Chicagoland Sightings Part 2 - The Revenge!!!

[Son of Keldor]

wow sorry to hear that jimmy, but you do what you gotta do to keep you happy! maybe we can take over the party room @ cici's pizza or possibly fox bowl i've been wanting to start a league, so what better time then now and we can have the horde logo on the shirts!

i'm gonna call you now!

=)

[leonardo]

We have to come up with awesome jobs for Jimmy:

Porn star make up applier (chicks only)
PhD in saturday morning cartoon studies
Hostess taste tester

Hell... I want these jobs.

[Dynamo of Eternia]

Wow, Jimmy! That was definately unexpected. What brought that on? (if you don't mind me asking... if you don't want to talk about it, that's cool).
At any rate, if it's what is best for you, then good for you! Life is too short to put up with too much BS all of the time.


We should start having meetings at Dennis's Best Buy!






On a separate note, while I'm sure you guys are sick of hearing about it by now, please humor me this one additional time (hey, it was exciting for me!)...

I found this article from the BTTF event that I was at. Not only is it an article about the event in general, but the guy who wrote it is actually the guy who did the Q&A session with the cast at the 8:00pm show that my wife and I were at:

http://www.cinematical.com/2010/03/0...to-the-future/

The entire Q&A is split betwwen 2 youtube videos embedded in the article (which I've embedded here) which are from the specific showing that we went to.

In fact, if you pause the first video right at the 2:09 or 2:10 mark (when Christopher Lloyd is walking down the theater aisle to get to the stage), you will see the back of some guy's head closer to the camera (he has gray hair and is bald on top), and immediately to the left of his head, in the distance, you can see my wife's head. You can't see me because the gray haired balding guy is completely blocking where I was at.

Part 1:


Part 2:

[Son of Keldor]

i don't think it really matters what happened to lead jimmy to decide to leave GCC, but that he's happy now and no longer stressed out & healthy!

=)

[ChgoMarc]

Hey Horde!
-Just wanted to let you guys know that yesterday, I quit GCC. For real, not a joke. I needed to get outta there, so for once I'm doing the thing that's best for me.
-So, any suggestions where to hold Horde meetings? I'm sure we'll come up with something.

Wow. Didn't see that coming.

[D-Day V1]

Jimmy, Im sad to see you leave GCC, but if it is the best for your then I support it.

[Son of Keldor]

i won't be supporting GCC anymore, only reason i bought from there is b/c of jimmy letting us meet there, and hang out. i'll be looking for someplace closer to my work/home to get my comics and mags.

so anybody have any idea's for the next meeting?

how bout a strip club???

=0

[ChgoMarc]

I have an idea. Why doesn't Brad take over for Jimmy? Skull - You have retail experience and know about comics and toys. This way you can get first crack at all the rare DCUC varients and we can all still meet at the same place. It looks like a win/win to me

[Dynamo of Eternia]

Maybe the next meeting could be at Chuck E. Cheese.

[ChgoMarc]

I was thinking the same thing

[BrianS]

Good luck, Jimmy - sorry to see you leave, but you have to do what's best for you.

Maybe for our meetings we just need to pick where to go ahead of time and meet at whatever restaurant we eat at for our meetings. When are we planning to meet next? I'm not available this Friday and likely the next one, too.

[Red Trinity]

Jimmy, good for you in doing what's best for you. Good luck with your next big endeavor!

[Skullface]

I have an idea. Why doesn't Brad take over for Jimmy? Skull - You have retail experience and know about comics and toys. This way you can get first crack at all the rare DCUC varients and we can all still meet at the same place. It looks like a win/win to me

No way - As badly as I need a job, I don't know enough about comics/toys that I'm not already into to effectively help people. Plus, there's the additional aspect of my son comes before my job, and I refuse to be at anyone's beck & call outside of what I offer up as my availability to work.

Plus, I personally wouldn't want to work for a company that a friend of mine just left. (Considering some of the stories I've heard) But again, that's just MY personal take.

Like Gabe said, the only reason I did business at GCC was because of Jimmy. Especially considering, that with the exception of March-October 2009, I had comic shops closer to where I am/had been living that aren't a 30-60 minute drive away. Don't get me wrong, the extra Horde discount was nice, and I appreciate it, but that was by no means the benefit I needed to do business there.

*If* I was going to recommend someone to take over for Jimmy to keep me shopping there that has the knowledge base, I'd push for Bill, Rorich or Fred.

[D-Day V1]

I wont be going to GCC anymore either, because Jimmy was the reason why I shopped there at the first place. That was a place where I could go to unwind and hang out. Its not gonna be the same anymore.

[Mr. Shokoti]

No way - As badly as I need a job, I don't know enough about comics/toys that I'm not already into to effectively help people. Plus, there's the additional aspect of my son comes before my job, and I refuse to be at anyone's beck & call outside of what I offer up as my availability to work.

Plus, I personally wouldn't want to work for a company that a friend of mine just left. (Considering some of the stories I've heard) But again, that's just MY personal take.

Like Gabe said, the only reason I did business at GCC was because of Jimmy. Especially considering, that with the exception of March-October 2009, I had comic shops closer to where I am/had been living that aren't a 30-60 minute drive away. Don't get me wrong, the extra Horde discount was nice, and I appreciate it, but that was by no means the benefit I needed to do business there.

*If* I was going to recommend someone to take over for Jimmy to keep me shopping there that has the knowledge base, I'd push for Bill, Rorich or Fred.

