MIKE
Mike (40 or 41 years old) mostly packs your books and sneaks a few for himself. He’s the lead singer of a punk band, has a great laugh, and eats a lot of McDonald’s.
INTERVIEWER: Hey Mike, is there any book you read in 2024 that genuinely made you go lol? (Side note: Mike laughed a bit shyly, trying to remember what he read this year — or if he even read something this year.)
MIKE: It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth by Zoe Thorogood. I’m actually planning to get a tattoo from her art. I just love her English humor, how she can make funny things out of topics that are hard to talk about. It’s tough to be honest and make people laugh about it. Her art is also REALLY cool.
INTERVIEWER: Mike, are you a depressed girly?
MIKE: No (laughs), I’m not. I’m a millennial, I’ve learned some might say generation old (laughs again).
INTERVIEWER: Wanna tell us if something made you cry?
MIKE: Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. Because Supergirl is just trying to be nice, trying to do nice things. I’m not a nice person, and nice people are my trigger for crying.
INTERVIEWER: Did any book pleasantly surprise you?
MIKE: Apart from Supergirl, I’d have to say Slaine: The Horned God. It’s such a massive book it doesn’t fit on any of my shelves.
INTERVIEWER: I’m really sorry to hear that you only have tiny shelves. Is there a book you wish could be reprinted that would make the world a little happier for you?
MIKE: Alien vs. Predator: The Omnibus. Because it’s such a good story.
INTERVIEWER: Thank you very much, Mike.
MIKE: You’re welcome.
HEIKO
Heiko (I don’t know how old he is and didn’t dare ask) is the master of single issues. He just knows his stuff, and I wish I could see his library at home, which is probably insane! If I’ve learned anything, it’s that if Heiko recommends something, then it’s gonna be really good.
INTERVIEWER: Heiko, I’m just gonna ask you the same questions I asked Mike. First off, has there been any comic that really made you laugh this year?
HEIKO: Grommets by Rick Remender and his co-author Brian Posehn. I think it’s mostly the humor Brian Posehn brings to the story. Generally, even though I’m a kid from the 90s and this is about the 80s, there are a lot of parallels to my youth — happy parallels. I had the same absurd experiences as those kids. And the way it’s written, it never sounds banal.
INTERVIEWER: I have to admit, Rick Remender is also on my “will read anything he’s written” list. And now, on to the opposite - has there been something you read that touched you emotionally and maybe even made you cry?
HEIKO: Harrow County, Vol. 1 in paperback. Starting from chapters 3 and 4, it’s typical Cullen Bunn — he emotionally hits one of my triggers. Emmy is really moving because she only has the best intentions at heart, but everyone is afraid of her, and she becomes afraid of herself. It’s just hard to put into words.
INTERVIEWER: I get you; it’s often hard to explain feelings in words, but I completely understand. Now, here’s a question that might be easier to answer: what’s the most valuable single issue you have?
HEIKO: I probably have a lot, but since I don’t buy them for their future value, only to read them, I’m not sure at all. The only one I know is valuable because I found it in a 2-euro bin — it’s the first appearance of Harley Quinn in Batman: Harley Quinn #1. But emotionally, every issue is valuable. 2024 has been a good year for comics.
INTERVIEWER: Any last words?
HEIKO: Read Poison Ivy by G. Willow Wilson. I cannot stress that enough.
INTERVIEWER: I second that HARD. Thank you, Heiko!
INTERVIEWER: Heiko, I’m just gonna ask you the same questions I asked Mike. First off, has there been any comic that really made you laugh this year?
HEIKO: Grommets by Rick Remender and his co-author Brian Posehn. I think it’s mostly the humor Brian Posehn brings to the story. Generally, even though I’m a kid from the 90s and this is about the 80s, there are a lot of parallels to my youth — happy parallels. I had the same absurd experiences as those kids. And the way it’s written, it never sounds banal.
INTERVIEWER: I have to admit, Rick Remender is also on my “will read anything he’s written” list. And now, on to the opposite - has there been something you read that touched you emotionally and maybe even made you cry?
