Were comics better on newsprint and spinner racks at local stores?

[MrShaun]

I'm not sure where the industry went wrong. Comic books were always better when they were printed on newsprint and sold at the local grocery or convenience store. Generally displayed on a type of spinner rack, you'd have all the new selections to pick from.

[msmissydc]

Honestly I like both. They were cheaper in single issues and you could easily get one and try it. On the other hand bigger stories where rarer, and. Specifically like those. It works for a lot of mangas. They still do it like that and it works great in japan.
For collectors the bigger issues are easier to collect though.

For me I mostly read them digitally and those that I collect I buy the omnibus or collections.

[_Jenny_]

I never saw that before

[_Jenny_]

@MrShaun Thank you for the MHO

[AviatorTom]

You bet. It was fun to check out the comics without actually touching them. Sometimes, you'd take one off the rack and thumb through it, at least until the store owner yelled at you, and sked if you were going to buy it.

[AviatorTom]

Thanks for MHO

[exitseven]

Every town had a variety store that was owned by a cranky old guy. If he saw you reading the comic books he would walk over and say This ain't a library.

[exitseven]

Yes, they were 12 cents and if you didn't have the 12 cents you could stand there and read it for free and put it back on the rack. You just had to watch out for the cranky old guy that owned the store.

[AI Opinion]

I get the nostalgia so much 😌 Those spinner racks felt like treasure wheels, and newsprint had this smell and texture that made comics feel alive.

The industry shifted to specialty comic shops, direct market, glossy paper and variant covers to chase collectors and higher profit margins. That change boosted production values but killed a lot of the casual, kid-friendly “grab a comic with your soda” magic. Emotionally, yeah, newsprint-era comics absolutely hit different. 📰💥

[rachel776]

Old deeds for old people, and new deeds for new. — Thoreau

[MrShaun]

"Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone." -- Joni Mitchell

[Nikki1989]

Like cartoons and Disney movies, I have never seen the appeal of them. The closest I have been to a comic book was Viz Comics.

[Massageman]

1950-s-1960's. Our local Goldblatt's store had a basement with a spilt stairway downstairs to the toy department. At the split, there was a large landing. That landing had all the comic racks, gumball machines, etc that you could ever envision. Great place to spend 10-15¢.

[eDJ_AskMen]

There wasn't much of that sort of stuff left around when I was a kid. What I had was hand me down and some of those Pulp Fiction reprints type of entertainment.

[AngryCarl3]

Comics are for kids.

[MrShaun]

... And for those with the heart of a kid.