(no subject)

[winterlive]

Totally figures.

Nathan Fillion, aka Captain Mal Reynolds of Firefly fame, is evidently visiting the old homestead today.  He dropped in at Warp to pick up a copy of the Firefly comic for his mom (covering the six months between the end of the series and the start of the movie.)  He posted this to the Firefly boards tonight, and asked us all to rally and crosspost, so here's me, obeying Captain's orders.

---

It is times like these that I feel like Malcolm Reynolds.  This is something that would surely get you kicked into an engine.  I just went to a comic store to purchase the Serenity comic for my mom.  The sweetheart that she is, gave her issues (with her favorite character on the front) to relatives who were having trouble tracking one down.  Please bear in mind that Canada is a wondrous place where the service industry is polite and helpful, and that this experience is not the norm.  The store I chose, which shall remain nameless (Warp 1 Comics), at an undisclosed location (just off Whyte Ave), has the singlemost sanctimonious, condescending, dishonest a$$hole I've had the misfortune of meeting.  My brother and I called ahead to find out they had one issue left, but upon arriving, found out they are gouging people $20 bucks for the damned thing!  "That's what they're worth." he sneered at me.  I asked him to show me a listing of some sort to back it up.  "Well, I just know what I paid Dark Horse for it."  He wouldn't show me that, either.  I am aware that Dark Horse wasn't expecting these books to sell as well as they are, and that they are going into a second printing, but I just picked up three of them two days ago at cover price at another store.  My brother piped up with a, "What an interesting attitude you have."  Let me tell you folks, this fella had an attitude, and a smirk that you wanted to knock off his face with a baseball bat dipped in dog poop.  Of course, my brother couldn't help letting this guy know who he was trying to hose by holding the issue next to my face.  "This guy look familliar?  This isn't some JoJo off the street!  He knows what he's talking about!"  Check this out- the reply of this crap-catcher, who shall remain nameless (Darryl) was, (and imagine a dullards voice- how we make people we don't like sound in a story) "Well, then you can call Joss Whedon and ask him."  I had to tell this purplebelly that I was being sarcastic when I thanked him for his excellent service, and I don't think he knew what sanctimonious meant!

Wouldn't a smart business man ask me to sign an issue and sell me one at a fair price?  Wouldn't that fetch a prettier penny than ripping me off for one issue?  Congratulations, dude! You are now on the Browncoat $hitlist.

Never have I tried to wield power in this way, but if being Malcolm Reynolds has taught me anything, it's to follow my over-developed sense of vengeance.  BOYCOTT WARP ONE COMICS!  If you are in the neighborhood, drop by to tell "the Buttress" that Browncoats don't take $hit from anyone.  Tell your friends not to shop there, and lock 'em in the airlock if they do.  Copy this post and e-mail it to fellow Edmontonians.  Bump it to keep it alive.

Thank you.  Thank you for letting me rant.  If you feel I'm overboard, please feel free to, as Joss would say, contemplate silently.

The Captain

Edited to be less cruel, and to mention how wonderfully my dear mom was treated at HAPPY HARBOR.  Thank you, staff and owners at Happy Harbor.  You made my mom's day.  Turns out, Warp One tried to hose her, too, by telling her that the Jayne covered issue was a rarity.  Love you, Adam B.  You ARE a rarity.  Nothin' agin you.  But will these butt-tards stoop so low as to steal from a woman?  For shame, Warp One, for shame.

---

Okay, we've all known Warp were dicks for a long time, but this takes the cake.  If Nathan's mom didn't live here, he surely would not be back.  No more money for you, Darryl!

And now for a moment of fangirl squee.

OMG NATHAN FILLION'S IN MY TOWN!  EEEEE!!!

Back to your regularly scheduled LJ.  *g*

I feel much better!  Food did me good, as did a second viewing of Charlie & the Chocolate Factory.  I'm gonna go stick my clothes in the dryer, and then I'm gonna sleep.  And Stoney sent me Hayden/Ewan!  Preview, baby!  *hoards, suckers*

Comments

[troubleinchina.livejournal.com]

Darryl is an ass, that is true. For years, I had no idea there were people who ran gaming stores who actually liked gamers, because my only experience was with Darryl.

There are stories about him and Ground Zero Games, but they are long and tedious and involve him watching the place obsessively from across the street.

[winterlive.livejournal.com]

HA! What a jerk.

Seriously, not that I used to shop there, but I definitely won't now. Jekyll's will know of this. Why?

Because if they treat sci-fi/geek stars like that, said stars will think ill of our town, and they won't come here. We could have had autographed stuff! And we don't, because Patchy's an asshat. So Happy Harbor, welcome to the fold.

