Heroes line the wall, striking poses, fighting off bad guys. Bright colors, vibrant storefronts and a pleasant atmosphere all provide a comforting space for comic book fans in Tuscaloosa. The town offers inviting shops and communities for those interested in comics or graphic novels. One of these shops is known as Sho’Nuff Comics, located close to the University of Alabama.

“Most comic book shops you go into, they don’t put a lot of money into the overhead, so you get like dingy floors, horrible gray carpets. cinderblock walls – stuff like that. We like art. I mean, other than the posters we have for sale, the art on the wall is stuff we’ve collected ourselves,” said owner Andy Holmes. 

Holmes is a huge fan of comics, starting his love for them young.

“You tend to get out of them in high school or college, which is what I did,” he said. “Sooner or later you come back to them.” 

Holmes mentioned that frequent customer of his has bought Spider-Man since the early 1960s. One of Holmes’ favorite comics is the “Batwoman” series, and is a huge fan of Greg Rucka. As far as his favorite villain, Holmes said it was the Joker. 

“Traditionally, I guess I would have to say… I don’t know, the Joker, but with a caveat: Scott Snyder, the writer on the New 52 Batman, his Joker is more over the top than anything I’ve ever read before,” he said.  

Holmes is a fan of the Marvel movies, praising the company’s commitment to taking their once-negatively received films and turning them into the now-successful film universe. However, he finds the DC movies to be lost in their direction, stating his belief that Warner Bros. is holding the company back due to conflicting interests. 

Holmes recommends that those who want to get into comics just simply ask the question: ‘What’s good?’ 

“One of the things we ask customers when they come in is if they need help or if they need any suggestions, because there’s always something good to read,” Holmes said.

Throughout his years working at Sho’Nuff, Holmes has seen people of all types enter the store, with people who seemed initially bored with the idea of even being in the store walking out happy, with several comics in hand.

Going slightly further into town, The Comic Strip is one of the oldest comic shops in Tuscaloosa. Comic Strip prides itself in being more kid-friendly and community based, to allow readers of any age or interests to feel welcomed.  

“We try to be more of a community hub than just a shop,” employee Liz Ray said.  

Greg Hulsey, owner of The Comic Strip isn’t your average comic fan. Starting his love of comics at age 18, Hulsey was more a fan of the movies until he stumbled upon the store. He said that his first time in the comic shop ended with him walking out with 20 or more comics, and as the years progressed he just read more.

“One day I was coming back to pick up my weekly stuff, and I noticed that basically the store didn’t look the same. I walked in and [the original owner] said, ‘Sorry man, we’re closing.’ I decided right then and there, ‘Well, how much do you want for the place?’” Hulsey said.

“I was the complete opposite,” Ray said. “I was in the second grade and started drawing comics, stupid little stuff instead of doing work.” 

Ray started her love of comics with classics like “Archie” and the “Sonic the Hedgehog” series, but it was “Batman: The Animated Series’ that really got her into the scene. She has always gravitated to DC for series like Wonder Woman and Batman, but said that recently Marvel has grown on her. 

“When I was a kid, it baffled me that you could make a living off of drawing pictures and telling a story, so it’s always been in my blood,” Ray said.

Both Hulsey and Ray said Batman has always been the biggest seller in the store, with things like “Batman: The Killing Joke” and “A Death in the Family” being favorites they recommend to acclimate newcomers to the character.

With shops like The Comic Strip and Sho’Nuff Comics providing entertainment to many, Tuscaloosa’s comic book culture is thriving.