H O B BY S H O P S
“Right now, there are a lot of
TV shows based on Marvel and DC characters,
and that’s driving sales.”
BEN LICHTENSTEIN
Co-owner
CLASSIC COMICS AND MORE
MARVELOUS
MERCHANDISE
Vintage and
current comic
books, as well
as trading cards,
action figures and
other fan favorite
merchandise can
be found at
Zapp Comics.
26
WAYNE MAGAZINE
If the world of comic books and collectibles is your passion, ZAPP COMICS
(574 Valley Road, Wayne, 973-628-4500, www.zappcomics.com) offers an
extensive inventory of current and back issue comics from major publishers and
independents. With more than 20 years of buying and selling experience, owners
Ben Lichtenstein and Corry Brown fulfill the needs of collectors statewide.
Zapp Comics carries new and old trade paperbacks, graphic novels, comicsrelated magazines, action figures and collectible card games. “We encourage
younger kids to read comics,” says Lichtenstein, who’s been hooked on comics
since he was little. “Our store has two main audiences: children and adults,”
he notes. “Children ages 5-12 want trading cards. Our Topps baseball trading
cards, Wacky Packs of the 1970s and Garbage Pail Kids cards of the 1980s
sell well. Pokemon is also hot again,” he explains.
According to Lichtenstein, 90% of comics today are read by adults, ages
20-60. Comics that appeal to them cover topics such as science fiction, crime
and drama. There’s a strong market for vintage comic books including Archie,
Spider Man, Flash, Green Marvel, The Incredible Hulk and other super heroes.
“Right now, there are a lot of TV shows based on Marvel and DC characters, and
that’s driving sales. Because of the new Star Wars movie that’s coming out, we are
selling a lot of vintage Star Wars figures to a new generation: children of people
who saw the original Star Wars movie back in the 1970s,” Lichtenstein notes.
Zapp Comics sells official NBA, NHL, NFL and MLB figures, as well as GI Joe
toys and Transformers. “The best approach to buying any of these is to buy what
you enjoy,” Lichtenstein recommends. “It’s very hard to make a return on your
investment with this stuff. Pick things that make you happy for the fun of it!” ■
BACK TO SCHOOL 2015