Superheros: A look at Murfreesboro’s Outer Limit’s Comics

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By T. J. Fowler

When you walk into Outer Limits Comics in Murfreesboro, Tennessee it might look like any other comic store you may have entered. The walls are lined with comics dating back to the 1970’s and 1980’s, some further back than that, all manner of collectible statues and toys decorate curio cabinets and various collectible card and table top games are available for purchase for those who enjoy some friendly competition with some friends around the kitchen table. Also, when you first step into Outer Limits Comics or any other comic shop for that matter what might come to mind are the typical stereotypes that come associated with comics and the people who read them. As I sat down with owner Chuck Cagle to talk to him about comics, why he was drawn to them and his views on the industry today, I got an interview that not only disposes of those antiquated views of comics and the people who read them but I also got a very informative and insightful look into the world of superheroes and villains.

I asked Chuck to tell us a little about himself and what made him decide to, what is essentially many little boys’ dream, open a comic book and collectible shop. Chuck told me that it wasn’t so much as a desire that really made him want to own a comic store, as much as it was that the opportunity presented itself for him to buy the store at a opportune time. Chuck relates, “I worked for a major corporate industry here in Murfreesboro for fifteen years and I was on call 365 days a year, twenty four hours a day. It got to the point where it was really hurting my health. I was heading for a stroke and I started praying for the Lord to show me a different way. I kept trying to do it on my own and finally one day it was time to let God have it and I turned it over to him. And about a week later this place came open to buy. So I prayed on it and discussed it with my wife and we decided to go for it and we have been here ever since. And I’m happy as a clown!”

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When asked what his favorite comic or toy was when he was a kid Chuck laughingly told me, “I really didn’t have a favorite toy. We were pretty poor growing up. I can remember probably Christmas of ’62 I got what was called a Tiger Joe Tank which was at the time a huge technological breakthrough. It was pretty big and I loved it but I was kid and you get tired of stuff. Superman is my favorite comic character, always has been. There was just something about him I tried to identify with I guess. When I started wearing glasses it was pretty neat, I looked like Clark Kent. Since then I got rid of glasses and went to contacts so I guess that has went away.”

As I looked around the shop I noticed Chuck had a wide variety in the things he sold. He had comics ranging from the old Conan the Barbarian books, toys from the 1980’s like Transformers and Voltron and card games like Magic the Gathering. He even has old vinyl records for sale. I asked Chuck if he could give me a brief summary of the comics and collectibles that he has for sale and how far back does his comics go. Chuck said, “We have a very few Golden Age books here, comics that date back to the late 1930’s to the late 1940’s, little by little the industry is turning to where the smaller shops can’t survive by selling just Golden Age and Silver Age books. Not saying some can’t but they are in the bigger communities. Our community is so small that I really don’t have that many people coming in and looking for Gold and Silver Age comics anymore. In fact most of the back issues I sale, 80-90 percent were predominantly published within the last three years. So we lean very heavily on that. We sell every major publisher starting with Marvel and DC. We also sell Dark Horse, Dynamite, Boom and IDW. Along with those comics we have a pretty good collection of toys. GI JOE and Star Wars are the definite biggies in that but we also carry a lot of the Buffy, Xena, The Simpsons, Star Trek and Doctor Who.”

Being a comic reader myself and in my thirties now, I can tell comics today are very different than what they were 10-20 years ago. I asked Chuck what, in his opinion, is different today in the industry than what it was when he was a kid.
“Comics are not written for kids anymore.”
Chuck explained, “Comics are written for adults, probably high school age or older. Probably the average age of my readers is in the mid to late 20’s. Not that I don’t have any younger or older than that, I do, but most fall into that age group.” Chuck went on to describe his readers, “I have literally tons of customers that do not fit the comic book stereotype. I have doctors, lawyers, pharmacists and engineers who come in here every week looking for their comic fix. It’s pretty neat to see the broad section of people that come in the shop. The people who come in here are pretty intelligent. For the most part they don’t believe what they are spoon fed and they do their own research and come to their own conclusions.” Laughing Chuck says, “We have had some really enlightening conversations, debates and downright arguments in here before. I’m just really impressed with these people”

On the business side of things, I asked Chuck since he became an owner of a comic shop what has been his biggest challenge so far. He said, “The biggest challenge is probably overcoming the stigma that is still present with just about all comics is that they are written for kids and what a high school English teacher of mine once referred to comics as, “cornbread literature”. There is a lot to be said that, especially with movies now, movies are getting most of their ideas from comics. It’s very true that comics may be the last legitimate literature that could be called American literature. What I’ve seen and heard that just astounds me is, that there is a fan for everything. Something that you might think is just ridiculas and a waste of money to put in the shop, will sell. Somebody is a fan; every character is somebody’s favorite character. Because of that you have a new respect for the medium and the people who buy it because there is a reason they like it and once you get to know them you find out people are more alike than what you might think. They just have they’re idiosyncrasies”
On what advice he would give someone who wanted to open their own comic or collectible shop Chuck had this to say. “If you’re planning on becoming rich selling comics, don’t. Change your plans. In my life you have got to love what you do. The corporate job I had, I loved, I was pretty good at it. It was the extracurricular that went with it that made it something I couldn’t continue with. The day to day stress was unbelievable. Now the stress of owning your own shop is pretty ridiculas too. With all the taxes you have to put up with and all the little things you have to keep up with and care about. It helps to like what you’re doing. I have got to the point now I like the customers more than the books I sell. Wednesday is comic book day, also our biggest day of the week and to see all these people coming in that I’ve come to be friends with, go to eat with and care about and all because of the store. It’s just simply amazing. I make a good enough living, the store pays for itself and right now I’m very happy. Another piece of advice I would give someone is, do your homework about your location first. There have been two other people who have tried to put stores in this town in the last four years and have failed. The market here is saturated as it is and I don’t think the last few people to attempt to open stores did their research enough to see that. And I feel for them and I’m sure they loved the business as much as I do but you have to know what you’re doing first.”
When it finally came towards the end of our conversation I finally asked Chuck the one question I know everyone in the comic industry has been wanting an answer to so I asked, Who would win in a fight? Howard the Duck or The Legion of Super Pets? In all seriousness Chuck answered,“The Legion of Super Pets.”
So for all of you Howard the Duck fans out there maybe you can visit Chuck at his Outer Limits Comics here in Murfreesboro and have one of those interesting debates he has with his customers. If you’re just passing through, throw out those stereotypes you may hold about comics and stop by. You’ll find that Outer Limits Comics is more than just your typical comic shop; it’s a store where you’re made to feel like you are part of a family and a community.

Outer Limit Comics
1115 Memorial Blvd.
Murfreesboro, TN 37129

http://www.outerlimitsboro.com/