If you’re in the Orlando area, either living here, or just visiting, you can now pick up my comics at Docking Bat 94, located at  1823 N. Orange Ave. which is just north of Downtown, just south of Princeton Avenue. The store owner, Rich, is a great guy with a genuine love of comics and all you have to do is talk to him for two minutes to get how much he loves comics. Only one other time have I met a shop owner that loved comics this much. Rich is always getting new stock of back issues and toys so you can almost always find something that you’re looking for in his store. If you’re in the mood to talk about comics, movies, or toys, Rich will do that, and he will as long as you’re willing to go back and forth him and he’s genuinely interested in what you think. Watch the clock, though, especially if you park on the street. Hours will pass while you’re there, and you won’t mind one bit.

Now Rich is starting to carry new comics and is also carrying comics produced by local artists. I feel privileged to have my books in his store and seriously hope that they sell a little, just so I can continue to throw a little income in his direction. My friends in the area are going to likewise put some stuff in his store, so there’ll be a good selection of stuff for local people to get introduced to and know that comics are being produced locally in Central Florida.

Just today, as I was dropping stuff off at Rich’s, I saw him help two customers, both looking for Christmas presents, one for a Spider-Man and a Superman comic, and Rich not only set out to sell him just any old comics, but to sell him good comics. Another customer was looking for old Archie comics, and I mean old. Now, most comic shops have only a token amount of Archies, but Rich showed him the Archie boxes. That’s right, I said boxes. While Rich didn’t have the vintage the guy was looking for, Rich thumbed through the boxes so the guy didn’t waste his time with newer comics and the guy still bought some comics. Rich is like that. He loves comics and he loves exposing people to good comics.

Don’t believe me? just check out this article, which I totally agree with.

I had the pleasure of living in a great town for comics shops, Orlando, Florida. Because I’ve always wanted to review comic shops, I’m starting as I prepare to leave town by starting with the one that’s been so kind as to carry my comics.

Docking Bay 94 is run by Rich who genuinely has a love for comics and animation. He’ll talk to you for an hour if you let him. His stock is predominately back issues that are priced very affordable, especially given the prices some of the other shops in town charge for back issues. He has some toys, too, but the shop doesn’t have the space. The biggest drawback for the shop is its size, and the level of competition in the area for different facets of the market. For toys, there’s a shop a short drive away in Lakewood, for new comics and collectibles, the leader is a shop with several stores spaced to maximize the customer base. Back issues are the one area where Docking Bay 94 really competes as the only serious competition is a shop that lost it’s Diamond account, and now apparently subsists on eBay sales. Rich is really trying hard to compete here. The back issue selection is vast and consists primarily of 1980s and 1990s comics, which is an improvement over most shops whose back issue selection consist primarily of the age of the glut when the average print run was over 100,000 copies, which means that there’s a lot left over. The 1980s has a lot of good comics in its history, but I could be biased there. Nevertheless, Rich prices his back issues to be very affordable, even to the point of having a small box near the register of comics in such bad condition that they can only be termed “reading copies” as “free comics.”

Recently, Rich entered into a business relationship with A Comic Shop to carry new comics and trades, and to hear Rich talk, it’s been a good arrangement. It gives Rich’s customers a reason to visit week after week. Rich also has started carrying comics self-published by local cartoonists, which is something no other shop in Orlando does. Some will make note of comics from major publishers that have creators local to Central Florida, but they do so for comics that they get through Diamond. Rich gets his directly from the creators. The deal with A Comics Shop has also expanded his selection of trade paperbacks and looking at the wall and talking to Rich, he can tell you about each one, and why you should buy it. He’s recommended books for customers based on what else they’re buying.

Rich also carries some toys, and the last time I was there, he’d purchased a huge selection of loose DC Direct figures and his central display cases were full. His toy wall is a little limited by the size of his shop. Rich loves toys and if he had a larger shop, he’d definitely would sell more, but his ability is limited by the size of the shop. Chances are you will find something that you’ll want, but if you’re toy shopping is very specific, you may not find what you’re looking for.

Overall, this a great shop. Rich loves comics, will talk at length with you about them, and most importantly, likes his regular customers. His resources are so much better than you’d expect, and if you’re out for something specific, he  will do his best to help you. If you’re in Central Florida, make this store one of your stops.

Directions: From I-4, take exit 85 then head east on Princeton Ave. Turn right onto Orange and then look for Docking Bay 94 on your left in less than a quarter of a mile. Parking is available on the street and there are a couple of small parking lots nearby.