Literature and art on display at the Greensboro Comic Bookstore :: WRAL.com
Parts Unknown is a comic book store in Greensboro whose owner lives and breathes comics.
JUST BEFORE, >>> THEY ARE A FORM OF POPULAR LITERATURE, THE COMIC STRIP. >> TONIGHT WE FIND OUR TAR HEEL TRAVELER IN GREENSBORO. SCOTT MASON TAKES US INTO UNKNOWN GAMES. >> Reporter: WHY THE COMIC STRIP? >> I HAVE ALWAYS HAD A PASSION FOR THIS. >> Reporter: A PASSION FOR SUPER-HEROES AND SUPER VILLAINS. >> WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I WAS KNOWN AS THE KID OF COMICS. THIS IS A FORM OF AMERICAN ART AND IT STARTED HERE. >> Reporter: IN AMERICA. >> IT STARTED IN NEW YORK IN THE 1930s. >> Reporter: IT SPREADS FAR AND WIDE AND TWO UNKNOWN PARTS, THE COMIC STORE. >> THESE ARE ALL IN THE 60’S. WOLVERINE’S FIRST APPEARANCE IS $ 4000. I AM TAKING $ 3500, IN CASE YOU ARE INTERESTED. >> Journalist: HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED. >> I LOVE AND I LOVE TO TALK ABOUT IT. >> Reporter: JOHN HITCHCOCK. >> I DID A BOOK WITH HIM. >> Reporter: WITH ONE OF THE GREAT. >> THE BIG ARE GUYS WHO CAN TELL A STORY VISUALLY. THIS WAS NOMINATED FOR AN OSCAR AWARD WHICH IS LIKE THE COMIC ACADEMY AWARDS. >> Reporter: AND JOHN HITCHCOCK. >> I AM THE BIG FRONT. >> Reporter: JOHN HAS SOME OF THEIR ORIGINAL WORKS. >> I WON $ 80,000. >> Reporter: $ 80,000 DISCOUNT ON THE ART OF COMICS. SHE SHOWED THE CHECK TO HER MOTHER. HER MOTHER IS THE ONE WHO LOANED HER MONEY TO OPEN THE STORE IN GREENSBORO IN 1989. >> SHE BELIEVED IN MAY. SHE DOESN’T FORGET TO SAY THE SAME THING, WHO ELSE KNOWS COMICS MORE THAN YOU? THERE ARE COMICS THAT HAVE A PRICE COPE PEABODY AND THE PULITZER. >> Reporter: USED TO BUY THEM FOR $ 0.12 EACH. >> NOW THE AVERAGE PRICE IS $ 3.99. >> Reporter: IN CHILDREN, THEIR POPULARITY TAKEN A VIDEO BEAT. >> I DON’T SEE THEM READING SO MUCH. >> Reporter: THEY ARE WATCHING TV. MAYBE THE COMIC BOOKS HAVE SOME STRUGGLE REMAINS. >> Reporter: WAS IT REWARDING FOR YOU? >> I LOVE. >> Reporter: HE TRAVELS TO UNKNOWN PARTIES, WHERE HE IS SURROUNDED BY SOME OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST FORCES. >> THIS IS THE BUSINESS AND HE IS FINDING SOMETHING YOU REALLY LIKE TO DO.