We opened Tardy’s Collector’s Corner in 1979 out of sheer love, luck and borrowed money with the idea of opening the first true comic-book store. We opened with the love of the comic book medium and what it can express and reveal as entertainment, not for the love of business or money. One of our main goals was to make comics as affordable and accessible as humanly possible.

We’ve provided over $100,000.00 in free comics to the community and our customers over the years because we believe in comics as readable art, plain and simple.

As comics and jazz are the only indigenous art forms we must preserve and cherish these bits of American heritage, as they are truly unique shining gems in a world that often seems dusty and gray. Comics are NOT JUST FOR KIDS, Comics are NOT AN EASY WAY TO GET RICH, and comics are NOT FOR THE MENTALLY DIMINISHED OR CULTURALLY CHALLENGED.

Interestingly, comic books are much more widely read and honored in almost every civilized culture other than America. Japanese citizens read comics at a level 12 times that of Americans despite having ½ the population. In the countries of Finland, Sweden, and Denmark one out of every 3 adults reads at least one comic every week! In France comic-book creators are honored as unique artists in a flourishing, expanding marketplace.

If you have absolutely no idea why anyone would read a comic or what possible education or entertainment it could provide, I suggest you borrow, rent or buy from us Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud. This is an absolutely fabulous book that should open up an entirely new world to you.

There is enough diversity and variety being published today that there is now literally something for everybody, from a 10-15 minute fantastic respite from reality to a philosophical, fact filled treatise on human relations, inner space, outer space, or anything else that can be imagined. (If you don’t believe that you have not been inside a real comic book store) Thus we provide this retail establishment for your enjoyment and enlightenment and welcome you to the wonderful world of comics.