes a strong stance against crime, and believes in the need for harsher sentencing and the death penalty. She also believes that the need for security often outweighs concerns over civil liberties. She supports unilateral U.S. action in foreign affairs, and the policy of preemptive war.
April 14, 2008
Fantom Comics announces SUPER-HERO ELECTION 2008: MARVEL VS. DC!!!
Sure, the 2008 presidential primaries are interesting. But why settle for regular humans when you can vote for SUPER-humans?! Barack Obama may be a fine orator, but can he stretch himself into ridiculous shapes? John McCain was a war hero � no question � but has he seen any action in interstellar combat? And Hilary Clinton may carry a famous name, but is it more famous than Bruce Wayne?
We at Fantom Comics want to offer people another option. That's why we're holding elections for President of the USA pitting the best of DC against Marvel's finest in an election for the ages!
THE PRIMARIES
The primaries start this coming Thursday, April 17th, when we announce on the website the 16 candidates (8 marvel, 8 DC) that will be running for their publisher's (hereafter referred to as their "party's") nomination. We will post a short blurb about each candidate and the debate can start.
THE NOMINATION
On FREE COMIC BOOK DAY, Saturday, May 3, we will hold party elections at both our stores. Each person may vote once in each party�s nomination. ONLY THOSE PHYSICALLY PRESENT CAN VOTE. Sorry, no online voting, no absentee voting, no proxy voting. You must be present in the store on May 3rd to cast your vote. But hey, it�s Free Comic Book Day, so you�ll want to be there anyway. Oh, and you of course DO NOT have to purchase anything to vote. The voting booths close at 4:30pm SHARP.
This primary election will be a bit old-fashioned, as the 2nd place candidates will become their party�s vice-presidential nominee. Yes, we know it didn�t work too well with Aaron Burr and all, but to keep things simple this is just how it�s gonna be.
The winners of the party primaries will be announced simultaneously at both our locations and on the website at 5:30PM.
THE ELECTION
Once the party tickets are announced, three months of campaigning will begin. Fantom Comics has assembled two teams of experts to serve as the campaign staff for the two party�s nominees. They will bring us biting commentary, sassy op-eds, blush-inducing mud-slinging, quasi-legal dirty tricks and even 3 LIVE DEBATES (1 VP debate and 2 candidate debates) to be held at our Tenleytown store! All of this will culminate on Election Day, SATURDAY, AUGUST 30th! (Note: More details on election day as the date approaches).
The presidential winner will get a special table set aside for them during the month of September, in which trade paperbacks (aka Graphic Novels) featuring him or her will be offered at 15%-off all month. Books featuring the candidate�s VP will come at a 10% discount.
VOTER PARTICIPATION
We highly encourage open debate. Here�s what you, the voter, can do:
Comment on postings. Fantom Comics gets thousands of unique users to its site each day. Comments you make could very well sway at least a few of them � perhaps enough to push your candidate into first.
If you email an op-ed to matt@fantomcomics.com, we�ll post it for you under your name. The piece must come in at under 700 words and management reserves the right to edit it for brevity and grammar. We also reserve the right to reject your piece outright.
Email us at matt@fantomcomics.com with �Questions for the Candidates.� We�ll have their campaign team answer them and post them on a regular basis. Or maybe it�s such a good question we�ll save it for a debate. We will also have an �ask the candidate� box at each of our stores for those of you that can separate yourself from your keyboards.
THE RULES
Fantom Management, through exhaustive research and debate, has selected a list of candidates to run on their party's ticket. The criteria we used:
1) All candidates must conform to constitutional requirements for president. That means they must be over 35 (sorry Spider-Man) and born in the US (aw, too bad Superman). NOTE: Most of the candidates� ages are debatable. Generally speaking, we offered some leeway to characters near the age limit.
2) The character must have been �outed� as a super-hero, so they can run under both their cape and alter ego identities.
3) Batman is excepted from Rule #2 because we feel he�s too cool to be left out. Bruce Wayne will be running under the assumption that he outed himself at the beginning of the campaign. We also made an exception for Matt Murdock/Daredevil, as he�s been outed on 2 separate occasions and we are sure he will be again in the future.
4) Actions taken by the candidates in non-continuity stories CAN be brought into the debate, but they will of course be considered less credible than events happening in mainstream continuity, as those are the personas that will be running for office.
5) If we saw it happen (be it in a comic book, movie, whatever), then it�s �public knowledge.� What matters is what we, the readers know, and not what other characters from the comics know of the person. For example: people in the Marvel Universe may not know that Professor X hates bagels, but because it was revealed in Uncanny X-Men #438, WE know and therefore it�s considered public knowledge. These candidates have no private life, and the only thing that can save them from their embarrassing past is a lazy opposition that doesn�t raise the issue.
Have fun, and see you at the ballot booth!
April 3, 2008
Secret Invasion #1
The verdict is in, and Secret Invasion has been found TOTALLY AWESOME!! Marvel doesn't disappoint with the first issue of this 8-part series. It answers some question and raises more of them.
Fantom Comics sold out of #1 on the very first day, but have no fear! We will have lots more copies coming into both of our stores on Friday (that's Friday, April 4th...tomorrow!!)
Be sure to pick up a copy and check out Marvel's big event of the year. Heck, buy a couple copies in case you want to read it more than once.
March 23, 2008
We Are Open for Easter
Fantom Comics is open and ready for business today.
March 20, 2008
Fantom Displays Local School's Comic Book Art
For the next few weeks Fantom Comics will be moonlighting as an art gallery, featuring the talented comic strip artwork of Jason Cox's 7th grade Art Class from the Sheridan School. Come and check out the work of such talented artists as: Josh Cohn and Natalie Goodman (see below).