I have to agree with your take on this. As much as I need a job, I don't want this one. Besides the fact, like you said, they drove a friend of mine to quit, I also don't want to be "on call" for a retail job. If a boss wants to treat me like a doctor or lawyer and have me on call at all times, they better pay me like a doctor or lawyer. I still can't believe they called Jimmy several times on Christmas morning since there were less than 5 comics coming out the next week. Considering they don't even offer insurance to their employees, I highly doubt they pay that kind of cash.

[Son of Keldor]

i wonder whats gonna happen to the who people that meet there? there may be mass suicides coming soon!

=)

[Moondrake]

Congrats Jimmy! Here's hoping for the best!!! Dunno if I'll be able to make it out this week, but yes, we should definitely try to work where we meet up before hand.

[Son of Keldor]

we should have someone go to the store take a dump and flood the toilet as a good ridance to our former horde sanctuary!!!

=)

[ChgoMarc]

Too easy. I say we leave them an upper tanker

[BrandnChicagoHorde]

haha. you guys are funny.

I officially quit Graham Crackers today. I wasn't really doing anything more than helping Jimmy out lately, anyway, but I went in to let them know they wouldn't be seeing me around anymore. It was interesting. It's only been 2 days and the store looks and feels noticeably different. It seems more... empty.

It's sad because that place used to be like a second home to me, but things change and so have I. I firmly believe that Jimmy did the right thing to stand up for himself and against the way he was being treated.

I did a little investigating last night and for those who no longer want to give Graham Crackers their business, but still do want to buy their monthly/weekly/yearly comics, I would encourage visiting either of the two websites I will post below. That's where I'll be shopping. They offer incredible discounts that even I wasn't getting as an employee at GCC. Give it a look.

http://www.dcbservice.com/index.aspx

http://www.mailordercomics.com/index.asp

As for the meeting, I think it might be nice to have one either this week or next. Maybe we should put it to a vote.

[ChgoMarc]

I never really knew how bad it was at GCC I guess. However, since this is becoming a GCC bashing, I'll throw my two or three cents in...

1 - They put the comic in the bag and board upside down.

2 - The prices were a little high, but it didn't bother me too much because of the discount and the terrific service that Jimmy provided.

3 - Here's the ballbuster. A few years ago, I think it was the year before the Spider-Man movie came out, I bought an Amazing Spider-Man #1 at Wizard World from them. Jimmy introduced me to Jamie and I told him what I was interested in. To me, that was a rather large purchase. But to this guy, I almost felt like I was bothering him. But I didn't let it bother me cause I got what I wanted and I didn't know the guy so I thought maybe he just had the personality of a rock and that's the way he was.

For the meeting, if you guys want, I'm on vacation next week and if you want to meet at my place we can order some pizza or something.

And, if you guys want another suggestion for comics, I've been going to Atlas Comics for....Holy Chirst...20 years. I almost bought the place about 10 years ago but the deal fell though. I also work there from time to time. I never said anything because I didn't want to take business away from Jimmy. They are in Norridge. This is no GCC. Not big on toys at all. Mostly new issues and a very large selection of back issues.

LMK what you guys think about next Friday.

[Shankor]

I haven't had the years the Jimmy or Lil B have had in GCC, I've only been there a few months but all I do is pack orders for the website so I'm pretty much left alone. Marc, never understood point 1 myself. I have been shopping with GCC since the mid 90's after Comic Quest in Plainfield closed and All American Comics in Crest Hill closed and moved to Orland Park. I have only seen Jamie one time and that was a week or so ago. I've never dealt with him but I haven't heard many good things from him. My gf's brother used to work for the chain several years ago so I never had a good picture painted of him. I'm not sure how close any of the stores are but I'd check out Amazing Fantasy, I know they have four locations in Lockport and Frankfort but can't think of where the other two are. I was grabbing all of my variant covers there because you just couldn't beat out $7.00 (plus 25% discount I was getting) as opposed to most times $20 with a 10% at GCC.
Jimmy, I appreciate the swell service you provided and can't thank you enough for having the coolest shop around, I just wish I could've discovered your store much sooner.
The weekend of the 20th I'll be going out of town for a NASCAR race in Bristol. I'm up for a meeting next week, just need to know ahead of time since I'm still not all to familiar with that area up there. Even with a GPS I still get lost from time to time. Well hope everyone in the Horde is doing good.

[ChgoMarc]

I'll say this. I never really though of it as GCC. I always thought of it as "Jimmy's Store". Because of they service that he gave you really thought that he did own the place. If more stores had more employees that gave even 1/2 the amount of service that Jimmy did, the world would be a better place.

Jimmy, maybe you can go work for Digital River and fix them.

[Mr. Shokoti]

I officially quit Graham Crackers today. I wasn't really doing anything more than helping Jimmy out lately, anyway, but I went in to let them know they wouldn't be seeing me around anymore. It was interesting. It's only been 2 days and the store looks and feels noticeably different. It seems more... empty.

While it's not as big as quitting, I closed my account there today. I kinda felt bad since Charles, the new manager, looked like it was starting to get to him. I'm not the first to do that today and I doubt I'll be the last. Mattingly, you are right on how different it felt. Molly wasn't laughing as much, variants & magazines were in a different spot, no cartoons or retro TV shows were playing on the TV, and the bathroom was now filled with pictures of naked guys. Ok, maybe the last one wasn't true but I feel that is coming soon as well.

[ChgoMarc]

and the bathroom was now filled with pictures of naked guys.

LOL!!! That's GOLD! LOL!!!