Austin Books Labor Day Sale

[heroesmask]

Is anybody plan on hitting the Austin Books & Comics Labor Day sale starting Thursday night? If you're not familiar with the shop it's at the corner of Lamar and 51st in Austin, TX. Usually a good sale on trades, toys and sets of books. In the past they've had $1.00 books. In the last few years it's gone to 1/2 back issues. Sale starts at 8PM on Thursday. I know that John and Trev are local. Just curious if anyone else plans on going?

[Trev]

Is anybody plan on hitting the Austin Books & Comics Labor Day sale starting Thursday night? If you're not familiar with the shop it's at the corner of Lamar and 51st in Austin, TX. Usually a good sale on trades, toys and sets of books. In the past they've had $1.00 books. In the last few years it's gone to 1/2 back issues. Sale starts at 8PM on Thursday. I know that John and Trev are local. Just curious if anyone else plans on going?

I'll be there for sure. Probably twice this weekend. The wife and I have a class Thursday until 8 pm, then I'm heading over.

This year they're also putting a bunch of higher priced back issues on 1/2 off, so I'll be hitting those up for sure.

This is the sale where I fill want list items that are <$10. I LOVE IT!

We should meet up at the sale. Maybe grab a drink after everybody is done if people aren't wiped.

[heroesmask]

I'm not sure if I'll be there Thursday night or not. I get off work at 4:30 and I am literally across the street from the store. If I end up working late I might hang out until they open back up.

[JohnMayo]

I can't do Thursday night. I'm recording a podcast episode that night.

[Trev]

Let me know if you guys end up going another day. I try not to miss the first night -- last year I needed to fill a big list of FF and there was another guy right after me looking for a lot of the same books. Best selection is definitely first night -- though I'm sure I could always find stuff to spend some cash on.

Maybe we can all get together for a drink near AB this weekend regardless.

Only day that is out for me is Sunday. It's my anniversary.

[heroesmask]

I'll be there tonight. I remember you from Wizard World in Nov, so I'll keep an eye out for you.

[heroesmask]

disappointed with the trade selection. Didn't end up picking up anything. Plan on going back today and maybe filling in some gaps with the cheap back issues.

Seems like a lot of the trade stock is the same as last year's sale. No toys or statues on sale this year.

Saw Trev last night. He was making quite a pile.

Russ

[Trev]

disappointed with the trade selection. Didn't end up picking up anything. Plan on going back today and maybe filling in some gaps with the cheap back issues.

Seems like a lot of the trade stock is the same as last year's sale. No toys or statues on sale this year.

Saw Trev last night. He was making quite a pile.

Russ

I did. Though I was disappointed in the selection and organization this year compared to prior years. There was a lot of empty space in the back issue section, which is shocking given how much stuff they had in the last few years.

Prices were still pretty high comparatively, even with the discount. I picked up 9 of the first 10 issue of Tom Strong for about $1.50 a piece average after the discount. This morning I saw them on mycomicshop for $0.89 each.

A lot of books that would have been $1.50 or $2 list in previous years were now $3 or $3.50 -- which is a HUGE markup.

The prices on their more expensive back issues are still INSANE relative to the broader market. Even at 1/2 off, they are still 10-25% too high, imo. Though I didn't do more than glance at some issues.

They had a first appearance of Gambit priced at $75. They had Avengers Annual 10 at $45. There was a recent first print of a GL book with Sinestro on the cover for $25 (forget which title and issue, but it was from sometime in the last 2 years.).

I like supporting the local guy and this is a fun event, so I'll probably continue to go, but Brad is starting to push it a bit. AB definitely benefits from being the only store of its class within 100 miles.

I'm planning to head back this weekend to check out the trades and sets -- might be some better deals there.

[JohnMayo]

Austin Books is a great store but as Trevor points out, you can get much better deals online at places like MyComicsShop.com. And frankly, I find it faster and easier to shop for back issues online than in person. All of that having been said, I do really like having a FULL service comic book shop here in town. While they don't always have the indy comic or back issue I'm looking for, they have a large enough selection of new and old comics that it is a store that is always worth checking.

[Trev]

cut out of work at about 3:30 today and went back by to go over trades, the 'showcase' books, and sets.

No trades that I saw were >50% off, which isn't really much better than instock. I scored some of them for 80% off from TFAW during their last sale.

Grabbed a few back issues and a couple of sets:

* Magik mini-series -- $5
* Superboy's Legion (elseworlds) -- $8
* Uncanny X-men 157 (nm) -- $6
* Metal Men 23 (f+) -- $6
* Machine Man 18 (nm) -- $7

On mycomicshop:

* Magik -- $4
* Superboy's Legion -- $25-$40 (vf-nm) -- Not sure my grades yet
* Uncanny X-Men 157 (nm) $8
* Metal Men 23 (f-) -- $9
* Machine Man 18 -- not in stock

So it seems I made out pretty well today -- especially with Superboy's Legion, which I picked up just because I like the Legion and the art looked good.

[80sJunkie]

Might be fun to get together outside of these comic "events". No pun intended.

Russ, I should ask you to lunch some time, since you don't work far from Whole Foods HQ. Not sure where John or Trev work.

I've been dying to see something at Alamo Drafthouse for a while.

[JohnMayo]

Might be fun to get together outside of these comic "events". No pun intended.

Russ, I should ask you to lunch some time, since you don't work far from Whole Foods HQ. Not sure where John or Trev work.

I've been dying to see something at Alamo Drafthouse for a while.

I'm working up on Parmer these days where Sun MicroSystems used to be. And I agree that we should think about doing some sort of semi-regular meetup or something.

[80sJunkie]

Might be fun to get together outside of these comic "events". No pun intended.

Russ, I should ask you to lunch some time, since you don't work far from Whole Foods HQ. Not sure where John or Trev work.

I've been dying to see something at Alamo Drafthouse for a while.

I'm working up on Parmer these days where Sun MicroSystems used to be. And I agree that we should think about doing some sort of semi-regular meetup or something.

You mean in Riata Circle? That's too far for lunch, but after work is cool.

I might ask if you know about an SQL comic that will tell me if I'm paying too much in per-socket licenses or not.

[Trev]

Might be fun to get together outside of these comic "events". No pun intended.

Russ, I should ask you to lunch some time, since you don't work far from Whole Foods HQ. Not sure where John or Trev work.

I've been dying to see something at Alamo Drafthouse for a while.

It's a great idea! I told Russ the same thing when I saw him at AB.

I work about 2 miles south of John near the arboretum. I live between there and downtown though, so could do a get together someplace in between. Triangle area is always a good choice.

[80sJunkie]

Might be fun to get together outside of these comic "events". No pun intended.

Russ, I should ask you to lunch some time, since you don't work far from Whole Foods HQ. Not sure where John or Trev work.

I've been dying to see something at Alamo Drafthouse for a while.

It's a great idea! I told Russ the same thing when I saw him at AB.

I work about 2 miles south of John near the arboretum. I live between there and downtown though, so could do a get together someplace in between. Triangle area is always a good choice.

I was thinking the Triangle too. I'll check my calendar, but maybe lunch on Thurs or Fri?