March 1, 2008
Our Spring Cleaning Sale Continues!
Our huge sale continues this weekend!
We are offering:
50% off of nearly all non-super-hero graphic novels;
50% off of hundreds of super-hero graphic novels;
50% off of all Marvel Masterworks and DC Archives;
25% off of all DC Showcase and Marvel Essential volumes;
25% off of all Absolute Editions (including Batman: Hush, The Long Halloween, Sandman, and Kingdom Come)
Hurry up. You only have until Sunday evening!
February 25, 2008
HUGE LEAP YEAR 50%-OFF SALE AND WII CONTEST!!!
Help us bring in the Leap Year this coming Friday, February 29th through Sunday, March 2nd at our Tenleytown location with our all weekend long 50% off sale and Wii contests!!!
All weekend long hundreds of our graphic novels (valued at around $20k) will be sold for 50% cover price, and EVERY SINGLE MANGA in the store will go for 50% off!
We'll host 6 Wii contests on our 48" flat screen over the course of the weekend, with $50 gift cards as prizes. You think you're good at Wii? Prove it!
Wii Contest Schedule:
Friday: 6:30pm
Saturday: noon, 4pm and 6pm
Sunday: 1pm and 3pm
Questions can be addressed to 202-362-5051 or info@fantomcomics.com
January 22, 2008
New Comics Come Out On Wednesday This Week
The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday will not affect the release of new comics this week, so come and get 'em!
January 3, 2008
New Books Released on FRIDAY this week!!!
Despite some potential misinformation you may have heard at Fantom (thanks to my stupidity), new comics and graphic novels come out on Friday the 4th, and NOT Thursday the 3rd.
That means you'll have to wait for Friday to get your Buffy fix, the newest Messiah Complex story or the next thrilling issue of Howard the Duck!
Again, I am incredibly sorry for the misunderstanding. But we'll see you Friday!
December 31, 2007
New Year's Hours
We'll be closing on New Year's Eve at 6pm and closed on New Year's Day.
December 18, 2007
We'll have very few Angel After the Fall #2s tomorrow
We're waaaaay short on Angel After the Fall #2s. We had to order #2 before #1 hit the shelves and we had no idea how popular the book would be. Unfortunately even many of our subscribers will be shorted.
We expect to get a lot more copies next week (Friday 28th), and with issue #3 we'll be all caught up and prepared to meet demand.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
December 7, 2007
50% off all Yankee Swap gifts!
Heres how it works:
On the evening of Wednesday the 19th, starting at 5pm, well be holding a Christmas Party at the Tenleytown store. Itll be pretty casual, but lots of fun! All are welcome.
At the party well play YANKEE SWAP (aka White Elephant, Thieving Elves, Miguel Sanchez, etc). The rules of the game are pretty simple (from Wikipedia):
All participants bring their gift to the pile. Gifts are wrapped, but are not labeled to reflect a sender or recipient. Everyone then draws a number, which determines the order of gift choosing. The person who drew #1 chooses a gift from the pile, and then shows it to everyone. It is now Person #2s turn. They can either steal an item previously unwrapped or open a new gift from the pile. If a person's gift is stolen, that person can immediately unwrap a new gift or steal another person's gift. This process repeats until a gift has been stolen 3 times or until a person chooses to unwrap a new gift (as opposed to stealing a gift), at which point play proceeds to the next person. Owners of opened gifts must keep them visible for all to see and hold them up when requested.
Heres how you get into the Yankee Swap pot: from now until Wednesday the 19th, you can buy ANY product or products in either Fantom store that fall between $9.99 and $24.99 for 50% off. Well wrap your present up and hold onto it for the game on the 19th. (Note: Yenkee Swap purchases are unreturnable/unexchangeable).
This is gonna be hella fun. Ive already bought my gift for the pot.
November 29, 2007
This Week's Comics...
...are thin on the ground. Subscribers are getting all of their books (Sensational S-M excepted), but we had a serious issue getting the comics for the shelves in today. We hope to restock all missing books next Wednesday.
Very sorry for the inconvenience.
November 27, 2007
Sensational Spider-Man #41 - You might not get yours this week
Note to customers: when I ordered this comic 3 months ago, the amount seemed like plenty. But we've had our requests for the book more then treble in the last week, so unless you've been subscribing to this title for more than 3 months, do not expect a copy until next Wednesday (December 5) at the earliest.
Management apologizes for the inconvenience but did not predict just how much demand there would be for this issue.
November 5, 2007
Fantom Comics Union Station Grand Opening Extravaganza!!!
Fantom Comics is celebrating its Union Station grand opening with a huge party!
WHEN
Friday, November 16, 6-10:30pm
6:00-7:30:
Pizza party
7:30-10:30:
The unbelievably funny stand-up of the GEEK COMEDY TOUR 3000 interspersed with trivia contests in which we award over $500 worth of Fantom Comics Gift Certificates!
WHERE
Our venue is the Union Station Phoenix Movie Theatre (located in the lower level of Union Station). We'll have a greeter at the entrance to send you to the right theater.
WHAT DOES THIS COST?
NOTHING! It costs you nothing! In fact, if you confirm your attendance now, we'll give you a $5 gift certificate! All you have to do is sign up with us before Friday the 16th. Here's what you need to do:
Email us at: fantomsignup@gmail.com
Tell us:
1) YOUR NAME
2) HOW MANY IN YOUR PARTY
3) HOW YOU FOUND OUT ABOUT THE GRAND OPENING (ex: Ad in Wall Street Journal, word of mouth, etc)
When you show up, we'll check your name off our VIP list and give you your $5 gift certificate, good at any Fantom Comics (by which we of course mean either Fantom Comics).
