Barry Branvold of Barry's Collectors Corner of Grand Forks, North Dakota read Kendall Swafford's recent column on the ComicsPro annual meeting (see "Talk the Talk, Walk the Walk--Dateline: Dallas") and had this to say.

I just could not let remarks by Kendall Swafford go without a response.  According to Kendall:

"There are three kinds of retailers in this business: the clueless ones with no business sense, largely made up of fanboys-turned-flea market dealers-turned store owners.  We’ll call them 'amateurs.'  Then there are plenty of successful retailers who simply aren’t joiners; guys that have terrific operations but no aspirations to be a part of the comic retailer community at large--ones I call "isolationists."  Then there are the rest of us--ComicsPRO members."

Well, I am not in ComicsPRO, and I wasn’t a flea market fanboy-turned store owner, so that only leaves non-joiners--which he calls "isolationists."

Isolationists usually refer to countries staying out of other country’s business.  That doesn’t fit, as I have dealings with customers in many foreign countries.  Obviously Kendall means not getting involved, but that doesn’t fit either, as I am a board director at church; an officer for my local service club the Exchange Club; the secretary/treasurer of my Bowling League; and an officer of my condo association.  And regarding the comic book industry; I have set up and/or attended comic conventions in California, Maryland, Florida, Minnesota, Illinois, North Carolina, Ohio, Indiana, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin, and probably others I can’t remember.  I have been to retailer seminars for at least three different companies (Glenwood, Capital and Diamond).  I have met many greats in the comics industry including Jack Kirby, Carl Barks, Don Rosa, Stan Lee, Will Eisner, and 100’s others.  I have a good working relationship with other retailers in my state and other states.  

Isolationist, I am NOT.  I guess this just means I am not a "joiner" only in regards to ComicsPRO!  I have nothing against ComicsPRO, and I enjoy interacting with other comics retailers, but I just don’t want to spend $300 in dues and another $1000 to travel to Texas, to do so.  Finally, Kendall, there are a few more kinds of retailers that the three you know about.  Me included!

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