“It’s not hoarding, if it’s comics,” is the well thought out phrase emblazoned on the back of the T-shirts of the staff of Myth & Fable: Comics and Cosplay.
The team is preparing for their grand opening weekend this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The team, made up of life-long friends, is opening their 2,000 square foot store at 804 Chickamauga Ave., in Rossville, Ga. This grand opening weekend, they are inviting people to come check out the store and come dressed in their favorite cosplay costumes for a chance to win a prize. They will also offer several giveaway prizes during the celebration which takes place on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. and Sunday from noon until 6 p.m.
Myth & Fable: Comics and Cosplay is a unique store, catering to a niche audience.
The store will have a well-stocked variety of comics covering nearly every genre imaginable, including new issues, back issues and some in their dollar bin. The store also features an assortment of Gundam figures, Warhammer figures and supplies, Sideshow Collectibles, Hot Toys, PVC figures, lunch boxes, and so much more.
There is one thing they will not be selling.
“We don’t sell Funko Pops,” Team member Ben Wallace said adding his loyal customer base expressed little to no interest in them.
But what the store does offer sets them apart from every other comic bookstore in the area. The team at Myth & Fable: Comics and Cosplay are fiercely devoted to serving the cosplay community in a way that is hardly seen elsewhere.
“We knew that we needed something that would make us stand apart and that is where the cosplay came in,” Wallace said. “We decided to get into that venue because there is nowhere you can go as a physical location to get cosplay stuff. We sell the tools and the materials to make cosplay costumes. We are going to be giving workshops, eventually, to teach you how to make costumes as well.”
“Chattanooga is big on it,” team member Andrew Kroeger said about cosplay. “So is Atlanta. So, being between those two places is really great for us. We are in the spot we want to be in for that.”
Before the team found their brick-and-mortar store, Myth & Fable operated primarily online. As for cosplay, the team went to as many events as they could.
“We were doing the convention circuit, and we were looking for a place to set up shop,” Wallace said. “We had several opportunities come and go until we finally landed on this place.”
In the store’s cosplay corner they carry makeup, items for costume effects, and a few handmade masks made from foam.
EVA foam is used by cosplayers to design costumes and masks. It can be formed and molded, is durable and light weight.
“I work a lot with foam and piecing together things,” team member Megan Humble said. She said team member her and team member Rachyl Stanton help in designing costumes. Stanton is their main seamstress, while Humble said her specialty is working with foam.
Humble held up a mask of X-Men character Magneto that was on the display wall. She said she and Wallace designed various aspects of it together. Humble said they will have foam available for sale at the store once they find a reputable distributor, offering a high-quality foam, at a fair price to their customers.
Wallace is a robotics engineer. He said helps when designing complex aspects of costumes that include movement and electronics. Together, the team can help their customers plan, design and make the cosplay costume of their dreams.
The store has a lounge area where folks can sit and read, watch TV and just hang out. The team will also have a community board at the back entrance of the store where like-minded folks can swap, barter, announce upcoming events or share ideas with the community.
Serious comic book subscribers are encouraged to sign up for the pull-boxes. Pull-box subscribers receive a 10 % discount on pre-ordered titles.
“Our primary (comic books) is going to be whatever our customers want,” team member Jason Stanton said. “And we carry the things we love. I’m more of an X-Men collector.”
“I’m more of a Spider-Man and DC guy,” Wallace added.
Myth & Fable: Comics and Cosplay is much more than just a comic bookstore; it is an enhanced experience for those into comic book and cosplay culture.
Myth & Fable: Comics and Cosplay
- 840 Chickamauga Ave., Rossville, Ga.
- (706) 841-4329
- mythandfablecomics.com
Regular store hours:
- Closed on Mondays
- Tuesday-Thursday 11 a.m. until 7 p.m.
- Fridays and Saturdays 11 a.m. until 8 p.m.
- Sundays Noon until 6 p.m.