One of the most popular threads on SCC is about the old comic book shops of the 80s and 90s in Singapore. We all have our own memories of Leisurecraft, Comics Mart, Comic Art Gallery, Comics World, The Comic Shop and the uncles and aunties behind the counters – Mrs Wong, Raymond, Uncle Bill, Carol and Ming, and especially this individual by the name of Carlos. Most of us have our own Carlos story. I have mine, which I will share later.The story of the first comic shops in Singapore is similar to the development of comic speciality shops in America with the rise of the direct market as a result of convention organizer and comic dealer Phil Seuling approaching comic publishers in 1972 to purchase their titles directly from them on a non-returnable basis. This was different from the traditional distribution model of selling comics at newsstands and drug stores,...