HEIKO: Harrow County, Vol. 1 in paperback. Starting from chapters 3 and 4, it’s typical Cullen Bunn — he emotionally hits one of my triggers. Emmy is really moving because she only has the best intentions at heart, but everyone is afraid of her, and she becomes afraid of herself. It’s just hard to put into words.
INTERVIEWER: I get you; it’s often hard to explain feelings in words, but I completely understand. Now, here’s a question that might be easier to answer: what’s the most valuable single issue you have?
HEIKO: I probably have a lot, but since I don’t buy them for their future value, only to read them, I’m not sure at all. The only one I know is valuable because I found it in a 2-euro bin — it’s the first appearance of Harley Quinn in Batman: Harley Quinn #1. But emotionally, every issue is valuable. 2024 has been a good year for comics.
INTERVIEWER: Any last words?
HEIKO: Read Poison Ivy by G. Willow Wilson. I cannot stress that enough.
INTERVIEWER: I second that HARD. Thank you, Heiko!
GLORIANA
Gloriana (25) mostly does marketing stuff at Walt’s Comic Shop. If she continues to work here, she might go broke from all the books she’s buying.
INTERVIEWER: Hey Gloriana, wanna tell us which books made you laugh in 2024?
GLORIANA: That’s easy. I Hate Fairyland by Skottie Young. As someone who has diabetes, it’s the only time in my life where diabetes jokes were actually really funny, context-wise.
INTERVIEWER: Now, as an emotionally unstable girly myself, you have to tell me: which books, in plural, made you cry?
GLORIANA: Oh man, everything by Daniel Warren Johnson. But Do A Powerbomb and Murder Falcon drained me. Also, Aquaman: Andromeda because of Christian Ward. He always gets paired with the best writers, the best poets. He made me cry with Black Bolt and now with Aquaman Andromeda. But most surprisingly, though, V for Vendetta by Alan Moore. Mostly because I didn’t expect it, I guess. But this letter by Valerie where she goes, “I will never hug you or cry with you or get drunk with you. But I love you” — had me wheezing. Iykyk.
INTERVIEWER: Oh, I know, I know. Man, Valerie did a number on me too. Also love that Amy Winehouse cover of Valerie.
GLORIANA: Same. No cap.
INTERVIEWER: To end this interview, is there any book that you would love to have but is simply out of your reach?
GLORIANA: The Eternaut by Héctor G. Oesterheld from Fantagraphics. It goes for around $250, and I just learned that Jakob has a copy of it!
INTERVIEWER: Alright, thank you very much. If you learn how to manage your money, you might manage to get your own copy one day.
GLORIANA: **** ** **** <3.
INTERVIEWER: Hey Gloriana, wanna tell us which books made you laugh in 2024?
GLORIANA: That’s easy. I Hate Fairyland by Skottie Young. As someone who has diabetes, it’s the only time in my life where diabetes jokes were actually really funny, context-wise.
INTERVIEWER: Now, as an emotionally unstable girly myself, you have to tell me: which books, in plural, made you cry?
GLORIANA: Oh man, everything by Daniel Warren Johnson. But Do A Powerbomb and Murder Falcon drained me. Also, Aquaman: Andromeda because of Christian Ward. He always gets paired with the best writers, the best poets. He made me cry with Black Bolt and now with Aquaman Andromeda. But most surprisingly, though, V for Vendetta by Alan Moore. Mostly because I didn’t expect it, I guess. But this letter by Valerie where she goes, “I will never hug you or cry with you or get drunk with you. But I love you” — had me wheezing. Iykyk.
INTERVIEWER: Oh, I know, I know. Man, Valerie did a number on me too. Also love that Amy Winehouse cover of Valerie.
GLORIANA: Same. No cap.
INTERVIEWER: To end this interview, is there any book that you would love to have but is simply out of your reach?
GLORIANA: The Eternaut by Héctor G. Oesterheld from Fantagraphics. It goes for around $250, and I just learned that Jakob has a copy of it!
