ACME Comics & Collectibles

ACME Comics & Collectibles is an Eisner Award-winning ^[1] comics and collectibles store in Sioux City, Iowa. ACME Comics is notable for inspiring the creation of DC Comics's Krypto the Superdog comic book, which was authored by Jesse Leon McCann, a NY Times Best-selling children's book author.^[2]

History

The store was first established on April 1, 1995 by Fran and Kevin McGarry and is located on Pierce St. in Sioux City. Its selection of comic books and graphic novels come from 79 different publishers, ranging from major industry names such as Marvel Comics and DC Comics to small independent publishers. Such a wide selection is "unusual in the industry" according to owner Kevin McGarry.^[3] The store also carries a variety of other items, including collectible statues with Star Wars, Star Trek, Dragons, Fairies, and comic book themes; toys from MacFarlane Sports, MacFarlane Dragons, DC Direct, Marvel Select, Pirates of the Caribbean, etc.; artwork and collectible plates; trading cards that range from football, baseball, and hockey to Yu-Gi-Oh, World of Warcraft, and Magic: The Gathering; games such as Munchkin and Dungeons and Dragons; and a variety of fantasy and Renaissance themed t-shirts, statues, and other paraphernalia.^[4]

Events

ACME Comics & Collectibles participates in Free Comic Book Day every year. The store has also hosted several autograph signings from notable people such as Star Wars actors Peter Mayhew, who played Chewbacca and Daniel Logan, who played Boba Fett.^[5][6] ACME Comics has also hosted an autograph signing with best-selling author Jesse Leon McCann, author of the Krypto the Superdog comic book.^[2]

Krypto the Superdog

Krypto the Superdog, incidentally, came into print after Fran and Kevin McGarry suggested creating a Krypto the Superdog comic at a DC Comics retailer meeting in 2005. Paul Levitz, president and publisher of DC Comics, liked the idea and told McCann to start working on a Krypto proposal. As a special thanks to Fran and Kevin McGarry for giving him a new project to work on, McCann included their son as a character in the comic book.^[2]

Awards

In 2004, ACME Comics & Collectibles won the Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award from Comic-Con International in San Diego, California after being a runner-up for the Eisner Award in 2002 and 2003.^[3] The award was presented by Joe Ferrara, owner of the Atlantis Fantasyworld comic book store in Santa Cruz, California.^[7][8] Named for comic book creator Will Eisner, the "Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award" recognizes "an individual retailer who has done an outstanding job of supporting the comics art medium both in the community and within the industry at large".^[1] The panel of judges told ACME Comics owners Kevin and Fran McGarry that "the competition wasn't even close" and that while viewing the McGarrys' video of their store "it was like a light came on and music started playing" and "this was the store they all wanted to shop in". The judges were also impressed by the amount of community support that ACME Comics received. U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley and Tom Harkin, Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, Sioux City Mayor Dave Ferris, the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce, and House Speaker of Sioux City Christopher Rants, a longtime ACME Comics customer, all wrote letters of support.^[3] ACME Comics' vast selection of material and knowledgeable staff, in addition to all of the support the store received, won the award for Fran and Kevin McGarry. Will Eisner himself congratulated the McGarrys and told them that they should be very proud of their store.^[3]

References