Any questions can also be addressed to the email above. See you on the 16th!
November 2, 2007
Fantom's Halloween Happy Hour: Good Time Had By All!!
Thanks to Chadwick's for hosting us and the crowd that came out.
October 29, 2007
Join Fantom Comics for Halloween!!
The Fantom Comics crew will be celebrating at Chadwick's in Friendship Heights this coming Wednesday evening.
Starting at 7 and going on until after 11 (their happy hour extend to 11pm), we'll be partying the way only comic book nerds can.
So don't put that costume away yet. Put it on and join us! The manager of Chadwick's will pay the tab of the person with the best costume!
Call or email us with any questions. Excelsior!
October 6, 2007
Announcing a Paul Karasik signing on October 15th!!
We are proud to announce that Paul Karasik will be at Fantom Comics from 2-4pm on October 15th to sign his books for fans.
Following are just a couple of Karasik's recent achievements:
Karasik was co-writer of the graphic-novel version of Paul Auster's City of Glass, which The Comics Journal named one of the Top 100 Comics of the Twentieth Century.
Most recently, Karasik edited an anthology of comics by the bizarre Golden Age cartoonist Fletcher Hanks. Titled I Shall Destroy All the Civilized Planets!, it includes not only 15 stories by Hanks but a 20-page afterward by Karasik (in comics form, naturally) detailing the shocking biography of Hanks himself.
Fantom will be sure to have plenty of Karasik's books in stock to be signed in case you haven't already got some of your own.
See you then!
September 28, 2007
Announcing Spaceballs: The Viewing
Join fellow fans for Spaceballs: The Movie, at 9:30pm on Saturday, October 6 at Fantom Comics.
We'll be hosting the movie on our 42 inch TV. Snacks and soda will be provided. Anything stronger than coke you'll have to bring yourself.
Any questions, feel free to email us at fantomcomics@gmail.com.
See you then!
September 3, 2007
This Week's Comics Come out on Thursday
Just a reminder that due to Labor Day, we'll be getting our comic books in on Thursday, and NOT Wednesday.
July 2, 2007
4th of July Special: free books for Gold Members!
Celebrate our countries Independence with some free trades!
Every week we get at least one or two damaged graphic novels from Diamond. Usually nothing too serious - a bent cover or something. We can't resell 'em, but we can give 'em away for free.
Any and all Gold Members are entitled to 2 free (damaged) trades all day Wednesday.
We'll be open from 10am - 3pm.
NOTE: New comic books come in on Thursday this week.
Charity Drive a Huge Success!
The $1 comic book sale Fantom Comics held a couple of weekends ago raised over $1,300 for Capital Hospice! Thanks to everyone who helped out.
June 16, 2007
This Weekend: $1 tax-free comics for charity!
Some of you may have known Fantom Comics customer Richard Bligen. One of the nicest people you've ever met, Richard passed away a few months ago from a brain tumor. He was 38.
This coming Saturday and Sunday, Fantom Comics will be offering thousands of Richard's comics for $1 a piece and donating 100% of the profits to Capital Hospice - which took care of him towards the end - in his name.
All the books are tax free and a tax write-off. Also, Fantom Comics will reward every $10 or greater purchase with a free gift!
The comics will be available all day this Saturday and Sunday (June 16th and 17th) during business hours (10-9 on Sat; noon-6 on Sun).
Cash or checks are preferred, as we're trying to keep the transactions entirely seperate from the Fantom Comics till, but if you buy enough, we can accept a credit card purchase (I'm thinking a $25 minimum).
June 14, 2007
New Avengers #31 Contest: BEWARE: SPOILER!!
Much like the unlocking of Al Capone's vault, the staff at Fantom Comics opened New Avenger's #31 with lots of excited anticipation.
And much like Geraldo and his millions of viewers that day in 1986, we were disappointed to find...absolutely nothing.
I'm not going to spoil the last few panels for you. Let me just say that if this ending was bigger than Captain America getting killed, as Marvel claimed, then the world's gone insane.
If you really want to spend your money on a comic book with an exciting, unexpected ending, then I recommend Archie & Friends #110. I left that issue feeling a lot more satisfied than I did with New Avengers 31. Ah, Reggie. When will you learn?!
Marvel has certainly lost a lot of credibility with this bogus hype.
PS: Of course, nobody wins the contest, because nobody guessed anywhere close to the correct ending. But take heart, contestants. That just shows you're brighter than the entire editorial staff at Marvel.
May 31, 2007
New Avengers #31 Contest
Marvel and the comic book pundits are hyping the hell out of the last panel of NEW AVENGERS #31 (to be released on June 13th). According to Marvel it'll be the "The most important last page of any Marvel comic this year!" In a normal year that might not mean much, but what they're saying is that it'll be more important than Captain America getting killed.
We at Fantom Comics are intrigued. So much so that we're holding a contest. The winner gets a $15 gift card to the store.
The rules:
Post a comment to this entry stating what you think will happen/be revealed in the last panel of New Avengers #31. The description can be as general or specific as you like, but be warned! If several people have roughly the same prediction, the award will go to the person who provided the most accurate detail and/or made the least mistakes. Let's see what you've got people!
To protect against multiple postings by the same person, please comment under your full name, or I won't post the comment and you won't be entered.
Judging might end up being a bit subjective, but maybe not. It'll depend on how close your guesses are to each other. In the end, the judge's decision (by which I mean mine) is final.
The last entries will be accepted on June 11th.
Fantom Comics employees are ineligible. As are Brian Michael Bendis, Leinil Francis Yu and Joe Quesada.
Good luck, everyone!
