On Location: The September Visit to Valhalla Games and Comics

The September on-location episode marks a first for The Comics Alternative. Derek is now talking with customers and employees at Valhalla Games and Comics in Plano, TX...which is at the same exact physical location where he's been doing the on-location show for the past few years. What had once been Collected is now Valhalla! But the people and comics inside have remained the same. Talking with Derek this month are some of the shop regulars, including Krystle, Craig, and Nick. They begin by discussing the recent change in ownership -- and, unfortunately, neither Valhalla's owner, David Larson, nor Sabrina, the shop manager, were able to be there -- and everyone's excitement over the changes in store. But then they get into the core of this month's discussion, which is on crime comics. Craig comes prepared with a big stack of recent examples, including The Fix, The Baker Street Peculiars, and The Black Monday Murders. And Nick chimes in with crime titles he'd recommend, as well. The conversation gets even more lively when Derek questions Craig on his definition of "superhero," which he seems to apply in a much less discriminating way than the others. They spend a good deal of time discussing examples of outright noir, such as Scalped and 100 Bullets, and genre-blending crime comics such as Fatale, Weird Detective, and even The Spirit. All in all, this was a successful first recording at the new Valhalla Games and Comics!