By Ron Evans
Free Comic Book Day is coming up on August 14th, and it’s the perfect way to see what’s happening in the comics world for seasoned readers and new dabblers alike. It’s also a great excuse to venture into the mysterious, colorful (and often a little overwhelming) realm that is the comic book shop. Leavenworth’s Krampus Kave is one such realm, and they are giddy about Free Comic Book Day. Well... they may just be giddy in general, but if you have been looking for a new comic book to get into or an old classic series to get caught up on - they will happily lend you their qualified guidance. Opened in 2015 by owners Joe Seguin, Matthew Seguin and Sharon Seguin, the shop offers a dizzying variety of books, games, toys and collectibles - all curated and lovingly ushered onto the public by a team of passionate ner- ...ahem, employees. I talked with the shop’s manager, JJ Herndandez, to learn more about the upcoming event and about how Krampus Kave was formed in the dark and moody depths of a Bavarian village.
Tell us a little about when and why you started a comic shop?
I came up with the idea to start a comic book shop in Leavenworth while walking around at night with a local friend. It had always been a dream of mine to run a “nerd” shop since I first rolled a D20, so I asked my friends if they thought it was a good idea to open a comic book shop here since they lived in town. They said it was a terrible idea, and I ignored them.
Krampus co-owner Joe Seguin and manager JJ Hernandez
How has the industry changed over the years and talk about keeping up with the times concerning comics?
Ha! It feels like there’s a seismic shift every couple years. When we started we had one distributor for all our books, Marvel, DC, all of them and now we have like four. Everyone broke up and now order dates and release dates are all over the place. It’s definitely more work but honestly it seems like the end result is we can get more of what our customers want faster so... net gain?
Favorite books: new and classic?
Oh man, I spend way too much time reading comics. Current books I love are The Immortal Hulk which is about to end (crying emoji) and against all odds there’s Rorschach which is a Watchmen spinoff I expected to hate but fell head over heels for. As far as classic books, I’m afraid I’m less experienced but the old Marvel Conan The Barbarian books are fire and I’m partial to the Dark Horse Star Wars series as well.
If you had to pick one comic book (or series) to turn people on to reading comics what would it be and why?
That’s so tough! I don’t know these people! Send them to me and I’ll ask what they like and find the book they’re looking for. Also Murder Falcon by Daniel Warren Johnson, which I assure you is more wholesome than it sounds.
Has the explosion of comic book based films over the past couple of decades translated into interest in the books as well, or does it seem to be two different audiences?
100% People see and enjoy the characters in the movies and shows and look for more in the books. We are constantly selling out of Scarlet Witch books since Wandavision came out. Same with Invincible and The Boys and what’s really started to happen recently is as soon as new shows and movies are announced people are asking for the books to get ahead of the wave. Moon Knight especially is getting a ton of heat right now.
Other than comic books, are there any sources of revenue for the shop you dabble in?
Board games are our biggest seller by a significant margin. With Collectable Card Games (think Magic The Gathering and Pokemon) coming in second. Comics are like fourth or fifth despite taking up the most floor space.
Friendly Comic Guide Maxwell Reister at the entrance to the Krampus Kave
Tell us about Free Comic Book Day - and what are you most excited about concerning the titles available for this year’s event?
Free Comic Book Day is such a fun event for us. Watching people get to try out books they might not normally go for and get hooked is so delightful. Last year the big hit for me was Fire Power by Robert Kirkman (Invincible, The Walking Dead) and Chris Samnee. This year I’m looking forward to the X-Men book and just finding something new.
Any other events for the store coming up you’d like to promote?
Our favorite event of the year is Free RPG Day which is the weekend of October 16th this year. We are also looking to get some regular Magic The Gathering events in as well as a hobby/paint night. If anyone is interested in painting mini figures for DnD or Warhammer in a supportive group environment maybe having a couple of beers stay tuned to our Facebook and Instagram pages.
Social media/websites.
We’re on Facebook and Instagram @Krampuscomics
We also have a website where you can access our online store, Krampuskave.com We’d love to hear from you.
Long running Wenatchee comics staple Galaxy Comics at 5th and Western typically participates in Free Comic Book Day as well and folks in Ellensburg can hit up Central City Comics at 113 E 4th Ave. As of now there are no Covid-related restrictions in place but masking is highly encouraged.