INTERVIEWER: Alright, thank you very much. If you learn how to manage your money, you might manage to get your own copy one day.
GLORIANA: **** ** **** <3.
JAKOB
Jakob (maybe 35, maybe 40) does all the cool little Instagram videos you might have seen. Truth is, he just knows stuff about movies. And he unpacks all the books. Which means he has all the power over the nick & dents. Which means he’s one of the most powerful guys at Walt’s. Which means he’s the guy you wanna be friends with.
INTERVIEWER: Hey Jakob, do you have a few minutes? I’d like to ask you what your top reads have been in 2024.
JAKOB: Yes! (Side note: He opened an app on his phone with all the books he’s reading. That man is organized!)
INTERVIEWER: So, what’s the comic that made you laugh this year?
JAKOB: Ultimate Spider-Man in general. It’s Jonah and Ben — they remind me so much of Statler and Waldorf from The Muppets. They’re a really well-oiled team, and they truly feel like there’s history between these two characters, which is often hard to portray when you don’t talk about it. But they made it work. It’s really intimate.
INTERVIEWER: Nice. Want to reveal if anything made you cry or if anything really moved you emotionally?
JAKOB: I already talked about it in my “Last One Read” video, it’s Saga — the 10th paperback. It’s a bit of a spoiler, but also not that much since everyone dies in Saga — (Side note: maybe skip that part if you really don’t want to get spoiled.) — It’s about ***** and how she tries to process the death of her father, and how everyone tries to deal with his death, but mostly how she runs away from it and how it eventually catches up to her.
INTERVIEWER: You almost make me want to give Saga a try. Is there anything you’d like to have that’s absolutely out of your price range?
JAKOB: Yes. The adaptation of 2001: A Space Odyssey by Jack Kirby. It’s from the 70s. Single issues can be bought, but the work as a complete set is over $ 400. And they’re not printing it anymore, because I think they don’t have the license anymore.
INTERVIEWER: And the movie is from?
JAKOB: The movie is from the 60s. It’s this weird contradiction between Kubrick’s cold and serious shots and Kirby’s colorful art — it kinda doesn’t fit. But it’s really interesting.
INTERVIEWER: Is there anything that surprised you this year?
JAKOB: Do A Powerbomb by Daniel Warren Johnson and Ultra Mega by James Harren. They both go way deeper than I expected. It was a pleasant surprise.
INTERVIEWER: Yeah, I get it. It’s actually only thanks to you that I discovered Daniel Warren Johnson. Thanks a lot, Jakob!
JAKOB: Happy to hear that. You’re welcome.
INTERVIEWER: Hey Jakob, do you have a few minutes? I’d like to ask you what your top reads have been in 2024.
JAKOB: Yes! (Side note: He opened an app on his phone with all the books he’s reading. That man is organized!)
INTERVIEWER: So, what’s the comic that made you laugh this year?
JAKOB: Ultimate Spider-Man in general. It’s Jonah and Ben — they remind me so much of Statler and Waldorf from The Muppets. They’re a really well-oiled team, and they truly feel like there’s history between these two characters, which is often hard to portray when you don’t talk about it. But they made it work. It’s really intimate.
INTERVIEWER: Nice. Want to reveal if anything made you cry or if anything really moved you emotionally?
JAKOB: I already talked about it in my “Last One Read” video, it’s Saga — the 10th paperback. It’s a bit of a spoiler, but also not that much since everyone dies in Saga — (Side note: maybe skip that part if you really don’t want to get spoiled.) — It’s about ***** and how she tries to process the death of her father, and how everyone tries to deal with his death, but mostly how she runs away from it and how it eventually catches up to her.
INTERVIEWER: You almost make me want to give Saga a try. Is there anything you’d like to have that’s absolutely out of your price range?
JAKOB: Yes. The adaptation of 2001: A Space Odyssey by Jack Kirby. It’s from the 70s. Single issues can be bought, but the work as a complete set is over $ 400. And they’re not printing it anymore, because I think they don’t have the license anymore.