May 19, 2007
Fantom Comics Goes to See Spider-Man 3
Fantom Comics customers congregate at Nanny O'Brien's in Cleveland park after seeing Spider-Man 3 at the Uptown.
Fantom Comics' next big outing: Transformers, of course!
Next time you're in the shop, ask about joining us for our movie going events.
May 12, 2007
Fantom Comics - Endorsed by the God of Thunder!!
Fantom Comics customer and all-around awesome guy Jordan Kessler starred in the following commercial for Fantom Comics, made by talented director Bryan Gold.
Enjoy!
May 7, 2007
Free Comic Book Day was INCREDIBLE!
Thanks for your support, everyone! It was great seeing you all on Saturday. We gave away a lot of free comics and a lot of other free swag...congratulations to all of you trivia question winners!
May 1, 2007
FREE COMIC BOOK DAY!!!!!
Don't forget that this coming Saturday, May 5, is National Free Comic Book Day! We'll be handing out free swag all day (10am-9pm).
Not only will we have tons of free comics to hand out, we'll also be giving away lots of other free stuff.
Every half-hour, at the 15, (10:15, 10:45, 11:15, etc...) we'll ask a pop-culture trivia question. Whoever is the first to get it wins a prize, some of which are valued at up to $100!
April 7, 2007
We'll be open on Easter Sunday!
Fantom Comics will be open for our usual hours of noon - 6 pm.
March 29, 2007
Captain America #25 (2nd printing) is here!
We've finally got it. Come and get 'em!
March 22, 2007
Fantom Comics has 25 2-Disc Special Ed DVDs of Eragon to raffle off!
Q: How do I enter?
A: Come in and place your name and phone number or email address into the raffle box.
Q: When is the drawing?
A: Sunday, March 25th. We'll get intouch with the winners.
So get in here and enter! You've only got 3 days left.
February 12, 2007
Announcing Fantom Comics' 75% OFF SALE!!!
Fact: Fantom Comics needs more space for its graphic novels
Fact: Management has decided to eliminate the back issues to make that space
Fact: Because management has limited time, it does not want to waste it putting items up on ebay
FACT: You - the consumer - are the real winner! We are offering every single back issue (EVERY ONE, NO EXCEPTIONS) for 75% off their listed price. This sale ends when the last back issue leaves the store.
Also note that Fantom Dolars still count, in which case you're paying 12.5% for a back issue!
January 23, 2007
The Geek Comedy Tour 3000 - stand up comedy FOR geeks, BY geeks
The Geek Comedy Tour 3000 will be playing at Comedy Spot (located on the top level of the Ballston Commons Mall next to the AMC movie theaters - 4238 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA) on Thursday, January 25th at 8 PM. Tickets are $5 and the show will be held in the uber-spiffy black box theater. Call 703-294-LAFF if there are any questions.
I've seen these guys before. They're very, very funny. At $5 this has got to be the best (legal) deal in town.
To sweeten this already sweet deal, Fantom Comics is offering four $20 gift certificates as prizes for attendees.
See you there,
Matt
December 31, 2006
Fantom's Schedule for New Years Week
On Monday, January 1, we'll be open from 1:30pm until our usual closing time at 9pm.
Due to the New Year holiday, new comic book day will take place on Thursday, January 4.
December 27, 2006
New Comic Book Day is Thursday this Week
Sorry for the delay in posting this...the holidays have been pretty hectic.
Because of Christmas, tomorrow, Thursday, December 28th will be new comic book day this week.
On the bright side, we have some real fan favorites out this week! Observe:
Annihilation #5 (a real sleeper hit)
Astonishing X-Men #19
Boys #6 (finally...the dramatic climax to the first story arc)
Jack of Fables #6
Justice #9
Justice League of America #5
December 19, 2006
Big Day this Wednesday
Christmas comes early this Wednesday! (Hanukkah, on the other hand, is just on time).
There are some exciting books coming out tomorrow. just a sampling:
Civil War Books:
Civil War Frontline #9
Civil War War Crimes One Shot
Fantastic Four #541
Iron Man #14
Iron Man/Captain America Casualties of War One Shot
New Avengers Illuminati #1
Other Books Worth Noting:
Fables #56
Fables Vol 8 Wolves TP
Teen Titans #42
Warhammer 40k #1
And subscribers, don't forget, we've got your free Wizards in this week!
November 20, 2006
NEWS FOR THANSGIVING WEEK
Okay, here we go:
1) HOLIDAY HOURS
We all love family, but couldn't you use a break from the craziness for a few minutes on Thanksgiving? Fantom Comics thinks so, which is why we'll be opened on Thanksgiving from 12:00 - 5.
We will be opened Friday the 24th from 8AM - 10PM.
2) NEW BOOKS
The new shipment is coming in on Wednesday as usual. And what a shipment! Here are a few highlights:
-AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #536 (Civil War X-Over)
-BOYS #5 (A management and fan favorite. This book is incredibly addictive)
-CIVIL WAR FRONT LINE #8
-PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL #1 (Civil War X-Over)
-WOLVERINE #48 (Civil War X-Over)
-WONDER WOMAN #3 (About fracking time!)
-Y THE LAST MAN VOL 8 KIMONO DRAGONS TP
3) FANTOM HAS TRIPLED ITS TRADE PEPERBACK STOCK!!
It's true. The books arrived Thursday morning and it took us 3 days to get it all on the shelves. Come on in and check out all this beautiful inventory!