[ex-dovil323.livejournal.com]

It's always nice to see someone get their comeuppance.

[tittakv.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to hear you're feeling better. Shouldn't you be out and about then to increase your chances of Nathan-sightage? I mean sleep vs. The Captain, come on! :-P

[ladycat777.livejournal.com]

Mmmm, charlie. And yes, I read. And love. And it stops. Why stopping? With the smooth and suave and the butch trying-to-be-alpha still in Riley and ... and stopping!!!

[tx-cronopio.livejournal.com]

I don't think Darryl is going to have a very nice day... :)

[crashusmaximus.livejournal.com]

The unfortunate thing about warp for the time being is that they have a rather strong monopoly on nerd-wares in Edmonton. There aren't a lot of places that have their sheer selection and inventory.

its funny, there was a guy on the bear ranting about them this morning too. whatshisname...god I forget... someone help me out here.

[winterlive.livejournal.com]

Well, we'll just have to order stuff in through Happy Harbor, then, Maximus, because stuff like this is unacceptable. Being rude to celebs that we, as a geek community, will actually want to see? Is stupid. No autographs for us, because of that ass. He's representing us, my darling Maximus, and he is doing a very shite job of it. Happy Harbor. It's the way to go.

[finaira.livejournal.com]

I find that Warp 2 (down 97th street) is actually quite nice. The won't bother you unless you need help and they generally are helpful. However, there is a comicbook store just off Jasper and on 124st that is actually pretty cool. The clerks there will chat with you and be friendly about trying to find what you need.

Unfortunately I can't remember the name and am too lazy to check it up...no wait...I'm not. Here you go. http://www.happyharborcomics.com/

[winterlive.livejournal.com]

El Capitan referenced them too - said they were lovely, helpful people. Maybe THEY have autographed copies! *g*

I, for one, won't be shopping at Warp 2, just because they're derivative of the original Warp. Like I mentioned to Maximus, we as a gaming community are represented by poeple like that, and I, for one, would like to be represented by Happy Harbor. Hell with Warp. Edmontonian nerds have been bitching about that place for a very, very long time, and this is just the icing we need, I think, to deliver a big, fat, Browncoat message.

[madikai.livejournal.com]

I can agree, except I won't be boycotting Warp 2 just because Minty's NEVER there when I show up there. The problem is, for gaming needs, there aren't a lot of local options, as any of the three Wizards locations (Across from the Garneau, the strip mall near Mill woods town center, and Calgary Trail) carry only the more mainstream games (Good for some people, crappy for me who's starting to have to go online to find the gaming books that I'm looking for), however, for comics, between the three of them, they whip the snot outta Minty's little enterprise. They're the only place where I could find "The Ballad of Sleeping Beauty"

[winterlive.livejournal.com]

See, that's the beauty part. Between the Wizardses and the helpful folks at Happy Harbor, I feel reasonably certain we can order in any gaming thing we could need. It's not only a question of 'who do you want to give your money to', it's also a question of 'do you have any interest in getting gaming/sci-fi/comic-related people coming here?' Because if you do, we've got to send a clear message to those that represent us - and as much as we'd hate to admit it, owners of gaming establishments very much count - that treating people like that, celeb or no, is just unacceptable.

[winterlive.livejournal.com]

er... derivative = owned by the same guy, and therefore under the same policy.

[finaira.livejournal.com]

It's just that Happy Harbor doesn't carry as many gaming supplies. They are mainly comic books and hero clicks (sp). That and Warp 2 has a better selection of anime. Now I'm certain that Happy Harbor would be able to bring most of this stuff in, I just suspect that most of it would be on order rather than on the shelves.

[winterlive.livejournal.com]

We would have to put up with a little inconvenience, it is true. But for as long as I've been involved with Edmonton's subculture, either through geekdom or paganism groups, I've heard people bitching about Warp and it's non-gamer-friendly business practices. The fact that they've demonstrated now that they're perfectly willing to screw us in every concievable way - as binarykitten pointed out, we could have had autographed copies! - just to be jerks? Not even to help out their profit margin, as autographed swag sells at higher prices than not? To me, that's just the last coffin nail, dude. Not like they haven't done it before, but Jesus. The guy was right there!

[madikai.livejournal.com]

What's there address? I can't dig it up off of their homepage... :P Been to one of their locations in the past though (The Lloyd location), and I did like what I see, I wouldn't mind giving them some more of my gaming budget.

[winterlive.livejournal.com]

http://www.happyharborcomics.com/locations/page_locations_edmonton.html

[valancymay.livejournal.com]

The Wizard's Den on 109th across from the Garneau is pretty good for comics, and Metropolitan on 106th has all of your 'geek plushy' needs.