INTERVIEWER: And the movie is from?
JAKOB: The movie is from the 60s. It’s this weird contradiction between Kubrick’s cold and serious shots and Kirby’s colorful art — it kinda doesn’t fit. But it’s really interesting.
INTERVIEWER: Is there anything that surprised you this year?
JAKOB: Do A Powerbomb by Daniel Warren Johnson and Ultra Mega by James Harren. They both go way deeper than I expected. It was a pleasant surprise.
INTERVIEWER: Yeah, I get it. It’s actually only thanks to you that I discovered Daniel Warren Johnson. Thanks a lot, Jakob!
JAKOB: Happy to hear that. You’re welcome.
SIMONE
Simone (29) is Italian and has an album filled with signatures from a lot of Mickey Mouse writers and artists. He says “Ihh: The Last Man” and not” Y: The Last Man”, because they don’t have Y’s in the Italian alphabet. Authorities in Germany often think he’s a woman because of his name, and he has a soft spot for lesbian literature.
INTERVIEWER: Hello Simone, do you have five minutes to spare for a few questions?
SIMONE: Yes, of course.
INTERVIEWER: So, has there been any book that really made you laugh this year?
SIMONE: I was actually crying because I laughed too much at Ranma 1⁄2.
INTERVIEWER: Ranma One and a Half?
SIMONE: Ranma One Half.
INTERVIEWER: Ranma One, Two?
SIMONE: Ranma One Half, I think. It’s a manga.
INTERVIEWER: Ah.
SIMONE: Yes, it’s by the author of Maison Ikkoku. It’s an old manga, but at the same time not that old. It was naughty for its time - the 80s, the 90s — (Side note: From this conversation, you may see that both of us didn’t really live in the 80’s or 90s.) — It’s about a fighter who sometimes turns into a woman, and the jokes that ensue while being a man and a woman. He’s engaged to someone as a man, and at the same time, someone falls in love with him as a woman. It’s just so stupid that I have to laugh.
INTERVIEWER: Is there also something that made you cry, like a sad cry?
SIMONE: There was, but I don’t remember what it was. I only remember that my girlfriend saw me crying and was like, “Hey, you’re crying.” But there have been books that, when I finished them, I had to put them down and really think about them for hours afterward. Two of them were Look Back and Goodbye Eri by Tatsuki Fujimoto. I really had to think about how we deal with death - how we talk about the dead, how we remember them, and how the reality was.
INTERVIEWER: Wow, yeah, I remember you recommended them to me. I have to admit, Look Back kinda broke me.
SIMONE: You get it.
INTERVIEWER: I get it.
SIMONE: Speaking of death, now I remember! The graphic novel that made me cry was Wrinkles by Paco Roca.
INTERVIEWER: Ok, never heard of that one, but to end this on a happier note, have there been any books that have been a pleasant surprise for you?
SIMONE: Yes! Daredevil: The Man Without Fear by Frank Miller. It even annoyed me because I usually don’t like Frank Miller, but I really enjoyed that one.
INTERVIEWER: Well, thank you very much, Simone.
SIMONE: You’re welcome.
INTERVIEWER: Hello Simone, do you have five minutes to spare for a few questions?
SIMONE: Yes, of course.
INTERVIEWER: So, has there been any book that really made you laugh this year?
SIMONE: I was actually crying because I laughed too much at Ranma 1⁄2.
INTERVIEWER: Ranma One and a Half?
SIMONE: Ranma One Half.
INTERVIEWER: Ranma One, Two?
SIMONE: Ranma One Half, I think. It’s a manga.
INTERVIEWER: Ah.
SIMONE: Yes, it’s by the author of Maison Ikkoku. It’s an old manga, but at the same time not that old. It was naughty for its time - the 80s, the 90s — (Side note: From this conversation, you may see that both of us didn’t really live in the 80’s or 90s.) — It’s about a fighter who sometimes turns into a woman, and the jokes that ensue while being a man and a woman. He’s engaged to someone as a man, and at the same time, someone falls in love with him as a woman. It’s just so stupid that I have to laugh.
