Inside Maverick Comics

He wakes up at 8:30 in the morning knowing that he has to open this store by 10 and be a savior to people that anticipate this routine. Taking eight minutes from his home to get to his destination, he lifts up the shutters, unlocks the door and just like Superman, he enters his Fortress of Solitude as he waits for the customers to arrive.

In the heart of Flatbush, Brooklyn at 210 Parkside Ave is where comic book/gaming culture is being kept alive by Lee Maverick and his store, Maverick’s Comics.

Walking into Maverick’s Comics kapows you with the aura of nostalgia. It almost feels like someone pokes you in the eye with the amount of memorabilia in there, enough to make any millennial man cry.

The first thing that you might bump into on the right side lodged next to the door is the classic arcade game he bought for $1,500, Marvel vs. Capcom. With fifty cents kids and adults put their full focus into mashing buttons to beat either the player next to them or the computer. The next thing you might notice is the half mountain of merchandise from comic books, action figures, toys and even trading cards on each side of the walls showing the love, passion and borderline hoarding that he has for the things he owns.

But to have such a vast collection of items he had to start somewhere. From the time he took up a sword when he was eighteen years old, Maverick started collecting things as a hobby.

“I started off collecting martial arts items,” he said. “Then I started collecting Bruce Lee items, then Marvel and now, everything.”

His then hobby gradually evolved into a vintage video game/comic book business that has been in the Flatbush neighborhood for 22 years and counting.

Before Maverick took ownership of the establishment he worked for the previous owner from which he took inspiration from to open his own shop. Surely enough when the previous owner put the store up for sale Maverick bought the store from him in 1996 at 1921 Church Ave.

Maverick who hasn’t turned back since then says, “I purchased the store for about $100, 000 thanks to friends and family who saw my vision and loaned me the money to do it. I’ve paid them back already. ”

When Maverick first started, business was going well until the intangible took over the tangible. Maverick had a new enemy on top of the enemy that he had to compete with.

“Business was booming especially in the late ’90s, but after 2005 comic books and trading cards took a nose dive due to the Internet,” Maverick said.

This didn’t spell well for Maverick especially since the place had a new landlord that arrived on the scene around the same time and tripled the rent.

Like The Flash, he had to zip and zap out quickly because the problem wasn’t difficult to understand.

“The rent was too damn high,” Maverick said.

His inventory was expanding as well so he needed a bigger spot anyway. He moved into 210 Parkside Ave in 2006 which had more space and surprisingly the rent was less. The place was so spacious he set up a gaming center specifically for his favorite game series, Street Fighter.

The reason why is simple, “I’ve been playing this game since I was young and in my opinion it’s the best fighting game ever.”

This really attracted the kids because it allowed Maverick to have his own tightly knitted crew of nerds just coming in to challenge him and each other’s Street Fighter every day. With two dollars Maverick grants you thirty minutes of gameplay, either practicing by yourself or playing against another person.

One of the people that became part of his Street Fighter crew is Jared Reynolds. Joining the crew about five years ago he met Maverick through playing Street Fighter IV.

“One of the things that I will always remember is the first time I beat Maverick in Street Fighter with Zangief,” he says.

Zangief is Maverick’s favorite character.

“He talks so much about it,” says Reynolds. “I used to come here every day just to play him so it felt good when I finally beat him.”

With the bonds he has created, Maverick became an important lighthouse for people in the community.

Cleveland Henry, a devoted volunteer who helps him around the store with customers who stroll in and get caught by his welcoming demeanor.

“I started coming here when I was really young,” Henry said. “Came in to buy some games, eventually found a new hobby collecting comics. I’ve known Lee since middle school that’s about nine years now but I’ve personally known him for about five.”

Most businesses fail, but when you ask him why this one has been going for 22 years strong Henry would tell you, “the loyal customers, the same people coming as kids are still coming as they get older.”

Knowing what appeals to your customers is a big part of staying alive in this business.

Maverick who likes to put himself into the position of the customers says, “I only sell what I would buy for myself. If I don’t like it I won’t sell it.”

Although he envisioned having two or three more stores, having “Mavericks Comics” on the front of it, to Maverick making about $2,000 every month from this store isn’t that bad.

“It’s enough for me to be stable,” he says. “Keep the lights on, you know.”

However, Maverick has expressed that opening all those years ago wasn’t so much about the money.

One of his philosophies is saying, “As long as your work is something that you love to do then it’s not really work.” “I like this stuff so work is like play to me.”

With this mindset he becomes a hero to marvel at. With the superpower of making people happy within his fortress.

Photos by Anfernee Bobb