November 14, 2006
Tomorrow (Wednesday, Nov 15th) is a BIG DAY
Here are just some of the highlights from tomorrow's new books:
ASTONISHING X-MEN #18
BIRDS OF PREY #100
CIVIL WAR #5
GIRLS VOL 3 SURVIVAL TP
IRON MAN #13 (the 1st Iron Man Civil War crossover)
NEW AVENGERS #25 (Civil War crossover)
RANMA 1/2 VOL 36 TP (the very last Ranma volume of the series)
October 21, 2006
This Coming Wednesday, October 25
Lots of great trades coming out this week. Observe:
AMERICAN VIRGIN HEAD TP
RUNAWAYS VOL 6 PARENTAL GUIDANCE DIGEST TP
SHOWCASE PRESENTS PHANTOM STRANGER VOL 1 TP
SUPERMARKET TP
And Marvel's pumping out more than a few CIVIL WAR titles this week:
CAPTAIN AMERICA #23
HEROES FOR HIRE #3
NEW AVENGERS #24
And a few other new comics worth mentioning:
ACTION COMICS #844 (the new creative team starts this issue)
BOYS #4
JUSTICE #8 (OF 12)
PLANETARY #26
SUPERMAN BATMAN ANNUAL #1
October 17, 2006
Fables 1001 Nights of Snowfall
Yes! This book finally comes out tomorrow (Wednesday, October 18). I can't wait!
Note: We ordered an unprecedented amount of copies of this book, but the number of pre-orders we've been getting has been through the roof. So beware! Take your time buying this book and you may find yourself wanting.
From Booklist:
From latter-nineteenth--century Fabletown in Manhattan, Snow White is dispatched to the Arabian sultan's court in the homeland to enlist his support in the fight against the Adversary, who drove the European fables into exile but hasn't yet threatened the Middle Eastern contingent. The ruler entraps her, and she must, a la Scheherazade, tell him the primary contents of the book to stay alive while wooing his cooperation. The stories are both clever and psychologically explanatory of the characters as they appear in the ongoing, contemporarily set Fables story.
October 10, 2006
WEDNESDAY IS NEW COMIC BOOK DAY THIS WEEK
Suck it, Columbus. Your day is not worthy of delaying New Comic Book Day. The new books will be on the shelves Wednesday morning.
Some highlights:
-Absolute Sandman Vol 1 HC
-Civil War Front Line #7
-Fables #54
-Gen 13 #1
-Invincible Vol 7 Threes Company TP
-Ultimate Power #1
-Worldstorm #1
October 2, 2006
Magic Time Spiral Booster Draft
Fantom Comics is sponsoring the upcoming AU Gamer's Magic Time Spiral Booster Draft. It's open to all that are interested. Please see below for details:
Time and date:
Sunday October 8, 2006
7:30 pm
Mary Graydon Center Gianni Lounge
Map of AU Campus
Time Spiral comes out next week. We would like to hold 8-man booster drafts (3 Time Spiral packs @ $10 per person) with prizes for top 4 players in each draft. We're registering on a first-come-first-serve basis for the slots in each draft. If a draft does not fill up all the way, then it will not happen! We must have exactly 8, 16, 24, or 32 people to have even-numbered drafts.
For further information, check out the AU Gamer's message board. Any questions can be directed to the club at interest@augamers.net.
September 26, 2006
Holy Hot Comics, Fantom!
It's a blockbuster Civil War week (and about time, right?!):
Amazing Spider-Man #535
Cable Deadpool #32
Captain America #22
Civil War Front Line #6
Civil War Young Avengers & Runaways #3
Heroes for Hire #2
Some other hot, hot comics out this week:
Ultimates 2 #12 (They did it! They actually finished the series! And you doubted they ever would.... Shame on you.)
Jack of Fables #3
Justice League of America #2
Teen Titans #39
Ultimate Spider-Man #100
It's not just new comics worth noting. In the trade department we've got WALKING DEAD VOL 5 and JUSTICE VOL 1!
Gold Subscribers, don't forget to pick up your free Wizard Magazine this week!
September 18, 2006
Finally...CIVIL WAR #4!!!!!
Yes, this coming Wednesday (Sept 20), Marvel will finally release the next issue in this epic series.
Just a few highlights of what's hitting our shelves on the 20th:
ASTONISHING X-MEN #17
CIVIL WAR #4
CIVIL WAR X-MEN #3
FLASH #4
LOOKING GLASS WARS HATTER M #3 (Finally!)
SUPERMAN #656
UNION JACK #1
WOLVERINE #46 (a Civil War x-over)
September 15, 2006
BUFFY CONTEST UPDATE
We didn't have quite enough contestants to warrant semi-finals on Saturday, but we had enough enthusiastic trivia buffs sign up to keep the contest going.
This makes it even more exciting for spectators, as WE WILL BE HOLDING THE ENTIRE COMPETITION AT NOON THIS SUNDAY.
Come and watch the fun as a dozen Buffy gurus battle it out for $500 worth of stuff and the title of the #1 Buffy fan in DC!
Check out pics from last year's SIMPSONS TRIVIA CONTEST
And it's not too late to sign up. Fill out this ENTRANCE FORM and email it to fantomcomics@gmail.com, or bring it along and sign up on Sunday.
September 13, 2006
NEW BOOKS ARE ON THE SHELVES!
As of 11:20 AM Wednesday.
COME AND GET 'EM!!
September 8, 2006
The Rest of This Week's New Books Have Arrived!
They're here. Come and get 'em.
Again, we apologize for the inconvenience.
September 7, 2006
This Week's Order
Attention Customers!
UPS has lost more than half our boxes in this week's shipment. This means we have only some of the comics due today. We are waiting to hear from our supplier, Diamond Comics, but unless you hear otherwise assume that the books will be in tomorrow morning.
Fantom Comics can't apologize enough for this (rare) inconvenience. Please keep an eye on our site. We will post when the books finally do arrive.