INTERVIEWER: Is there also something that made you cry, like a sad cry?
SIMONE: There was, but I don’t remember what it was. I only remember that my girlfriend saw me crying and was like, “Hey, you’re crying.” But there have been books that, when I finished them, I had to put them down and really think about them for hours afterward. Two of them were Look Back and Goodbye Eri by Tatsuki Fujimoto. I really had to think about how we deal with death - how we talk about the dead, how we remember them, and how the reality was.
INTERVIEWER: Wow, yeah, I remember you recommended them to me. I have to admit, Look Back kinda broke me.
SIMONE: You get it.
INTERVIEWER: I get it.
SIMONE: Speaking of death, now I remember! The graphic novel that made me cry was Wrinkles by Paco Roca.
INTERVIEWER: Ok, never heard of that one, but to end this on a happier note, have there been any books that have been a pleasant surprise for you?
SIMONE: Yes! Daredevil: The Man Without Fear by Frank Miller. It even annoyed me because I usually don’t like Frank Miller, but I really enjoyed that one.
INTERVIEWER: Well, thank you very much, Simone.
SIMONE: You’re welcome.
WALT
Walt aka Cristian (who cares about age? ageists!) without an “h” because he’s that special. Sometimes he stands silently in the middle of the warehouse and thinks about how WCS has grown in four years. I never go to Vabali because I suspect he might be a regular there.
INTERVIEWER: Hello Cristian, it’s very nice of you to take some time out of your busy boss day for this interview. First off, I’m sorry, but I have to ask — have you read anything this year?
CRISTIAN: Have you not read my single-issue reviews?
INTERVIEWER: Yeah, but it doesn’t mean you’ve actually read the books.
CRISTIAN: Yes, yes, I’ve actually read them.
INTERVIEWER: Alright, so what’s been the one thing that made you laugh the most this year?
CRISTIAN: Honestly, the Chip Zdarsky Newsletter. I don’t really read funny comics stuff — (Side note: side-eye) — but I was charmed by the Carl Barks reprint backup story in the Uncle $crooge and the Infinity Dime #1.
INTERVIEWER: Very distinguished. Has any of your serious reading made you cry or touched you a lot emotionally?
CRISTIAN: Yes! Hate Revisited by Peter Bagge. A very unlikely follow-up to his 90s slacker series. It’s about how time flies, the connections from the past to today. And family. Those themes always make me sentimental. And I know what you’re thinking and yes, I am just an old, sad man.
INTERVIEWER: You also told me that you sometimes read stuff with your daughter. Does that make you emotional, or are those comics somehow more special to you?
CRISTIAN: Funnily enough, she loves the X-Men. She loves Jean Grey. I’ve read the Dark Phoenix Saga with her, and she absolutely loves it. I do cherish those moments. And I hope she will not be traumatised by the dark and, ehem, sexual undertones.
INTERVIEWER: So young and already a feminist icon. You’ve been in the comic game for a long time. What are the most valuable comics you possess? (Side note: His collection is worthy of The Purge.) (Walt note: I wish!)
CRISTIAN: I did intent to collect complete runs of X-Men, Avengers, and Fantastic Four runs... but I’ve mostly only ever bought the cheap under 10 $-issues. So: didn’t really come that far.
INTERVIEWER: Sad.
CRISTIAN: It is. But back in the ’90s, I bought New Warriors #1 for 30 DM, which was a lot of money for a teen and a comic back then. And today? It’s almost worth nothing, haha. (Side note: 30DM are approx. 15€ today.)
INTERVIEWER: What an investment.
CRISTIAN: My best investment, by the way, was a CGCed Marvel Spotlight #5. It’s the first appearance of Ghost Rider. I bought it for around 2,500 €.
INTERVIEWER: Show-off.
CRISTIAN: Which is only worth 1,500 € today. Buy high, sell low, it’s my investment strategy. Don’t tell anyone about it.