[crashusmaximus.livejournal.com]

The way they have been working their store really has changed dramatically over the last few years. Before it was just some dude sitting behind a counter maybe being a bit on the social side.

Now they have roving radioshack-esque "sales associates.."

nargh

[valancymay.livejournal.com]

In the Wizard's Den? Where would they fit them? It's a tiny store.

[crashusmaximus.livejournal.com]

No no no no my bad. Talkin 'bout warp. Sorry.

[madikai.livejournal.com]

Then hit the Wizards on Calgary Trail or in Mill Woods... there are options in locations to shop at.

[crashusmaximus.livejournal.com]

I dunno. I'm starting to like the idea more and more of ordering my stuff online from now on. I had this unusual fear of paypal before which Linette has allievated my fear of.

Mind you, as a sidenote, I haven't bought any of my RPG books, live or tabletop, brandnew since I got my Laws of the Reckoning. You'd be surprised what you'll find in secondhand stores.

Heh. Sometimes you'll EVEN find stuff you used to own that went mysteriously missing. Or stuff that used to belong to other friends of yours that went mysteriously missing too.

Nevermind. Apart from older deadlands books I don't really feel the need to get much right now anyways. The dude that owns Warp 1 is still a frickin skallywag.

So... you're pissed?

[the-tall-man.livejournal.com]

Winterlive Said This: "...we as a gaming community are represented by poeple like that, and I, for one, would like to be represented by Happy Harbor. Hell with Warp. Edmontonian nerds have been bitching about that place for a very, very long time..."

Nathan Fillion, much as I stand in adoration of his acting (and I do), is no more important in this regard than anyone else; HOWEVER; I have heard this story, in it's various forms, more than often enough.

You want to "get at" Warp?

Do it.

Pick another store, or several, that have a good staff, solid prices, and can carry what Warp carries with ease. Get propagnada from them. Front them. Be their spokeswoman; be polite, not pushy.

Write an article for the LRPS newsletter - hell, ask Mr.Fillion if he'd be willing to let us use his statement in the Grimoire as a "Rant".

Prep a list of game stores for the Grimoire, with notes on what they specialize in, a one-to-five star rating, and a review for each.

[winterlive.livejournal.com]

You? Are a TOTAL LRPS h0r.

But I might do it anyway. *g*

[the-tall-man.livejournal.com]

Am I really h0r-ing?

You and Mr.Fillion want a big "no" to Warp. That's fine by me. But if we're going to say "no" there, then we have to say "Yes" somewhere else.

I spend an average of $85 each and every month on gaming product. Find twenty customers like me, and an already-solid store ready to jump at the chance; suddenly, things will change for that store. I haven't done it myself, because, frankly, I *have* the money, and purchase mostly hardcover gamebooks where the price gap between Warp and elsewhere sits around 5%; not a big deal. That difference is not worth the waiting time of a special order to me.

You want that impact, you need to spread the good word. I'm offering you a free and painless way to do so, because I agree that the change itself would be a categorically good thing.

Don't make me Volun-tell you. :P

[lumenara.livejournal.com]

AWESOME I BOUGHT TWO OF ISSUE 1 WITH THE MAL COVERS TODAY OMG!

For 2 pounds each, asshat.

[winterlive.livejournal.com]

*cries*

[lumenara.livejournal.com]

Why you cry?! You not teh asshat! Asshat-guy-who-tried-to-scam-Nathan-Fillion is the asshat!

[winterlive.livejournal.com]

I cry for teh comic I do not have. *cry*

[rylock.livejournal.com]

Well, I went to Wizards on 109th today and spent my $80 there, instead.

I am a bit consternated, though, that when it comes to RPG stuff I really *do* like to see it out on the shelves before me so I can browse over the selection and squee if I find something I like. Is there a place other than Warp that even has a decent RPG stock? Most comic book stores I've seen have The Shelf. Which won't do.

I miss Adventurer's Supply. :(

[winterlive.livejournal.com]

I may spend a little time this weekend calling around to these places and asking. Lord knows I've heard my friends complain about Warp for *ever* - Nathan makes a convenient rallying point. And pretty! Voila: motivation.

[the-tall-man.livejournal.com]

Adventurer's supply did, indeed, rock.

So, Rylock, you're a spender. I'm a spender. If we find about three or four others, and focus on one place, we can certainly bring it up from the level of The Shelf to about the level of The Shelving Unit.

I, too, hate The Shelf.

Agreeing on a single store would certainly help the process.

Winterlive, are you on it?