Today, Sunday, February 15th 2015, marks a sad moment in the little area of Toronto where I live with my Queen and Princess. After 26 years on the Danforth, our local comic book shop, Comics and More is closing its doors. Not for bad retail reasons; not for a lack of audience. But sadly, because of the passing of its owner, Rob Charpentier, who went to the great and wonderful comic book store in the sky this past October.
I know that his family tried to find someone to buy the shop, but for various reasons it just didn’t work out. I would have liked for his legacy to continue so that I could still walk into Comics and More with my daughter, but it’s not to be. Luckily, we’ll both have memories of the shop and the man, memories that won’t be going anywhere.
In my last few visits there, I felt inclined to purchase, and I did. A Ronan figurine from Eagle Moss; a Marvel memory game that my daughter and I will be playing for years; and of course, comics – Terry Moore’s Echo, DC’s All-Star Western and IDW Omnibus’ of Fallen Angel and Infestation. I will certainly always remember where I bought these things when I look at them on my shelves.
I’ll also always remember Rob, for the kindness he always showed my daughter and I. His passing affected me deeply, and continues to do so, especially each morning on my way to work when I pass the store. One of my first long-form pieces for Biff Bam Pop was about kids and comics, and Rob was kind enough to answer some questions from me. You can read that piece here, if you’d like.
Nothing is forever – not shops or comics or life. A tip of the hat to Comics and More and to the late, and much missed Rob Charpentier for making the lives of those of us in East Toronto just a little brighter for all these years.