INTERVIEWER: Of course not. Did you look up the value recently? You might be surprised. Speaking of surprises, did anything surprise you this year?
CRISTIAN: Absolute Wonder Woman #1. It was so awesome!
INTERVIEWER: What? Why surprised? You don’t believe in Wonder Woman? You don’t believe in Kelly Thompson? You don’t believe in women? Everyone knew it was going to be awesome!
CRISTIAN: No, I know you’re trying to put words in my mouth — (Side note: I was ) — but after reading Batman: Dark Patterns #1, I realised that I just love Hayden Sherman and his art. The story and Kelly Thompson are very cool, but Hayden Sherman? He’s my love.
INTERVIEWER: Love that for you. Alright, thank you very much for your time!
INTERVIEWER: Hello Cristian, it’s very nice of you to take some time out of your busy boss day for this interview. First off, I’m sorry, but I have to ask — have you read anything this year?
CRISTIAN: Have you not read my single-issue reviews?
INTERVIEWER: Yeah, but it doesn’t mean you’ve actually read the books.
CRISTIAN: Yes, yes, I’ve actually read them.
INTERVIEWER: Alright, so what’s been the one thing that made you laugh the most this year?
CRISTIAN: Honestly, the Chip Zdarsky Newsletter. I don’t really read funny comics stuff — (Side note: side-eye) — but I was charmed by the Carl Barks reprint backup story in the Uncle $crooge and the Infinity Dime #1.
INTERVIEWER: Very distinguished. Has any of your serious reading made you cry or touched you a lot emotionally?
CRISTIAN: Yes! Hate Revisited by Peter Bagge. A very unlikely follow-up to his 90s slacker series. It’s about how time flies, the connections from the past to today. And family. Those themes always make me sentimental. And I know what you’re thinking and yes, I am just an old, sad man.
INTERVIEWER: You also told me that you sometimes read stuff with your daughter. Does that make you emotional, or are those comics somehow more special to you?
CRISTIAN: Funnily enough, she loves the X-Men. She loves Jean Grey. I’ve read the Dark Phoenix Saga with her, and she absolutely loves it. I do cherish those moments. And I hope she will not be traumatised by the dark and, ehem, sexual undertones.
INTERVIEWER: So young and already a feminist icon. You’ve been in the comic game for a long time. What are the most valuable comics you possess? (Side note: His collection is worthy of The Purge.) (Walt note: I wish!)
CRISTIAN: I did intent to collect complete runs of X-Men, Avengers, and Fantastic Four runs... but I’ve mostly only ever bought the cheap under 10 $-issues. So: didn’t really come that far.
INTERVIEWER: Sad.
CRISTIAN: It is. But back in the ’90s, I bought New Warriors #1 for 30 DM, which was a lot of money for a teen and a comic back then. And today? It’s almost worth nothing, haha. (Side note: 30DM are approx. 15€ today.)
INTERVIEWER: What an investment.
CRISTIAN: My best investment, by the way, was a CGCed Marvel Spotlight #5. It’s the first appearance of Ghost Rider. I bought it for around 2,500 €.
INTERVIEWER: Show-off.
CRISTIAN: Which is only worth 1,500 € today. Buy high, sell low, it’s my investment strategy. Don’t tell anyone about it.
INTERVIEWER: Of course not. Did you look up the value recently? You might be surprised. Speaking of surprises, did anything surprise you this year?
CRISTIAN: Absolute Wonder Woman #1. It was so awesome!
INTERVIEWER: What? Why surprised? You don’t believe in Wonder Woman? You don’t believe in Kelly Thompson? You don’t believe in women? Everyone knew it was going to be awesome!
CRISTIAN: No, I know you’re trying to put words in my mouth — (Side note: I was ) — but after reading Batman: Dark Patterns #1, I realised that I just love Hayden Sherman and his art. The story and Kelly Thompson are very cool, but Hayden Sherman? He’s my love.
INTERVIEWER: Love that for you. Alright, thank you very much for your time!
