The two suspects in the assault of a Bucks County, PA, comics retailer have pled guilty, NBC Philadelphiareports. On September 18, 2022, two men entered Comic Collection and asked owner Dave Schwartz, who was working alone, to get something from a high shelf. When he climbed a ladder to get it, they knocked him down and beat him, tied him up, and robbed the store, stuffing about $16,000 worth of merchandise into duffel bags (see “Two Sought in Savage Beating of Comic Shop Owner”). On March 14, 2025, Zackery Maximus Tucker, 23, and Caleb James-Lorenze Simpson, 36, both of Michigan, pleaded guilty to charges of robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery and aggravated assault. Tucker was sentenced to 5 to 12 years in state prison and must pay $20,029.88 in restitution; Simpson will be sentenced in May. Before the sentencing, Schwartz read a statement to the judge saying that he had owned the store since 1985 and never had a problem until the attack. “They took the sense of security and safety away from me,” he said, an act that has changed his life.

The wheels of justice turned faster in Brattleboro, VT, where a burglar broke in through the glass front door of Ray Gun Comics early on the morning of March 9 and stole the cash register, which contained between $150 and $300. The Brattleboro Reformer reports that after viewing surveillance footage, police arrested Michael J. Smith, 36, of Brattleboro and charged him with burglary, petit larceny, and unlawful mischief. State’s Attorney Steven Brown requested the court hold him on $2,500 bail, noting that Smith has failed to appear in court before, has violated conditions of probation, and has “a pretty extensive criminal history in New Hampshire," with "a six-case file here in Windham County."

A burglar in Fairfax County, VA, put on a Spider-Man costume before breaking in to Gaming Giant and stealing almost $10,000 worth of Pokémon, One Piece, and Dragon Ball cards, according to Fox5. Police arrested Joel Brown, 20, and charged him with the burglary; the owner of the store said Brown had come in a few days previously and asked about some of the cards.

At The Guardian, Jackson Ryan reports on the popularity of Pokemon TCG in Australia and sits in on a game night. “Every card shop, if it has somewhere that people go sit down and play games in the store, that’s forming communities,” said Lindsey Heming, owner of The Games Cube in Parramatta. “It’s like a men’s shed. People catch up, they see their friends, they have a chat. It’s like their mental health weekly get-together.” But Australian game stores have been hit hard by card thieves as well. “It’s kind of like being on a life raft and seeing all the sharks swimming around you,” said Melbourne retailer, and recent robbery victim, Jason Zhe. The Age reported on the arrest of four men who were running a criminal syndicate in Melbourne, hitting game stores and cryptocurrency ATMs. Meanwhile, Kotaku reports that Pokémon centers in Japan and Singapore are unsealing the boxes to deter thieves by making them harder to resell.

Jerome Sadhu, Ash Works, and Isaac Gomez are celebrating their first anniversary as owners of Zeppelin Comics in Benicia, CA. The trio took over the shop, where the three of them were employees, after the previous owners decided to get out of the business and suggested the employees make a proposal. Since taking over, they have made some key changes to the shop, including adding an RPG space. “It's been something that this community has been lacking sorely for so long,” Sadhu told the Vallejo Sun. “So many people were asking, ‘Hey, you guys play games here. And before, when I was a worker, I’d have to say, ‘No, unfortunately, not.’” They are also are working to create an inclusive and welcoming store, carrying and promoting works by creators from underrepresented groups, including LGBTQ+ creators and creators of color. “Either we are a part of those communities ourselves, or we care about them and want to see that they have more visibility,” Works said.

Lee Amrine, who just opened Story Arc Comics and Collectibles in Savage, MN, was always more of an RPG fan and had only ever bought one in his life, a Flash issue from the 1990s. “When my father passed away in 2024, I was going through his house in Montana and found that he had carefully tucked away that very comic in his safe, bagged and boarded,” Amrine told Bring Me the News. “It was a moment that reignited my interest in comics.” In addition to new comics and graphic novels, the store carries board games, miniatures, action figures, and TCGs. “I wanted Story Arc to have something for everyone,” Amrine said.

Silver Sprocket, which is both a publisher and a retailer, has laid off three employees from its retail shop. In a Facebook post, founder and owner Avi Ehrlich explains the reasons for the layoffs and the changes they have made to make the business sustainable.

Another Dimension Comics of Calgary, Alberta, will close for good on April 26 after 42 years in the business. The store made the announcement on its Facebook page, saying, “A big thank you to all the people who have supported us through this long journey. It has been a pleasure to serve the Calgary community for the last four decades but the time has come to turn the page and begin a new chapter.”

Lange’s Comics and Collectibles has moved to larger quarters in The Lakes Mall in Muskegon, MI; WZZM reports that the 27,000 square foot store, in a space formerly occupied by Bed Bath, and Beyond, carries comics, tabletop RPG supplies, figures, and collectibles. Manager Connor Lange, who co-owns the store with his father Todd, said the new store is the largest in the state and the second largest in the country.