September 4, 2006
New Comic Book Day is THURSDAY this week
Due to labor day, Fantom Comics will receive new books on Thursday - and not Wednesday - this week.
August 29, 2006
This Week's New Stuff
Big Week! True, we only have two Civil War books for you (Cable Deadpool #31 and CW: Young Avengers & Runaways #2), but there's lots of other titles out there that you shouldn't ignore.
For instance, we're getting the soft cover edition of the 9 11 Commission Report. I've flipped through this book. It's very well done. The book is simply the commissionâ??s report in a drawn novel format.
Boys #2 is also coming out. #1 was amazing. It's Powers meets Top 10, with the hard-core style of Preacher writer Garth Ennis. This has management's highest recommendation.
We're also getting additional copies of Alan Moore's hugely controversial work Lost Girls. This book features Wendy from Peter Pan, Dorothy from Oz and Alice from Wonderland fame as grown-ups. No fan of Alan Moore can miss this.
Other noteworthy new releases this Wednesday include: Justice #7, Ultimate X-Men Annual #2 and Snakes on a Plane #1.
Also, Wizard #180 comes out tomorrow. For all you premium subscribers, you should stop by for your free issue, if nothing else.
August 21, 2006
BUFFYVERSE TRIVIA CONTEST!!
After the huge success of our SIMPSONS TRIVIA CONTEST (check out PICTURES from the event), Fantom Comics will host its 2nd trivia contest: BUFFYVERSE on Saturday, September 16 and Sunday, September 17.
GRAND PRIZE: $500 worth of Fantom Comics merchandise
1ST PRIZE: $50 worth of Fantom Comics merchandise
2ND PRIZE: a hearty handshake
How the trivia contest works:
We'll run the semi-finals every half-hour on Saturday the 16th, from 10:30am till 8:30pm. Depending on how many entrants we get, you'll be pitted against anywhere from 1 to ?? people in a trivia fight to the death.
The semi-final winners from Saturday will return at (high) noon on Sunday the 17th to fight it out for the right to be crowned the Greatest Buffy/Angel Expert in the metro DC region (this will look great on your resume), and walk away with over $500 worth of Fantom Comics merchandise.
And even if you're not the competitive sort, stop by to check out the contest. There's nothing quite like seeing Buffy buffs try to one-up each other.
How to enter the trivia contest
To register, simply fill out this ENTRANCE FORM and email it to fantomcomics@gmail.com. If you're having trouble opening the link, email us your name, email address, phone number and the times on Saturday that are best for you and those that are the worst (we'll do our best to place all contestants in the most convenient time-slot). We'll reply to you by email to confirm your entrance.
July 17, 2006
This Week's Books
We've got Civil War coming out our ears this Wednesday!
Civil War #3
Civil War X-Men #1
Cable Deadpool #30
Daily Bugle Civil War Newspaper Special
Thunderbolts #104
X-Factor #9
Okay, the bad news first:
We under-ordered Cable Deadpool #30 and as a result we won't have any on the shelves until next Wednesday.
The good news:
We're getting in lots of Thunderbots #104, which I under-ordered last week and we'll now have on our shelves.
Notice a pattern? This should be the last week of our under-ordering Civil War books (Two months ago, I had no idea how popular this series was going ot be!)
Also worth noting, Justice League of America #0 comes out, too, as well as the Halo Graphic Novel!
July 12, 2006
Today's Books are already on the Shelves!
Great news, everybody. We're trying a newer and even better method of getting our books. So by the time Fantom opens at 10AM today the new comics will be on the shelves and ready to go!
July 2, 2006
Fourth of July Week
A few notes on the upcoming week:
1) We will be open for the 4th of July! Our hours will be 10AM - 3PM.
2) On the 4th, your Fantom Dollars are worth DOUBLE!! We are also significantly increasing the number of items in the Fantom Specials section for the occassion. Be sure to take advantage of this opportunity to get more Fantom bang for your Fantom buck!
3) Due to the holiday, New Comic Book Day will take place on THURSDAY, and not Wednesday.
June 27, 2006
Note on this week's new stuff
Okay, first the good news:
Lots of great Civil War books are out this week. We've got:
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #533
CIVIL WAR FRONT LINE #2
FANTASTIC FOUR #538
NEW AVENGERS #21
WOLVERINE #43
X-FACTOR #8
The bad news is, well, when we ordered these books two months ago we had no idea of the huge demand we'd see. Therefore, I'll only have enough WOLVERINE #43s and NEW AVENGERS #21s for my subscribers this week.
HOWEVER, we'll be getting plenty more of those two books next week, so fear not!
Thanks for your patience!
June 19, 2006
Note on this week's new stuff
What a week we've got coming up!!
Take a look at just a few of the uber-titles out this week:
ALL STAR SUPERMAN #4
ASTONISHING X-MEN #15
ETERNALS #1 (OF 6)
FLASH THE FASTEST MAN ALIVE #1
JUSTICE #6 (OF 12)
ULTIMATES 2 #11
There's also a plethora of new trades coming out.
Lastly, Fantom Comics is experimenting with a new delivery system. This week we're going to have our books in the store and on the shelves by the time our doors open at 10AM. No waiting till 3PM this week!
(Note: This week is just an experiment...we'll have to see how things go, so fair warning: the week after this one we may not have our books in the store this early).
June 13, 2006
Note on this week's new stuff
What a week! We've got one blockbuster after another! To note just a few:
52 #6
Of course, 52 is out every week, but hey, it's hella popular ever week.
CIVIL WAR #2
I can't wait to read this. What an awesome series.
WOLVERINE ORIGINS #3
SUPERMARKET #3
If you haven't been reading this book, shame on you! It's by Brian Wood of DMZ fame, and brilliantly written.
