State College shop looks to become go-to space for comic book fans, and create new ones
Comic books are a medium of entertainment that have been an American staple for well over a century, with the term “comic book,” coined in the late 1800s.
And State College has a new shop to celebrate the publications, with Justin Behrens opening Comic Cove last month to showcase all different kinds of comic books.
Behrens started his comic book journey in the early 2000s, when he was stationed in Iraq with the United States Army.
“When I was stationed overseas, my family and friends would send me copies of all these different comics. From there I was hooked,” Behrens said.
Over the course of the next two decades, Behrens’ comic book collection would grow, until eventually, he got the idea to open up his own shop.
“One day the idea of owning a comic book shop just popped into my head and I sort of ran with it,” Behrens said. “Some of my friends called me crazy, but with enough support I was convinced into doing it, and I couldn’t be happier with where things are now.”
To Behrens though, comic books are more than just a means of entertainment — they’re an art form, and throughout history they’ve been responsible for tackling complex social issues. Over the years comic books have addressed a number of topics, including drug abuse, racism, identity issues and more, Behrens said.
He also sees his comic book shop as a means of connecting with the community, and bringing comic books back into the worlds of children.
“Whenever I was a kid, comic books were for everyone to read and enjoy — kids and adults alike,” Behrens said. “They were also affordable too. Nowadays, comic books aren’t as affordable as they once were. The rise of serious comic books collectors have inflated the market, meaning that they aren’t as affordable for children and teens anymore.”
He’s hoping that the Comic Cove can change that — or at least in this area.
The location of the new business, 528 Westerly Plaza — the former home of My My Chicken — is crucial for the type of business Behrens would like to run.
“We’re right next to State College High School, which is just perfect for the demographic we’re trying to reach,” he said. “If we want to reach out to a younger population, there’s no better place to be.”
The location is important to Behrens for another reason as well — community revitalization. By putting his comic book store in a location with several empty and abandoned storefronts, he hopes that his actions will inspire others to do the same.
ComiCove is home to nearly every superhero — or supervillain — comic you could imagine, with hundreds of comics up for sale.
When a customer steps foot inside the store, they’ll be greeted on one side by comic books in boxes, listed in alphabetical order, and on the other side, a glass display case and several selves, showcasing some of the most valuable comic books that Behrens has to offer.
The most rare comic books in the store are two pieces published by the Timely Comics publishing company. According to Behrens, those two comics were made during a time period when a paper shortage was ongoing, meaning that the comics were more difficult to come by. They cost around $1,600 a piece.
The shop sells playing cards for the Pokemon and Magic: The Gathering games as well, with Behrens planning on building two new rooms in the store for card tournament play.
“This are has a need for a space like that — somewhere people can come and play these game competitively, and we’re eager to begin providing that,” Behrens said. “We aren’t to that point yet, but soon we hope to be. Right now we’re still working on establishing a good clientele and keeping things running smoothly.”
The Comic Cove is closed on Sundays and Mondays, but is open from noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays.
This story was originally published May 28, 2024 at 5:50 AM.