Local comic shop moves downtown, gains new owners

The face of 111 E. Adams St. has been taken over by the supernatural. The most recent edition to downtown, Alter Ego Comics sits nestled in its new digs, showing Downtown Muncie exactly what they are about.

At one end of the storefront, Yoda is perched in his tan coat while at the opposite end, neon signs of Superman and Batman’s logo illuminate the sidewalk.

Inside the glass doors, comics, posters, art, action figures, “Magic: The Gathering” cards, toys, backpacks and masks line the yellow and brown walls. Behind the counter sits owner Jason Pierce.

“Since the move, we have had a lot of people stop outside to look at Yoda, then come in and see what Alter Ego is,” he said. “There is a lot more foot traffic here than the last location on McGalliard [Avenue].”

After almost nine years on McGalliard Avenue, Pierce said he didn’t pass on the opportunity to move to a larger, more convenient location. The move added a whole new section to Alter Ego that is opening up opportunities he didn’t previously have.

As he walked through the store to show off the new additions, including display cases of iconic comic paraphernalia and action figures, a projector screen, a couch and a full-size Darth Maul, he could barely hold in his excitement.

“The other store was, well, let’s just say it — quaint,” Pierce said. “I could touch the ceiling standing flat footed. Here, I am still bringing in stuff to fill up the store.”

The move across town is not the only change the store recently has undergone. Pierce gained two new partners in running the comic shop. Locals Mark Waid and Christina Blanch offered to help Pierce with the move over dinner one night.

The couple wanted to help Pierce with the move and also take the store to the next level. Blanch — a Ball State lecturer who created the massive open online course, or MOOC, for “Gender Through Comic Books,” which featured Stan Lee — helps Pierce run the store day to day, while Waid works on comics.

Waid, an award-winning comic writer and New York Times best-seller, spends his days writing “Daredevil” and “The Indestructible Hulk” at Marvel and “Green Hornet” at Dynamite Entertainment.

“Retail is just about the only business aspect of comics I’ve not tried in my 30-year career,” he said. “I’m excited that this allows me to connect directly with the readers, [to] find out more what they want and what they’re excited about.”

Alter Ego has been Blanch’s choice of comic shop for years. Every Wednesday, she said she would go pick up the new comics that were released.

A long time fan of comics, Blanch got turned on to them during the “Star Wars” craze. She was a proud owner of everything “Star Wars;” she said nothing could compare to the hold the franchise had on her.

“I lost interest for a while when I started noticing boys, but when my son was born, I was roped back into the comic world,” she said. “It’s something that my entire family bonds through.”

Blanch’s return into the comic world was not a subtle one. She quickly filled her life with the thin paper books, she said, and it has become a staple in her life. After becoming a comic lover, writer and scholar, Blanch took the next step in her comic life, to be a seller.

Blanch and Pierce hold down the store Monday through Saturday, manning the counter and helping customers that wander in.

When Ethan Crouch, a Ball State sophomore computer science major, walked into Alter Ego and began wandering through the store, it wasn’t long before Blanch approached him.

She struck up a conversation and started to talk to him about what he likes, what he has enjoyed reading and what he would like to start. Without hesitation, she started leading him through the store to show him different comics and to tell him what she liked about the story.

From across the store, Pierce would throw in suggestions and comments about the book as he shuffled through a deck of “Magic: The Gathering” cards.

“The customer service here is unlike any other comic shop I’ve been to,” Crouch said. “They know the comics they sell really well, and they are always willing to help anyone who walks through the door. It’s unreal.”

Pierce and Blanch build up relationships with regular customers to make sure everyone who visits the store feels welcome.

With the larger space, Alter Ego is reaching out to the community more with events, such as movie release parties, “Magic: The Gathering” tournaments, themed nights and comic signings.

Saturday will be the store’s first big event with its grand reopening. The event, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., will take over the 100 block of Adams Street and will feature a replica of the 1966 Batmobile, cosplayers, storm troopers and comic signings by Waid and comic creators Mike Norton and Art Baltazar.

“It’s the first of many events that will draw people into the store and help us build up relationships with Muncie locals,” Pierce said. “I’m excited to see how the store will grow from here.”