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Midtown Comics is a New York City comic book retailer with three shops in Manhattan and an e-commerce website.〔Gustines, George Gene (November 16, 2005). ("Some Caution Helps When Selling Fantasies" ). ''The New York Times''.〕 The largest comic book store in the United States,〔Kaplan, Don (June 25, 2012). ("It’s a geek drama" ). ''New York Post''.〕 the company opened its first store in the Times Square area in 1997. Its second was opened on Lexington Avenue in 2004,〔 and is known as the Grand Central store for its proximity to Grand Central Terminal.〔("Olivia Munn Signs Her New Book at Midtown Comics" ). Comic Book Resources. July 2, 2010〕 Its Downtown store was opened on Fulton Street in the Financial District in November 2010. It also operates a boutique inside Manhattan's Times Square Toys R Us. The store is noted for appearances by celebrities known outside the comic book industry,〔Gustines, George Gene (May 4, 2007). ("Superhero Worship, Gotham to Riverdale" ). ''The New York Times''.〕 for its friendly and energetic staff, and for being the most media-friendly comic store in the United States.〔Johnston, Rich (November 2013). "The Top 100 Power List of Comic Books". ''Bleeding Cool'' magazine #7. p. 62.〕 It was named by ''The Village Voice'' in 2012 as the Best Comic Book Store in New York,〔("New York Best Comic Book Store: Midtown Comics" ). "Best of New York". ''The Village Voice''. Retrieved November 4, 2012.〕 and has been hailed by Comic Book Resources as "the industry’s leading retailer of comic books, graphic novels and manga."〔 On July 13, 2012, the National Geographic Channel premiered ''Comic Store Heroes'', a reality television program set at Midtown Comics. Due to its geographic proximity to the headquarters of the "Big Two" of the American comic book publishing industry, Marvel Comics and DC Comics, and the relationship between the store and industry professionals, it was ranked number 44 on ''Bleeding Cool'' magazine's 2013 Top 100 Power List of Comic Books.〔 ==History== Midtown was founded by partners Gerry Gladston, Angelo Chantly, Thomas Galitos and Robert Mileta, who met as teenagers in Astoria, Queens, and later sold comics in their video stores in Brooklyn and Queens before opening Midtown Comics in Manhattan, which houses approximately 500,000 books in its collection.〔〔Perkins, Ben. ("Midtown Comics" ). ''New York Magazine'', February 3, 2003〕 According to ''The New York Times'': ''The stereotypical view of comics stores is that they are dim, cramped and dusty places with a no-girls-allowed clubhouse atmosphere. In reality, they run the gamut. For instance, the West Side Midtown store is bright, airy and welcoming to all, with two floors and of space. The main floor, which is one story above street level, has a long wall with countless racks of new and recently released comics. The rest of the space offers DVDs, manga, trading cards, back issues and trade paperbacks. Toys and other collectibles are upstairs. The second Midtown store, on Lexington Avenue and 45th Street, though smaller than the first one, is just as inviting.''〔 Midtown Comics is the official retail sponsor of New York Comic Con, and has performed this role since the NYCC's inception in 2006.〔 Each year, Midtown creates a "show-within-a-show", featuring round-the-clock appearances by comics creators and variant comic books by publishers like Marvel Comics and Top Cow.〔MacDonald, Heidi. ("The Beat: NYCC: Midtown Comics" ) ''Publishers Weekly'', April 15, 2008)〕 On November 10, 2010, Midtown Comics opened a third Manhattan store. Known as their Downtown store, it is located in the Financial District, at 64 Fulton Street, in the southernmost section of the borough.〔Gustines, George Gene (November 17, 2010). ("Out of Work, Spider-Man Gets Advice From Bloomberg" ). ''The New York Times''〕〔MacDonald, Heidi. ("Midtown goes Downtown" ) The Beat, June 23, 2010.〕〔("Grand Opening! Midtown Comics Downtown NYC!" ), midtowncomics.com, November 8, 2010.〕 Inaugural book signings were held for that branch featuring Jim Lee and Jonathan Layman, creator of ''Chew''.〔 As of June 2012, Midtown is the largest comic book store in the United States.〔Kaplan, Don (June 25, 2012). ("It's a geek drama" ). ''New York Post''.〕 The store is a sponsor of Artists Assemble!, a comics festival in Union City, New Jersey that began in February 2013.〔DeChiaro, Dean (February 10, 2013). ("Superheroes and fanboys unite!" ). ''The Hudson Reporter''.〕 In May 2012, Midtown Comics opened a boutique inside the flagship FAO Schwarz toy store in Manhattan's Fifth Avenue shopping district. The boutique offered graphic novels, hardcover books, apparel and collectibles.〔MacDonald, Heidi (May 31, 2012). ("Midtown Comics opens boutique in FAO Schwarz" ). The Beat.〕〔Melrose, Kevin (June 1, 2012). ("Midtown Comics opens boutique inside FAO Schwarz" ). Comic Book Resources.〕〔("Midtown Comics Opens in FAO Schwarz" ). ''Publishers Weekly''. June 1, 2012.〕 The boutique ceased operations when FAO Schwartz closed in July 2015. In October 2013, Midtown opened a shop inside the Toys R Us store in Manhattan's Times Square. The shop, which is located next to the second floor animatronic Tyrannosaurus that forms the centerpiece of the ''Jurassic Park'' display, offers items similar to that offered in the FAO Schwarz boutique.〔Melrose, Kevin (October 22, 2013). ("Midtown Comics opens boutique in Toys 'R' Us Times Square" ). Comic Book Resources.〕 In 2013, Midtown was ranked number 44 on ''Bleeding Cool'' magazine's Top 100 Power List of Comic Books, due to its geographic proximity to the headquarters of the "Big Two" of the American comic book publishing industry, Marvel and DC, and the fact that industry professionals both shop there and are privy to reaction from Midtown staffers and owners.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Midtown Comics」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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