Interviewing the Owner of NYC’s Oldest Comic Book Shop

[@EvilyoshiJAPAN4]

Been to this place so many times back in the day, the owner would call me "ghost" because i only came in once a month for my comic stack lol - loved the place.

[@dariopressimone7810]

I miss Astoria. I took that train for 10 years... Gus is really great. What a store of books new and old....

[@EMSHWILLER86]

Haven't seen Gus in a long time...Good to see the store's still open!

[@zoso73]

Serpico subway station.

[@goldenageguru]

A great interview, Gus is extremely knowledgeable, a class act and runs a fantastic store.

[@SprosComics]

Thanks you 🙏🏽 Gus is the goat!

[@paulruggiero860]

Fantastic store. Love shopping here!

[@SprosComics]

I always make a pit stop when I’m in NY. One of the best!

[@snaggs107]

Flipping thru the comics wrapped in plastic was the best type of asmr

[@lordofbrooklynbk4life146]

This was a great interview! I remember COMICS HUT in Queens and SILVER STAR COLLECTIBLES and DISCOUNT BOOK WAREHOUSE in Brooklyn. I would love to know what happened to those LCS owners.

[@billyuscategui]

I used to buy comics from Robert Bell when he had a store in Queens by in 1966/67. Got some of my best books from him.

[@SprosComics]

OG newsstand! I’d love to time travel to the 40s or 60s and see some grails on the racks

[@BrianLCS]

Great interview and store. I believe Queen City Comics in Buffalo is the oldest shop in NY.

[@SprosComics]

was referring to NYC here!

[@fiddlechips8555]

I moved out Ditmars fifteen years ago. It’s awesome to see Gus is still at it.

[@SprosComics]

Still killing it! Some of the best inventory I’ve ever seen come out of a shop.

[@snaggs107]

Comic store on 94th and broadway...90s baby

[@arthurtripp6922]

Thank You for Your Service this is from One of the.Kids who started Comicon in 1964. The oldest comic store.was Bethpage Farmers Market back in the 1960s.

[@mikeevans4588]

thanks for doing a comic book subject that wasnt about drama or grading !

[@SprosComics]

No drama here! News definitely has its time & place when I feel it’s especially relevant to me, otherwise there’s a lot of other comic news creators out there. Thanks for the kind comment!

[@EMSHWILLER86]

I suppose you never visited the Joe Koch warehouse in Sunset Park, Brooklyn...he was there before Gus opened shop, but unfortunately he'll be closing shop soon. 😢 Great video, great to see Gus. Haven't been to Astoria for the past three or four years, but did buy a lot of great stuff at Silver Age over the years, including a minty early copy of Flash! ❤

[@arthurtripp6922]

Found out that.Bethpage Farmers Market opened a comic stall back in 1959.He had early Toys found Superman and Airplane tin toy.

[@seanmitchell8151]

I literally just ordered from him yesterday! King Dynamie Jungle Jim Darwyn cover #1!

[@SprosComics]

@@seanmitchell8151 he’s the best!

[@Gampers]

“Opened in 91..and then the pandemic hit “

[@SprosComics]

it was my first interview okaaaaaay

[@Gampers]

@@SprosComics congrats!

[@siriactuallysara]

Wait Forbidden planet and st marks comics are more old NY.

[@siriactuallysara]

Both are older and more NY icons then silver age comics

[@SprosComics]

@@siriactuallysara to my understanding Gus is the last remaining original owner. I believe Forbidden Planet & St Mark’s Comics have new ownership, leaving Gus to be the most tenured owner in the area. No disrespect to the other iconic shops around!

[@peterberberian]

He said they opened in 1990? Pinocchio Collectibles in Brooklyn has been there since the 80’s Maybe they are the oldest?

[@peterberberian]

also, Forbidden Planet has been around from the 70’s

[@auradjinns]

@@peterberberian I miss the 59th street location 😢

[@SprosComics]

I’ll have to check them both out next time I’m in NY!

[@peterberberian]

@@auradjinns Forbidden Planet was on 59th street? When was that?

[@auradjinns]

@@peterberberian In the ‘80s they had a second location there.

[@siriactuallysara]

Wait silver age? I’m suprised. I guess the older ones went out of business. This isn’t the old NY feel you would have gotten from Action comics or Alex’s mvp cards and comics or the infamous Bleaker street comics. But they are all gone now :(

[@thecomickeeper5127]

Why do ppl sleep on Pinocchio's in BK ? That lady is a 💎! I used to make the trek from The Heights. I found that guy who handed Gus the phone in the beginning to be somewhat unpleasant . Kind of a prick and was always swearing and saying lame stuff. I get it, it's NYC, but he never said anything or asked if you were looking for anything. I didn't even know they kept big keys in the back and behind the counter until way long after I went there! Had I of know I'd have bought a lot more stuff .

[@defrocker0569]

Did he say COVID, in 2008? COVID hit 2019.

[@SprosComics]

@@defrocker0569 we were referring to the market/housing crash of 2008 per his reference to it earlier in the conversation. “You got Covid, 2008, 9/11” would be how that sentence would have read if it were written.

[@defrocker0569]

@@SprosComics OK

[@goldschool9050]

Definitely not the oldest

[@MrEdWeirdoShow]

Stan Lee always replied when asked where Spider-Man was born and raised: "Queens, New York."

[@SprosComics]

@@MrEdWeirdoShow that settles it, Silver Age Comics is Spidey’s LCS!