June 2, 2006
The Week of June 7th
June 7th is going to be a great week! The only bad thing I can say about it is that it still looks to be overshadowed by the stuff due out on June 14th.
New comic books to look out for:
CIVIL WAR FRONT LINE #1 (OF 10)
CYBERFORCE #0
STAR WARS LEGACY #0
WONDER WOMAN #1
And new trades to pay attention to:
ACTION PHILOSOPHERS VOL 1 GIANT SIZED THING TP
DMZ VOL 1 ON THE GROUND TP (MR)
POWER GIRL TP
RISING STARS VOL 4 TP
The Week of June 7th
June 7th is going to be a great week! The only bad thing I can say about it is that it still looks to be overshadowed by the stuff due out on June 14th.
New comic books to look out for:
CIVIL WAR FRONT LINE #1 (OF 10)
CYBERFORCE #0
STAR WARS LEGACY #0
WONDER WOMAN #1
And new trades to pay attention to:
ACTION PHILOSOPHERS VOL 1 GIANT SIZED THING TP
DMZ VOL 1 ON THE GROUND TP (MR)
POWER GIRL TP
RISING STARS VOL 4 TP
May 27, 2006
NOTES ON THIS WEEK'S NEW STUFF
First, notice that due to the Memorial Day holiday, New Comic Book Day will be on THURSDAY this week.
Also, we're getting in some good stuff this week:
-We're getting in more SUPERMAN BATMAN #25s, to compliment the new SUPERMAN BATMAN #26s that come out this week.
-We're finally getting in additional copies of the NEW AVENGERS ILLUMINATI SPECIAL. This issue sets up Marvel's CIVIL WAR very nicely. Not to be missed.
-A lot of Ultimate issues are out this week: ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #95, ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #30, and ULTIMATE EXTINCTION #5 (OF 5).
-WIZARD #177 comes out. All you Premier Subscribers, be sure to pick up your free copy!
May 18, 2006
Information About Late Deliveries
Just wanted to bring this to your attention. The following are books I inquired about with my Diamond rep and her responses:
Green lantern #11 It is expected to ship next week. (May 24)
New Avengers #19 It is expected to ship next week. (May 24)
Squadron Supreme #3 It is expected to ship next week. (May 24)
Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk #3 It is expected to ship 06/14/06.
April 30, 2006
This will be a Week of Epic Proportions!
We've got 2 blockbuster books coming out this Wednesday. The FINAL issue of DC's INFINITE CRISIS comes out, while the FIRST issue of Marvel's CIVIL WAR also debuts. We've got over 150 volumes of trades and graphic novels coming. And on Thursday Fantom explodes onto the gaming scene, bringing in more booster packs of Magic and Versus, as well as starter packs and boosters of Magic, Versus, Yu-Gi-Oh and Settlers of Catan. And dice! We're getting 20-sided sequential dice in.
And don't forget that Saturday is FREE COMIC BOOK DAY! Besides handing out free comics, we'll have raffles and food, so be sure to stop in.
April 25, 2006
Announcing Fantom's New Monthly Raffle
We've got a BIG Wednesday this week. Tomorrow - finally - we see ASTONISHING X-MEN #14. We're getting in DCs first issues of ION and CHECKMATE. And Vertigo brings us the 9th volume of 100 BULLETS. And these examples just scratch the surface...check out the full line-up on the left-hand column. Also, to all our Premier Subscribers (5 or more monthly titles), your FREE WIZARDS come in tomorrow. Be sure to pick yours up.
To make this New Comic Book Day especially memorable, it's going to be the first day of our new monthly raffle! Here's how it works:
For every first issue of a comic book series you buy off the racks (with minimum 5-issue run), we enter you into our raffle. On the last day of each month we pick a winner. That person gets a free 6-month subscription to the series of their choice (cannot be used toward books you currently subscribe to).
We're starting this month's raffle tomorrow. Since we're starting so late in April, this "month" consists of just 5 days. So if you try out a few 1st issues, your odds of winning are going to be even better than in a typical month.
GOOD LUCK!
April 19, 2006
We've got Games!!
Due to customer demand, Fantom Comics has started to stock games. No RPGs yet - though they will be here at some point. Right now we've got dice, Versus and Magic cards.
April 15, 2006
Fantom Comics will be OPEN on Easter Sunday
That's right, we'll be here our regular hours: noon to six.
April 2, 2006
HUGE BACK ISSUE GIVE AWAY
Those of you that frequent this store are familiar with the half-dozen long boxes we've got perpetually on sale. These back issues are all from the last half-year. They were always intended to be a temporary solution.
In order to make space, we want to be rid of these once and for all.
So from this Sunday until next Sunday, April 9, we're upping the ante on this sale.
For every item you buy under $10, you'll receive a free comic book of your choice from the long boxes.
For every item you buy over $10, you receive 3 free comic books of your choice from the boxes.
Take advantage of this sale while it lasts. After this week we will retire the remaining books for good.
February 13, 2006
Simpsons Trivia Contest results
Thanks to everyone who participated in the Simpsons Trivia Contest on the 11th and 12th. Despite the snow storm raging outside all day, we had over 40 contestants participate in 8 semi-final matches. Following are pictures from participants in each match:
In our first semi-final match of the day, eventual 1st Prize winner Jesse Stanchak (right) created an upset when he beat top-ranked seed Eamonn Rockwell (foreground) in the tie-breaker round.
In another upset, Jay Williams (far right) came from behind to beat odds-on favorite Matt Gever (2nd from left) by answering an "expert level" question. What was it that got Jay into the finals? He knew the answer to the following question: "In the episode Lisa's Rival, what was the name of the romance novel Marge was reading when she was interrupted by Lisa playing her sax?" If you think you know the answer, let's hear it in the comments section.
