Contest of Challengers

"Rudest. Employee. Ever."

20 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

A 1-star Yelp review + Reddit + the UK website The Poke = quite the internet week for Challengers. One more round of identity theft, because having th...

Just say "Fine."

13 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When business is slow in Blue vs Red The second change to Blue's layout in a month. How we work our Back Issues. The Local Artist section really needs...

A Positive Integer (2019 Sales Review)

06 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Thanks, Matthew Rosenberg!! NO subscriber complaints! We mean BY us, not ABOUT us. But we still complain about 1 customer interaction… Top 100 Comic...

There is No Quality Control in a Field of One

30 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Retail sure is weird this time of year! Spending New Year's Eve at Challengers (Red). Christmas makes us feel like we carry all the wrong things. Club...

IF Things Were Running Normal…

23 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Dal is very hungry. You can hear the tension between Dal and Patrick at the start of this episode.  Profanity warning for around the 21 minute mark. ...

Don't Make Us Eat Your Sandwich

16 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Commuting between the 2 stores is all new to us. We're still learning our new routines. Potential changes to Blue's layout, already. Changes to the wa...

How Quickly the Market Forgets People

09 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Patrick was on the news talking about Chicago's new bus lanes. "If you think like Patrick Brower, you'd be wrong!" Johnny Cadillac Marvel is NOT relea...

Day One

01 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The counters arrived!! We made it. We are now a chain! 2 stores! Hear about the final week of prep and the first day of sales. No Black Friday Sales t...

Batman Has Our Back

25 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Recorded with a Q-Mic! Can you hear the difference? We say we're not going to talk about Blue this week, but we totally talk about Blue this week. Thi...

2 Weeks and Counting

18 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Recorded in Challengers River North! We're actually pleased with our progress thus far. Less than 2 weeks until opening day! R.I.P. Tom Spurgeon. Orbi...

That **** is Epidemic

11 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

An update on the first week of prep for Blue. Boy, no Chicago news source cares about a new comic book shop. Subscriber emails vs. subscribers actuall...

Blue.

04 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This is the 2nd biggest announcement we could possibly have. This is huge. This is Blue.

The Signal-to-Noise Ratio Has Not Changed

28 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Does Dal always believe in Patrick? A few in-store customer anecdotes. Do people use the New Release monitor we have mounted over the New Releases? Pa...

The Paradigm Shift

21 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Do you have Faith? Are you watching Stumptown? We like it. The X-Men #1 Midnight Release was a fun success. That leads us to remember the fandom that ...

We Looked Down

14 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The Batman's Grave #1 is good. Doctor Doom #1 is also good! X-Men #1 is out next week (at midnight) but what are the other Dawn of X books going to be...

There's Always a New Comic Event

07 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

How was business on this first Friday in October? Let's say B+. Local Comic Shop Day returns this November, and while we took 2018 off, we're back at ...

It's Just Like a Dalliance

30 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Patrick is an old and more-broken-than-before man. But he breaks for you. Raina's GUTS is the best-selling BOOK in the country. Graphic Novels are dea...

Ship(ping) $hape

23 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

DC is making a Svengoolie/MeTV promo comic. How can we get a store signing for that? Thank you for all the ALZ5K donations! Patrick survived. Some tit...

Because the Story is Still Inside

16 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Why isn't every new comic on the racks in 10.0/Mint condition? The closing of ComiXology digital storefronts. What's been as good for retailers as Hou...

Contest of Challengers 441

12 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It's an extra episode of Contest of Challengers for the week! We start mid-pitch as Eliot is explaining the premise of his new Aftershock comic series...

Abandoning the Comic Market Entirely

09 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We just had a Battlepug cookout! Where were YOU?? You can make it up to us on Batman Day. Local Saturdays. Our thoughts on the upcoming DC 100-Page Gi...

Your Fandom Does Not Negate My Fandom

02 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Why don't we do more store videos? We can always do more promoting. Of new comics, of events, everything. Road construction in front of the shop is al...

The "Picking Your Pocket" Publishing Mentality

26 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

D23 is happening right now! What does "D23" stand for, anyway? We don't know. Have you seen Marvel's solicits for November? They get bigger every mont...

Be Ashamed of It

19 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Former Pittsburgh Steelers QB Landry Jones joins the XFL! Wait—that doesn't belong here… Caroline Cash (Girl in the World) just signed at Challeng...

No, Retailers, YOU Take That Risk

12 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Patrick is a broken old man. We so desperately want new carpet! And window blinds! Making the consumer pay the credit card processing fee. Paying for ...

Ten Years of Contest of Challengers

04 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Remember Superman Unchained? Dal doesn't. Keepin' them back issues in order! When books disappear from your mindset (i.e. Morning Glories). Thanks, Pa...

