Today we’d like to introduce you to Lee Heidel
Hi Lee, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in a small town in south central Georgia. I loved watching Saturday cartoons of the late 70s and early 80s like Super Friends and the 1966 Batman live-action series. On rare occasions I would find a comic or two on the magazine rack at local grocery stores and pharmacies. Those issues opened up a whole new world of serialized storytelling. Sadly, I almost never found consecutive issues of my favorite titles, making for a very frustrating experience. When I attended the University of Georgia in the mid-90s, I discovered that comic book stores existed. What a revelation! Not only could I pick up new issues every week, I could delve into the deep and esoteric history of the medium.
A decade later when my daughter was beginning to read she was drawn to the bright colors and action-packed pages of comic books. I was happy to join her as she sought out copies of Tiny Titans and My Little Pony. However I was surprised to see that most comic shops catered to established, older readers like myself and did little to encourage a new generation of fans. In that spirit, Neighborhood Comics was born. We work to build our local comics community through creator events, a layout and messaging that encourages new readers and a dedicated all ages section.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Brick and mortar retail is challenging. Most of us have become accustomed to the lifestyle of discount web and app shopping and overnight delivery. Customers have to make a conscious decision to visit our stores or shop with us online. Luckily, the community of comic book fans is dedicated and driven, and they’ve continued to sponsor us along our journey.
Like most small businesses, COVID-19 caused us to change our business model. We began virtual shopping online video channels, hosted podcasts and worked hard to expand our reach. Many of those initiatives are still in place today.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
In college I earned a BFA in art education and actually worked as a high school visual arts teacher for several years. That hands-on approach to not only teaching methods and materials, but also history and context has revisited itself in many ways as we’ve expanded our store. We’ve hosted zine and mini-comic making classes, maintain Savannah’s only dedicated sequential art supply inventory and organize book clubs and seminars that shed light on the historical and cultural impact of the comic art form.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
Savannah is a city of surprises. In recent years, I’ve been inspired by the growth of our small business retail and the rallying cries of the community to keep those spaces vibrant and afloat. It’s the quality of those “third spaces” and the youthful, artistic people that work and live here that breathes new, exciting life into a city that’s rich with history. I do keep an eye on downtown development that can further threaten access to affordable housing and resources for our unhoused and underemployed neighbors. But with the right planning and considerations, this development has the potential to help everyone.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://neighborhoodcomics.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/nbrhdcomics
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/nbrhdcomics
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/nbrhdcomics
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nbrhdcomics
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/neighborhood-comics-savannah
- Other: https://tiktok.com/@nbrhdcomics
