Captain Collector's AMAZING Year in Review
Thomas Sr. (Captain Collector)Last updated: 30 December 2019 approx. 2 min read
Another year gone already! That was our 16th year since we opened our comic shop in Zurich. A lot has happened in the last 12 months: since the start of the year we have changed and developed. Probably the biggest change was the redesign, or rather the complete overhaul of our website and online shop.
Online shop redesign
My son Thomas played a big part in this technical migration, known in financial circles as Thomas the Sparkojote. With his help, we have taken our family business to a new level. At the same time, we consolidated our products and also added his departments, the Trading Card Games and console games, to the online shop.
Entering the individual items (comics, books, figures, cards, toys) into the database of the new online shop took up a great deal of time. Now, as 2019 draws to a close, around 5500 items are listed, and the number grows every day. I'll venture a forecast here that this number will double by the end of 2020.
The complete redesign of the online shop, the connection to popular sales platforms such as Ricardo and the introduction of cashless payment options have led to a significant increase in sales.
Swiss comic blog
On top of that, in May 2019 we launched the Swiss Comic Blog Amazing, where I now write three posts a week as my alter ego Captain Collector. The number of readers is still modest, but that's normal: after all, the blog is only 7 months old. Good things take time, and in any case I enjoy sharing my two cents on comics with like-minded people.
We have quite a few plans for AMAZING in 2020. The online shop will be expanded, lots of new products will be listed, the comic blog will carry on busily, and we will continue to be at the two Zurich comic fairs held each year.
Comic exhibition
But that's not all: this year we are holding an exhibition of original comic art combined with a warehouse sale of comics, paperbacks, figures and toys. It takes place at the Galerie 111 at Zweierstrasse 111 in 8003 Zurich.
You can visit us there during regular opening hours, from Tuesday 18 February, 13:00, until Saturday 7 March, 17:00. You will find me, Captain Collector, there every day, and Thomas the Sparkojote too.
Did you know that, as Captain Collector, I have never been to a single classic Comic Con in the USA?
Thomas Sr. (Captain Collector)Captain Collector's Pitiful Comic ConfessionsAnd today?
The around 5'500 items of late 2019 have since grown to more than 80'000 at AMAZINGTOYS®.
Avengers #178 Comic: Avengers #178 Language: English Publisher: Marvel Comics Year: December 1978 Condition: Fine Plus, FN+, 6.5 Avengers #178 brings an exciting story from the 1970s, the Bronze Age of comics. The comic is in very good condition. The Avengers have been fighting the villains of Earth, and also those from other worlds, every month without interruption since 1963. Marvel's flagship superhero team was assembled by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby from already existing superheroes of the then-young Marvel Universe. In the beginning it was Thor, Hulk, Iron Man, Ant-Man and Wasp. Over time, others joined, some left the team, later returned, or stayed away for good. Today, the Avengers are probably the most popular and best-known superhero team in the world, of course also thanks to the Marvel films, which have brought them close to non-comic-readers as well. Tags: avengers, jack kirby, thor, john buscema, squadron sinister, scarlet witch, captain america, quicksilver, iron man, red guardian
Challengers of the Unknown #77 Comic: Challengers of the Unknown #77 Language: English Publisher: DC Comics Year: January 1970 Condition: Very Fine, VF, 8.0 Challengers of the Unknown #77 by the legendary Jack Kirby. Here, a classic story from the 1960s is brought back to life. The issue is in good condition. Tags: challengers of the unknown, jack kirby, jack the king kirby, dc comics
Astonishing Tales #34 Comic: Astonishing Tales #34 Language: English Publisher: Marvel Comics Year: March 1976 Condition: Fine/Very Fine, FN/VF, 7.0 Astonishing Tales #34 was one of the Marvel series of the 1970s that gave a home to all kinds of heroes who didn't yet have their own title. Here Marvel presents the first cyborg in comic history: Deathlok, created by Rich Buckler. The comic book is in good used condition. Tags: astonishing tales, marvel tryout, marvel comics, bronze age of comics deathlok
Die Rächer #74 Comic: Die Rächer #74 Language: German Publisher: Williams Year: 1977 Condition: 1-2 (One to two) Fine Die Rächer #74 from the legendary Williams publishing house. The comic book is in very good condition. Tags: die rächer, avengers, marvels avengers, williams verlag
Avengers #158 Comic: Avengers #158 Language: English Publisher: Marvel Comics Year: April 1977 Condition: Fine/Very Fine, FN/VF, 7.0 Avengers #158 brings an exciting story from the 1970s, the Bronze Age of comics. The cover was drawn by Jack Kirby, and the comic book is in good condition. The Avengers have been fighting Earth's villains every month without interruption since 1963, as well as villains from other worlds. Marvel's flagship superhero team was put together by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby from already existing superheroes of the then-young Marvel Universe. At the start, it was Thor, Hulk, Iron Man, Ant-Man and Wasp. Over time, others joined, some left the team, some returned later, and some stayed away for good. The Avengers are today probably the most popular and best-known superhero team worldwide, of course also thanks to the Marvel films, which have brought them close to non-comic fans as well. Tags: avengers, jack kirby, thor, john buscema, squadron sinister, scarlet witch, captain america, quicksilver, iron man, red guardian
Incredible Hulk #123 Comic: Incredible Hulk #123 Language: English Publisher: Marvel Comics Year: January 1970 Condition: Fine Plus, FN+, 6.5 Incredible Hulk #123 with the Fantastic Four and the Leader as guest stars. The story is by Roy Thomas and Herb Trimpe. The issue is in good used condition. The Hulk is one of the oldest superhero characters in the Marvel Universe. Jack Kirby and Stan Lee created him in 1962 as a kind of tragic Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde character. Due to an accident involving radioactive exposure, physicist Dr. Bruce Banner transforms (mostly involuntarily) into a large green monster known to everyone since the Marvel films at the latest: the Hulk. The series initially ran for 6 issues before being cancelled. A few years later he was revived in the Tales to Astonish series, where he wreaked havoc from issue #60 onwards. This comic series was renamed after #101 and became Incredible Hulk with #102. Incidentally, one of Marvel's most famous superheroes made his first appearance in this series: Wolverine first appeared in October 1974 in Incredible Hulk #181. Tags: incredible hulk, hulk, marvel comics
Savage Sword of Conan the Barbarian #36 Comic: Savage Sword of Conan the Barbarian #36 Language: English Publisher: Marvel Comics Year: December 1978 Condition: Very Fine Minus, VF-, 7.5 Savage Sword of Conan the Barbarian #36 from Marvel's black-and-white magazine series. This issue features the comic adaptation of an adventure story by Robert E. Howard, adapted for Conan by Roy Thomas and skilfully brought to life by John Buscema and Alfredo Alcala. The magazine has a fantastic cover painting by Earl Norem and is in good condition. Tags: conan the barbarian, savage sword, marvel, robert e. howard, barry smith