Revenge of the Dreamers

29 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We've got a (potentially) big event happening tomorrow and neither of us know what to expect. It's a surprise drop of the comic book tie-in to Dreamvi...

Pure Speculation

22 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Want vs need. Rewarding you for sharing in our ecosystem. Captain Marvel #8 is what the swarm went for this week. Customer databases. Information inte...

Bad or Wrong Comics

15 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We start with several new comic series announcements—it must be time for Comic-Con! A serious question about second prints. With all the demand over...

We Are the Retail Dead

07 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

How can we make this podcast better? Puppies. Walking Dead #193 came out the day of recording, and it reminds us of everything we hate about comics re...

Next Thing vs Next BIG Thing

30 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Why was last episode a day late? Genre-racking graphic novels, one year later. The polarizing business strategy of Colorado's Mile High Comics. The fu...

You Have Earned None of My Excitement

24 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The marketing genius of Taylor Swift. J.J. Abrams' Spider-Man. 37,000 photo views? No, X-Men Grand Design X-Tinction #2 did NOT come out this week. Ge...

Harley and Ivy's FRIENDship

16 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Mistaken identity! Thanks, Patrons! Making money vs. making people happy. Buncha new comics news! Legion, Flash, Harley & Ivy, King Thor, etc. Absolut...

Come for the Lamb; Leave with the Dinosaur

09 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Markisan Naso joins Patrick for a wide-ranging conversation that covers it all! Designing a comic-themed beer! Earlier years of comic book journalism ...

You're Making ME Do MY Job

02 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We 100% value you, our Wednesday Angels (Wednesday Angels ™ & © 2019 Challengers Inc). A not-short story about trying to buy a new car (but it rela...

One Day To0 Early

27 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

All the upcoming concerts that will cause some adjustments to the CoC recording schedule. Dal's (very brief) visit to Sarasota. Okay, so we have a lot...

We're About Bringing Families Closer Together

19 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Just your average episode with 2 comic shop owners talking about business! How we now order DC "B" covers. Ordering for July is soul-crushing. The dif...

The One Where We Get Angry

13 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

What is Marvel Comics #1000? I'm sorry, we mean WHY is (it called) Marvel Comics #1000? How do we keep track of customer wants when they ask for books...

Get Ready for the Little Girls

06 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It's an interview episode with Nicholas Aflleje & Sarah DeLaine from the brand new Image Comics graphic novel LITTLE GIRLS. Who are they? What is Litt...

We Are Not Your Marketing Plan

29 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Listener questions! You (2 of you) had questions (7 questions) and we have answers (way more than 7 answers). The Doomsday Clock collection plans. How...

Why Are You So Mean?

22 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

New POP Vinyl's… always new POP Vinyl's. Why don't we do more Patreon Exclusive episodes? 101WKQX did some filming in Challengers this week. The Lit...

Bending Over Backwards to Not Buy Anything

15 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Never before in 11 years—a $0 cash day! Jumping thru hoops to be a part of the Wizards Play Network (for the Transformers card game). Bag-switching ...

A Four-Quadrant Hit

08 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

First! A conversation with CAKE (Chicago Alternative Comic Expo) organizer Jon Mastantuono about CAKE's upcoming art auction and what to look forward ...

Road Trip! Heading out to Kokomo Toys.

01 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We turned 11 today! It's the return of everybody's favorite— a recorded-in-a-moving-car episode (showing you why Car Con Carne is recorded in a stat...

What Do You Expect from a Comic Convention?

25 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Detective Comics #1000 is the new C2E2 tickets, for this week, at least. A minor (Challengers) controversy of an upcoming Previews cover featuring Wic...

Maybe Your Horizons Will Be Broadened

18 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Alternate episode title: "High-Fives from Dal!" C2E2 is just about here, and we cannot wait!! …to not have to sell tickets anymore this year. The we...

You Gotta Tell Us You Want It

11 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Current publishing practices we just don't understand (such as releasing 2 new #1's one week but 0 the next; uneven numbering). Who is the new Transfo...

How to Enjoy These Stories

04 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This episode rundown will not be in the order these topics are discussed on the show. How we choose each week's front counter Challengers Choice. Futu...

Don't Rent Next to Us-- We Sell COMICS!

25 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The perception of Challengers to the non-comics population. Apparently we are a business for neighbors to be warned about. The ComicsPRO Annual Meetin...

Selling Comics the Analog Way

17 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It is very difficult to sell comics when the device you use to sell said comics does not function. …and other computer problems for the day. The lib...

Why We Don't Have What You Want to Buy

11 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We're 2 days into our annual sale and people either take full advantage of it or don't even realize there IS a sale. It seems Marvel trade paperback c...

