Houston’s Third Planet Avoids the Comic Shop Culture War

The Houston Chronicle took a look at Third Planet Comics, a local specialty store that’s been in business for about 5 decades: There aren’t many places left where you can walk in and be immediately met with old-school nerd culture. But at Houston’s comic book stores, there are the latest offerings from Marvel, DC, and countless smaller independent companies; bins filled with older discounted comics to sift through; and rare comics worth lots of coin displayed like trophies on the wall. Even as they vary, comic book stores carry those familiar markers, creating a refuge for fans. I’m sure there’s worthwhile stuff to find, but when they say Marvel and DC’s latest is what to find, that’s where they hugely disappoint, even if it’s not surprising they’d take such a superficial view of the Big Two in their modern incarnations. Although there is something interesting told in what follows: Third Planet Comics, which has become a Houston landmark over its 50 years of operating, is huge; calling it a comic superstore is almost an understatement. The store seems to house everything nerd culture encompasses—comic books, manga, video games, Gundam build kits. You name it, Third Planet probably ...