From the Road: Phoenix, AZ’s Samurai Comics -- Growing in Leaps and Bounds
From the April 2004 Diamond Dialogue:
On Memorial Day weekend back in 2002, Mike & Moryha Banks's Samurai Comics opened for business in Phoenix, AZ. Mike, a 20-year veteran of the comic book industry, decided the time was right to venture off on his own; to open the store he always wanted. During the 1980s and 1990s, central Phoenix supported more than a half dozen comic book stores. But by 2002, the area had lost the majority of those shops. Mike felt the area was underserved, especially where in-store gaming was concerned, as well as in the anime & manga categories. This strategy has served Samurai Comics well, as gaming and anime/manga tally about 33% each of the store's sales, with comics and trade paperbacks picking up the other third. Less than a year later the store doubled its size, making Samurai Comics one of the fastest growing comic book stores in America.
The store stocks a wide array of products, including a great selection of Japanese related toys, shirts, videos, and books. This is the domain of Mike's wife and business partner, Moryha Banks. A long time passion for Moryha, she takes great pride in finding new and exciting Japanese-related products to bring into the store for Samurai's many fans of this genre. They even offer a selection of Japanese snacks and candy items. In fact, over the last half decade, Moryha tried desperately to get her husband Mike into the growing phenomenon of Japanese animation. She finally succeeded when she turned him on to the Rurouni Kenshin Samurai X series, which became a favorite of Mike's and the inspiration for their store name.
Samurai Comics offers many in-store events, such as Anime Festivals, which offer fans a chance to view movies, listen to soundtracks and just have a fun day of art contests, raffles, prizes, and giveaways. Samurai also offers a chance for gaming fans to come in and learn about new games; the crew doesn't let a weekend go by without several demonstrations of various games, from Dungeons & Dragons to HeroClix. This allows consumers to be introduced to a new game without having to spend any money, before figuring out if they like it or not. Samurai also holds gaming tournaments for customers of all ages. The store has already held many creator appearances, including, most recently, legend Kurt Busiek (Avengers/Thunderbolts) on February 21. The main idea for all of Samurai's in-store events is to create a sense of community in the store. Mike and Moryha have assembled a staff that treats people more like friends and family, rather that just as customers. This talented crew includes Store Manager Brandon Huigens and jack-of-all-trades Ray B. San Felipe.
Huigens is the comic book guru, a talented creator in his own right. He lists the Alternative Press Expo (APE) as a must for comic book store personnel to attend. It was there, at the 2003 show, that Huigens was able to make lasting contacts with publishers and creators alike. With Huigens's help, Samurai Comics has quickly become the place to get independent comics and graphic novels; they offer the valley's widest selection. Currently, Samurai Comics features an attractive boutique displaying Time Magazine's 2003 top 10 graphic novels. This display includes books such as Blankets, Persepolis, and Nightmare Alley.
As happy as Mike is with how his store is progressing, he gets the most satisfaction and is most proud of the work Samurai Comics has done outside of the store and in the community. The Samurai staff attends many events with the idea of introducing more of the population to the joys that comics can provide; events such as the Arizona Book Festival, where Samurai works to educate people on the great diversity of comics, and on the good literature that can be found in sequential art. The Samurai staff also attends the yearly Matsuri Festival, which brings more interest into Japanese animation. Samurai takes part in Teen Read Month, visiting several local schools and libraries, teaching about the writing and drawing of comic books. They also conduct seminars at area libraries throughout the year, talking about topics such as anime and manga, and the differences in culture between Japan and the United States. Mike also works with Phoenix charities, recently holding a MechWarrior gaming tournament where all proceeds went to the Hand of Hope Charity, which provides help to sick children in the Phoenix area.
Mike believes it to be imperative for a comic book retailer to attend industry conventions and trade shows, and lists Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA) Trade Show as one of the best shows for learning how to improve your business. Mike also feels that Diamond and Alliance Game Distributors' Retailer Summits are very important to the industry, and that Comic-Con International: San Diego is a must, if for no other reason than to meet industry professionals and to facilitate the networking that can pay off for years to come. Mike has also developed a relationship with several local newspapers, including the Arizona Republic and the sci-fi/fantasy paper, ConNotations. Mike sends out every press release he can get his hands on, knowing that eventually his persistence will pay off, as it did a couple months ago when the Arizona Republic ran a feature story on Samurai Comics and Japanese animation on the front page of its Life section.
As you can see, in just over 20 months since Samurai Comics first opened its doors, this Phoenix comic book store has been very busy; both in and out of the shop. Phoenix is home to several of the best comic book stores in North America, and Samurai has taken their place among them very quickly.