We're Not Heroes for Being Open in -20° Weather

04 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We were guests on the Graphic Novel TK podcast! It was a fun time. Maybe check it out? Some days Twitter is harder to understand than others. Peter Ca...

Too Cold vs Cold Hard Cash

28 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

So cold in Chicago nobody's coming into the shop. We'll soon have a new retail neighbor and we have a new security system in place. Little Bird and As...

We Are Not Key Retailers

21 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Dal and Patrick were both jurors for CAKE (Chicago Alternative Comics Expo) applicants again this year, and our scores were due today. Image Comics is...

Dal's Shocking Suggestion for the Future of Monthly Comics

14 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We appreciate the few new ratings and reviews we've gotten on iTunes. Please keep 'em coming! Thank you for the past 10 years, Donovan! An in-depth lo...

2018 vs 2017

07 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Do you think the Bears will make it to the Super Bowl? Against the Chargers? (EDIT: Um... no) It's January, so that means it's once again time for oth...

Experiences are Dead

31 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Diamond Comic Distributors catches Patrick's ire one last time for the year. Some customers only see what they want to see. Some stores got next week'...

Ho-Ho-Ho-ing Our Way Thru the Season

24 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It's a Christmas episode! Just by the fact that it's recorded in late December. Also, Santa has a cameo, and so does Stan Lee. Another long-running co...

Maybe There Should Have Been Borders After All

17 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Why, as a small, retail business, would you not offer gift cards? Once again, our Peoples Gas account was swiped by a condo resident in our building. ...

Marvel Movies vs. Marvel Comics

10 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

I dunno, how do YOU swipe credit cards thru the card reader? An update to a prior subscriber story, and Patrick's 2 favorite ways to overreact. Sendin...

Stop Being Offensive

03 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

400 episodes of this? Damn. We "acquired" 2 new back issue cabinets. After days of work, they're not what we expected. November was not a great sales ...

Working Hard vs. Hardest Working

26 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Working Hard vs. Hardest Working This episode was recorded immediately following our 2018 Black Friday sale. We never seem to sell out of the stuff we...

The Chicago "Put-That-Back-We're-Not-Buying-That" Fair

19 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Rest in Peace, Stan. Recorded live from the show floor of ChiTaG, the Chicago Toy and Game Fair, the worst we have ever done at a convention. This one...

Don't Know What Ya Got Until Someone Else Buys It

12 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The level of engagement we feel defines Challengers. When trivial information becomes exceedingly useful. "+ Conversation" doesn't apply to movie theo...

The Job Gets Harder as You Get Older

05 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Isola collection available in comic shops doesn't have the prologue story that the Barnes & Noble edition has. Somehow we missed ordering 3 issues...

Don't Yuck Somebody's Yum

29 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Patrick talked to Aubrey Sitterson and Chris Moreno about The Comic Book Story of Professional Wrestling. And the recording turned out to be virtually...

The Guts of It All

22 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Just like episode #177 from 4 years ago, Patrick is recovering from surgery so Dal has to work every day. That leads to asking if time away makes one ...

There are No Photo Ops for This Episode

15 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This episode does not contain an interview with Aubrey Sitterson and Chris Moreno from The Comic Book Story of Professional Wrestling, and we tell you...

It's Up to You, New York (Comic Con)

08 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Good news-- we did not get broken into this week! So that's 1 week in a row! The continuing story of Challengers and our (for now) alarm company. Add ...

Please Stop Robbing Us

01 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Dark Matter has a new retail coffee shop right across the street from Challengers. We got broken into and robbed… again. We loved Heroes in Crisis #...

Batman Damned If You Do

24 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It's almost time for our health insurance plans to be cancelled! If you complain that comics cost too much, maybe reevaluate your buying choices. What...

Something Stinks in Comics Retail

17 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The new DC Universe streaming service started today. Did we subscribe? If we did, did it work? The full Batman Day 2018 rundown, and comparisons to pa...

The Cost of Doing Business

10 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

From the sound of glass shattering you'd think "Stone Cold" Steve Austin was on his way to the ring, but NO! It's a break-in at Challengers. And, unre...

This + This, Only Violent!

03 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Recorded mere moments before it's posted, this episode is almost completely unedited. Time the pauses! Count the "ummm's"! Do you want your receipt? N...

Furious with Marvel, Yet Again.

27 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Friday started with a Disaster Pizza (™ & ©). Maybe not comic news, but it happened IN a comic shop, so it counts. Patrick is suddenly very excited...

Finally, a sexy Mojo!

20 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

When should we have Daniel Warren Johnson in to sign for MURDER FALCON #1? There are several new Image comics we're excited about… MAN-EATERS, CEMET...

