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Hoops action Men’s basketball limited Liberty to 59 points at Reed Arena Wednesday evening in its first non-exhibition game of the season. Check online to see who contributed to the Aggies’ 81-point performance.
campus
GOP leader visits A&M Cantor discusses higher ed policy
Eric Cantor, House majority leader, speaks at the Bush Library Complex on Wednesday.
Justin Mathers
Jay Kapadia — THE BATTALION
The Battalion The air around the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum buzzed Wednesday as Republican
House majority leader Eric Cantor visited Texas A&M to speak at the William Waldo Cameron Forum on Public Affairs. The twice-annual forum brings recognized leaders and experts on public affairs from around the world to the library. Cantor, a congressman from Virginia and second-highest ranking Republican
in the House of Representatives, visited the Bush School to speak about the state of the economy and education in America. Cantor addressed what he sees as the shortcomings of the economic policy of President Barack Obama’s administration. He has See Cantor on page 2
thebattalion ● Thursday,
Nestled in the brick-and-mortar bosom of normalcy, a force of entertainment stands vigilant in its task of sub-culture catering. Green Goblin, the Incredible Hulk, Spider-man and their comic comrades stare down at visitors from posters on the ceiling. Products — boxed games, comic books, action figures, models — leave no space empty along the walls. A single table in the center of the room invites regulars to sit and enjoy the latest issues. It’s a hole-in-the-wall that BCS Books and Comics owner Dagmar Jones said catches first-time visitors by surprise. “Immediately their face lights up and says, ‘Oh, wow! I didn’t know we had a place like this,’” Dagmar said. It was May of 1989 when Guy and Dagmar Jones merged his love of comic books with her business savvy to create BCS Books and Comics. The Joneses purchased a used book store and relied on its established customer base to keep their fledgling venture alive. They gradually added comic books, board games, card games and other favorite past times to the shelves. “At that point we were the only business in town to sell comic books,” Dagmar said. As word of a thriving comic shop in the Bryan-College Station area spread, Jones said the customer base grew and the business model was optimal. Guy knew what comics and games people wanted and kept the store stocked with the freshest and most exciting products. Dagmar kept the books in line and the numbers straight. A decade later, as the store thrived and a community of readers and players developed, Dagmar lost her husband and suddenly had to run the store without Guy’s comic book expertise. In the wake of the loss, and with a new, overwhelming responsibility, help
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came from the community Dagmar and Guy cultivated for so many years. BCS Comics grew almost organically into a close-knit family of like-minded individuals who looked out for one another and for the haven in which they spent much of their time. Now, a cast of regular readers and players frequent the shop on a daily basis. But a difficulty associated with a comic shop is attracting new clientele. BCS Comics has been running out of the same converted house since its conception, hidden away behind trees near the intersection Texas Avenue and University Drive. The seclusion both hinders and helps the store, Dagmar said, allowing customers to enjoy quiet solitude but discouraging foot traffic. “I think word of mouth is the biggest way this sort of place is promoted,” Dagmar said. Online business innovations have pressured BCS Comics, especially in the genre of comic books. Increasingly, consumers find the comic books they want online, and simply subscribe to digital downloads. The online sellers avoid printing, shipping and stocking costs, but Jones thinks they’re excising the most important aspect of the comic book culture: the books themselves. “Buying online doesn’t give you that physical book you can hold.You’re just paying for the companies to allow you access to online information,” Dagmar said. “Collecting as an investment doesn’t exist anymore.” Dagmar believes online distribution is suited for larger stores, as she lacks the resources to pull it off . She said her customers have not pushed for the store to move in this direction. The bulk of her orders are subscriptions. Readers visit the store and request comic orders in person. In
COURTESY PHOTOS
See Comics on page 4
It should not be a surprise that many of the plots in today’s blockbuster hits come from comic books and old-school cartoons; they are a vital part of American culture and have historically been a major source of propaganda and entertainment. Now, The Avengers movie is trying to capitalize on the superhero craze. “There was an idea . . . to bring together a group of remarkable people. So when we needed them, they could fight the battles that we never could,” said Samuel L. Jackson, who appeared in Iron Man and Iron Man II as Nick Fury, director of the fictional espionage organization S.H.I.E.L.D. The Avengers is Marvel’s answer to DC’s Justice League. Iron Man, Incredible Hulk, Captain America, Thor, Black Widow and Hawkeye compose the team of “Earth’s mightiest heroes” in the 2012 film. Five full-
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length previews — I mean movies — have been made to hype up what should be the best superhero movie ever made. But as much as I want to believe that it will be, there is a very good chance The Avengers won’t live up to expectations. The casting decision to include Black Widow and Hawkeye doesn’t help the movie. I don’t care if Scarlet Johansson is super fine or that Hawkeye represents the “every man.” The original heroes Ant-Man and Wasp should be in their place. The concept of superhero movies is nothing new, but the films took a serious and
See Avengers on page 7
11/10/11 12:53 AM