This match was dominated by the ladies. Erica Chong (2nd from left) and Katrina Moncure (2nd from right) were matching each other question for question until Katrina finally pulled ahead to win it.
10-year old Simpsons phenom Helen Warren (foreground) created quite a stir. After tying the guy on the very left during regular play (I feel like a jerk...I forgot his name. If you're reading this, please submit your name in comments so I can credit you properly), the two went head to head in the tie-breaker round. They tied once more, each naming exactly 21 Simpsons characters in 30 seconds (a la Win Ben Stein's Money). We decided they both earned a spot in the finals.
Here's a couple of shots of me calling out the questions. Note the game board in front of me. Correct answers resulted in one's gamepiece moving forward. First to cross the finish line won.
Here's a picture of our finalists. Every finalist received a complimentary Fantom Comics T-Shirt:
Here's a picture of the cheering section during the intense Sunday finals:
And here's me with our Grand Prize winner Bryan Woerner (r) and 1st Prize winner Jesse Stanchak:
February 12, 2006
Today's Finals
Don't let a little snow scare you. We had an unbelievably good turnout yesterday for The Simpsons Trivia Contest. And today, just a few minutes after noon, the 9 finalists will compete for a huge grand prize (and the also a pretty good 2nd prize).
Yesterday, the spectators seemed to have even more fun than the contestants. Today, when you'll see only the best of the best go head-to-head, it'll be even more exciting.
See you at noon!
February 10, 2006
The Grand Opening - Directions to Fantom Comics and Update
For detailed directions to Fantom Comics, just click HERE.
There's still time to enter the Simpsons Trivia Contest (see below for entry form). We've got dozens of contestants who are coming in batches to compete on Saturday every hour on the half-hour, from 11:30am to 7:30pm. And the finalists will return at noon on Sunday for the final, epic battle. Even if you aren't competing, watching the matches is gonna be lots of fun!
As if that wasn't enough, we're holding raffles every hour on the hour starting at 1pm on Saturday, and continuing into Sunday. No cost to enter! See you this weekend - snow or no!
Fantom Comics Grand Opening - Featuring the $500 Simpsons Trivia Contest!!
Fantom Comics invites you to attend its Grand Opening over the weekend of February 11th and 12th.
Do you like The Simpsons?! Do you like...stuff?!
If you like The Simpsons as much as you think you do, you'll get a LOT of stuff!!
Grand Prize winner takes home over $500 worth of store merchandise!!
Runner-up wins $50 worth of store merchandise!
Entrance is completely free!
For more information, check out the bottom of this post.
The Grand Opening will also feature raffles held throughout the weekend.
And don't forget our huge sale. We've got hundreds of comics set aside and discounted at 50% and up.
The first comic you buy is 50% off;
The second comic you buy is 55% off;
The third is 60% off;
The fourth 65% off;
And all comics you buy after that are sold at 70% off!!
How to enter the trivia contest
To register, simply fill out this entrance form and email it to fantomcomics@gmail.com. If you're having trouble opening the link, email us your name, email address, phone number and the times on Saturday that are best for you and those that are the worst (we'll do our best to place all contestants in the most convenient time-slot). We'll reply to you by email to confirm your entrance.
How the trivia contest works:
We'll run the quarter-finals every half-hour on Saturday, from 10:30am till 8:30pm. Depending on how many entrants we get, you'll be pitted against anywhere from 1 to ?? people in a trivia fight to the death.
The quarter-final winners from Saturday will return at (high) noon on Sunday to fight it out in the semi -finals. The 2 victors of that bloodbath will then face off head-to-head for the right to be crowned the Greatest Simpsons Expert in the metro DC region (this will look great on your resume), and walk away with over $500 worth of Fantom Comics merchandise.
And even if you're not the competitive sort, stop by to check out the contest. There's nothing quite like seeing Simpsons buffs try to one-up each other.
February 3, 2006
Fantom Comics closing at 7pm tonight
Due to a private pre-Grand Opening reception, Fantom Comics will be closing early this evening. We'll be shutting our doors at 7pm (though if you're here a few minutes after that we can fit you in).
November 24, 2005
Fantom Prepares for the Holidays
Gift Packs and "make your own grab bags" (great stocking stuffers) are 50% off!!
Fantom Comics is prepared to meet your holiday shopping needs with gift certificates and a knowledgeable staff ready to advise you on the perfect gift.
There's a comic out there for everyone, and we want to help you find your loved ones a unique gift instead of more of the same.
Fantom Comics is open for extended hours this Thanksgiving weekend:
Friday 8-9
Saturday 8-9
Sunday 8-9
November 4, 2005
We're...almost...Open!
Fantom Comics is within days of opening its doors for business after a three-month delay. This postponement resulted in three months worth of comic books piling up in our store. Our stupidity is your gain! In order to rid ourselves of these comics, weâ??re having a huge 50% OFF SALE!! Buy the current issue of any ongoing comic book title and get any or all of the previous issues since July for only 50% of their cover price!
Keep your eye on this site. We'll have the announcement up within minutes of our opening.
November 2, 2005
What Are Fantom Dollars
How do I get Fantom Dollars?
For every $10 you spend (excluding sales tax), you earn one Fantom Dollar.
Where can I spend my Fantom Dollars
Fantom Dollars can be used toward any comic book in the back issue bins, or in our Fantom Specials section.
How do Fantom Dollars work?
Fantom Dollars are good for up to 50% off your back issue bin/Fantom Specials purchase. For instance, if you buy $18 worth of books from the back issue bins, you can use up to 9 Fantom Dollars. You only pay us $9 for that $18 purchase!