It is Gotham’s greatest reboot since “The Dark Knight.”
A dynamic duo has swooped in to save Brownstone Brooklynites suffering from the loss of Park Slope’s Bergen Street Comics last year, recently opening a new comics emporium in Cobble Hill where they aim to keep the defunct store’s legacy alive by recreating its strong local ties and laid-back atmosphere.
“Their relationship with the community and the vibe of their store is what we’re hoping to emulate,” said Park Sloper Cabe Schreger, who started planning the shop with buddy Davey Kourtesis after Bergen Street’s owners closed their doors in September.
The Brooklyn natives and recent college graduates opened Mama Says Comics Rock at Court and Degraw streets in mid-March — only a few blocks from the old site of another beloved local comic shop, Rocketship, which closed in 2010.
Like its inspiration, the store carries a mix of big-name Lycra-clad heroes and obscure indie titles that will please fans across the spectrum, Schreger says.
In addition to comics and graphic novels from well-known publishing juggernauts such as Marvel and DC, they plan to showcase a different independent artist each month, and will also be the exclusive purveyor of Gowanus publisher So What? Press — which put out a comic about an evil monster lurking in the murky depths of the Gowanus Canal.
The pair also plan to host signings, workshops, and drawing classes.
It isn’t just Bergen Street refugees patronizing the boutique — Schreger says many of the area’s young families come in looking for a way to get their kids excited about reading. Adult newbies have also made their way in, and he says it is a thrill introducing them to their first comic books.
“It’s really exciting for us to watch people get into comics at the get-go,” said Schreger, who started out as a “Batman” fan before delving into more obscure comics.
And though it may never bring in Bruce Wayne-level bucks, the smiling customers more than make up for it, he said
“We wouldn’t necessarily be in print marketing if we were hungry for the millions,” said Schreger. “We’re doing it because we love the community and we think a lot of people involved around comics are really great.”
Mama Says Comics Rock [306 Court St. at Degraw Street in Cobble Hill, (718) 797–3464)].