Why Are They All Pooping?

13 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It's the Gen Con Road Diaries, featuring a bunch of guest stars! 0:03:40 Brad Rooks from Oni Press. 1:05:39 Cory Casoni from Table Titans. 1:12:00 Gab...

The 2 modes of Challengers

01 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It's next week's episode of Contest of Challengers six days early! Another midnight release event? Um, pass. Koyama Press is ceasing publication in 20...

Out of the Woods with Zach Lehner

29 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Zach Lehner joins Patrick in a very echo-y room to talk all about his brand new Oni Press graphic novel "Junior Brave of the Apocalypse Book 2: Out of...

Marvel doesn't know how to make comics for kids.

23 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Sneaky secret shoppers are apparently a thing. It's the time of year where more mentally challenged people roam Chicago streets. The San Diego Comic-C...

Die! Robert Kirkman! Die!

16 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Whoops, that header is a mistake. It should read, "DIE!DIE!DIE! by Robert Kirkman. Darn typos. "That's not what I would do if I put a gun to your head...

The Engine that Turns Pain into Hope

09 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The "proper" way to display comic books on shelves. Daring to tell creators how to design covers. What a time for weddings. Kitty and Colossus. Mr. an...

You're What Planks Are For

02 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This is the second episode #378 we recorded for you today. Technical difficulties caused us to lose a full 1-hour & 4-minute episode, and, professiona...

Exclusive DC Comics for Walmart (not Comic Shops)

25 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Two new waves of Marvel Legends figures have been selling very well. If you overlooked The Hard Place in its 6-issue run, the trade is out now and it'...

A Comic with a Point to It

18 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Wrestling mouthpiece Jimmy Hart is coming to Challengers this Saturday! This was almost the week that Patrick retired from comics retail. Nancy Drew a...

What If Diamond Comic Distributors Went Away?

10 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The new Divorce Gun album "The Waning Days of the World" is available now! iTunes, Apple Music, Amazon, Spotify, 7Digital, iHeartRadio, Napster, Tidal...

Amazon Knows Everything About You

04 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Comixology will be producing original, creator-owned comics on their digital platform. We talk about the Forbes article about it. We're not opposed to...

As Passive-Aggressive as We Can Get

28 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Obligatory Mach Kick (Transformers) reference! There may be one every week moving forward! An in-depth discussion about a new Yelp review, and the res...

It's Not Your Fandom; It's Only For Me

21 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Hyping up the Nerd Cred! This episode is an official Public Meeting. The new West Coast Avengers comic looks great! The Kessel Run vs the Kobiashi Mar...

We're the "A" in YA (Young Adult)

14 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

My Boyfriend is a Bear is out now and really fun!! Spectacle by Megan Rose Gedris is out in 2 weeks and we're having a circus-themed release party for...

Free Comics For The Trash Day 2018

07 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Free Comic Book Day 2018 is history! Hear our complete rundown of how the day went. Plus! The new BCW Comic Book Bin storage box. And, ONI's My Boyfri...

A (Tues)Day in the Life

30 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Ever wonder just how the comics find their way onto our shelves and into your subscription box? This episode is an in-depth look at how Patrick and Da...

This Podcast has 10 Variant Covers

23 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Probably the last time we'll talk about Action Comics #1000. This time, how the Midnight Release went, and how it compares to previous midnight releas...

The Adventures of Magic Space Dad

16 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Action Comics #1000 is out this Wednesday (at 12:01am). How many covers do you plan to buy? Are you ready for the Bendis era of Superman? Superman's p...

"Sometimes we need to remind people of the business aspects of this."

09 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It's a busy week as we talk about the Diamond Retailer Summit, C2E2, a new BOOM! Studios retail initiative, two Richie Kotzen concerts, filming the "M...

The First 10 Years of Challengers Comics + Conversation

01 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We proudly announce our creator line-up for this year's Free Comic Book Day. What comic-themed gift can you get for someone that works in a comics sho...

Sometimes Comics Need to Slow Down

26 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It's been a week. How have the new changes been received? As a consumer, do you want to be immediately help in a store or left alone? It's time for ne...

By the time you hear this, change will have occurred.

19 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

But, what? What is changing? Fine, we'll tell you. We're making some pretty big layout changes, while not moving any of the furniture. We're about to ...

We'll pay you $4/month to NOT shop here.

11 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

No, not YOU; someone else. But we'd do it if we could. Fridays, amirite?? We start off the episode with a quick reminder of how subscriptions work, be...

As predictable as the Academy Awards

05 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Suddenly it feels like last week's episode was a 2-parter. More new Marvel 'Fresh Start' title announcements. Several DC announcements from Emerald Ci...