A History of Comics In Barbados
COMICS APPRECIATION TEAM
a history of comics in barbados
Today we shall discuss the comic book industry in Barbados. Its proud history with humble beginnings and the effects it has on pop-culture today.
Now! I had loved comics long before I bought my first comic from Graphic Fantasy in Sheraton Mall. This was in 1989, possibly 1990, and long before Marvel and DC produced the most anticipated movies for the
year.
Graphic Fantasy was Barbados’s first dedicated comic book, and by extension first pop-culture store and was run by this cat called Frank Luton Chandler (RIP Frank, we miss you). Frank was my first real superhero. This unsung champion provided an avenue for the nerds of our time to get our rocks off on some of the best literature
that society had to offer. Long before it wascool, we enjoyed the imaginations of the captains of the industry. There, where Dallas Discounts currently sits
was Graphic Fantasy. Next door was a video store (I can’t remember which one) so after gorging your inner fanboy/fangirl and spending too much money there, you would just pop to the video store, get some tapes and have a truly epic weekend! Ah those were the days! Unfortunately, as with all good things, it came to an end. Graphic Fantasy, now with a second location in Mall 34, closed its doors and dashed our hopes and dreams. Frank’s store closed, but…
It began the revolution!
Ii don’t remember what came next but the comic book stores exploded on to the scene shortly after Graphic Fantasy’s demise. Much to the angst of our parents, Vortex Comics opened in Skyway Mall and Komik Kraze opened in town. It was around this time that Image Comics had taken the world by storm. Flashy art, ultra-violent stories (who needed the Comics Code Authority anyway), owner owned creations and more pouches than you could shake a stick at were the order of the day! The average geek spent their Saturdays getting the most recent issues
from Vortex and the most amazing back issues from Komik Kraze! Those stores were intense. But alas there was never enough time or money to get everything you wanted.
During this period, we also saw the dawn of two major things – the comic book nerd and the speculative market! In those days ferocious debates were the order of the day and boys used these locations to argue incessantly about how cool Wolverine was, the ramifications of the Death of
Pop Boom Entertainment
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