-- Diamond Field Representative Tim Kartman
On Memorial Day weekend back in 2002, Mike & Moryha Banks's Samurai Comics opened for business in Phoenix, AZ. Mike, a 20-year veteran of the comic book industry, decided the time was right to venture off on his own; to open the store he always wanted. During the 1980s and 1990s, central Phoenix supported more than a half dozen comic book stores. But by 2002, the area had lost the majority of those shops. Mike felt the area was underserved, especially where in-store gaming was concerned, as well as in the anime & manga categories. This strategy has served Samurai Comics well, as gaming and anime/manga tally about 33% each of the store's sales, with comics and trade paperbacks picking up the other third. Less than a year later the store doubled its size, making Samurai Comics one of the fastest growing comic book stores in America.
The store stocks a wide array of products, including a great selection of Japanese related toys, shirts, videos, and books. This is the domain of Mike's wife and business partner, Moryha Banks. A long time passion for Moryha, she takes great pride in finding new and exciting Japanese-related products to bring into the store for Samurai's many fans of this genre. They even offer a selection of Japanese snacks and candy items. In fact, over the last half decade, Moryha tried desperately to get her husband Mike into the growing phenomenon of Japanese animation. She finally succeeded when she turned him on to the Rurouni Kenshin Samurai X series, which became a favorite of Mike's and the inspiration for their store name.
Samurai Comics offers many in-store events, such as Anime Festivals, which offer fans a chance to view movies, listen to soundtracks and just have a fun day of art contests, raffles, prizes, and giveaways. Samurai also offers a chance for gaming fans to come in and learn about new games; the crew doesn't let a weekend go by without several demonstrations of various games, from Dungeons & Dragons to HeroClix. This allows consumers to be introduced to a new game without having to spend any money, before figuring out if they like it or not. Samurai also holds gaming tournaments for customers of all ages. The store has already held many creator appearances, including, most recently, legend Kurt Busiek (Avengers/Thunderbolts) on February 21. The main idea for all of Samurai's in-store events is to create a sense of community in the store. Mike and Moryha have assembled a staff that treats people more like friends and family, rather that just as customers. This talented crew includes Store Manager Brandon Huigens and jack-of-all-trades Ray B. San Felipe.
Huigens is the comic book guru, a talented creator in his own right. He lists the Alternative Press Expo (APE) as a must for comic book store personnel to attend. It was there, at the 2003 show, that Huigens was able to make lasting contacts with publishers and creators alike. With Huigens's help, Samurai Comics has quickly become the place to get independent comics and graphic novels; they offer the valley's widest selection. Currently, Samurai Comics features an attractive boutique displaying Time Magazine's 2003 top 10 graphic novels. This display includes books such as Blankets, Persepolis, and Nightmare Alley.
As happy as Mike is with how his store is progressing, he gets the most satisfaction and is most proud of the work Samurai Comics has done outside of the store and in the community. The Samurai staff attends many events with the idea of introducing more of the population to the joys that comics can provide; events such as the Arizona Book Festival, where Samurai works to educate people on the great diversity of comics, and on the good literature that can be found in sequential art. The Samurai staff also attends the yearly Matsuri Festival, which brings more interest into Japanese animation. Samurai takes part in Teen Read Month, visiting several local schools and libraries, teaching about the writing and drawing of comic books. They also conduct seminars at area libraries throughout the year, talking about topics such as anime and manga, and the differences in culture between Japan and the United States. Mike also works with Phoenix charities, recently holding a MechWarrior gaming tournament where all proceeds went to the Hand of Hope Charity, which provides help to sick children in the Phoenix area.
Mike believes it to be imperative for a comic book retailer to attend industry conventions and trade shows, and lists Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA) Trade Show as one of the best shows for learning how to improve your business. Mike also feels that Diamond and Alliance Game Distributors' Retailer Summits are very important to the industry, and that Comic-Con International: San Diego is a must, if for no other reason than to meet industry professionals and to facilitate the networking that can pay off for years to come. Mike has also developed a relationship with several local newspapers, including the Arizona Republic and the sci-fi/fantasy paper, ConNotations. Mike sends out every press release he can get his hands on, knowing that eventually his persistence will pay off, as it did a couple months ago when the Arizona Republic ran a feature story on Samurai Comics and Japanese animation on the front page of its Life section.
As you can see, in just over 20 months since Samurai Comics first opened its doors, this Phoenix comic book store has been very busy; both in and out of the shop. Phoenix is home to several of the best comic book stores in North America, and Samurai has taken their place among them very quickly.
-- Diamond Field Representative Tim Kartman
