Business & Tech

Meet Your Friendly Neighborhood Comic Shop

Comics and fantasy card game come alive on Udall Road

You've heard of your friendly neighborhood Spiderman. Well, West Islip has its own Friendly Neighborhood Comic Shop, located at 19 Udall Road.

The shop, run by Jon Lorig and Ed Palm, has been in business for about a year and a half and features the newest comic books as well as collector cards from the game, Magic the Gathering.

Comic books may be thought of as a childhood hobby, but that isn't necessarily the case. Lorig said the store gets clientele from all ages. It's not surprising considering the rise of movies based on comic book heroes. There are even now comic books based on video games, which Lorig said appeals more to a younger generation. 

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So what is hot these days in comic books? Lorig said the core titles such as the Amazing Spiderman are still selling. As far as comic books about new heroes or subjects, you kind of have to take a gamble on which characters will catch on, he said.

While comics are an important part of the store, Your Friendly Neighborhood Comic Shop also specializes in cards from the fantasy card game, Magic the Gathering, which pits players against each other in a fantasy world of wizards, spells and monsters.

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Each player needs a deck of cards to play the game. Players build their deck, which is part of the strategy of the game. Magic the Gathering has tournaments and it's the winning decks that determine the value of the cards. Lorig explains there are common cards, uncommon cards and rare cards. Your Friendly Neighborhood Comic Show sells some of the cards so that players can model their decks after those that won tournaments.

"It changes. It's never the same. That's what keeps it fresh," Lorig said about his affinity for Magic the Gathering. 

With summer just around the corner when there is more time for hobbies, Your Friendly Neighborhood Comic Shop could be a place to stop in West Islip. "Work is never work if you're doing what you love," Lorig said. 


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