The following is an interview with Comic Book Couples Counseling co-hosts Brad and Lisa Gullickson regarding their upcoming cross-country Comic Shop Road Trip to San Diego Comic-Con. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with the Gullicksons about their itinerary for visiting comic shops nationwide at various stops on their journey, their plans for SDCC 2025, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: This summer, you will both be making the cross-country trek to San Diego Comic-Con like never before: with a 10-day road trip with stops at various comic shops along the way. What can you share with us about the genesis behind this exciting endeavor?
Lisa Gullickson: Whenever Brad and I travel to a new city, one of the first things we do upon arrival is ask our phones to “take us to the nearest comics shop.” It’s just so fascinating! Each store has its own nuance and character, and you can learn so much about a place and the comic book scene by digging around in the back issues, seeing how they lay out their store, and – my fave – scoping out the staff recs.
Brad Gullickson: Dollar bins. That’s where you’ll find me. More ‘90s Valiant comics, please.
LG: Also, a lengthy road trip features pretty epically in our romance. We started dating weeks before Brad was going to move to California to pursue his West Coast dreams. He packed his Honda and hit the road. However, we still texted as he hit various landmarks across the country Graceland, Monument Valley, etc.
BG: Deadwood. I was pretty cowboy-obsessed at the time.
LG: – and this was in the time of T9, so texting and driving was extra dangerous. Brad got as far as Las Vegas when he realized he was madly in love with me. He drove the rest of the way back. I’ve envied that long road trip ever since, so this is a way for me to have a little piece of that experience.
BD: Your itinerary consists of a thrilling list of award-winning brick-and-mortar retailers across the nation. Are there any spots that you’re able to highlight for our readers?
BG: We’re kicking everything off at Four Color Fantasies in Winchester, Virginia, on July 12th, shortly after hosting a matinee screening of Superman at the Alamo Drafthouse at 11:00 AM. The FCF crew are our buds; together, we host a Comic Book Film Club at the Alamo every month. It would be wrong to start the trip from anywhere else. We’ll have a little sendoff party around noon; anyone reading this is invited to join the fun.
The stop I’m most excited about is Jerry Siegel’s childhood home, the birthplace of Superman, in Cleveland, Ohio. While we’re there, I’m sure we’ll hit up Carol and John’s, a comic shop we’ve heard only good things about for literal decades. There’s a Harvey Pekar park, too.
With the James Gunn movie hitting theaters this year, we’ve been on a Superman high. From Cleveland, we’re heading to the Super Museum in Metropolis, Illinois. We may swing by Chester, Illinois, too. That’s Popeye’s hometown, where cartoonist E.C. Segar was raised, and there are a bunch of Popeye-related statues to see.
One of our longtime dreams is finally crossing the threshold of Mile High Comics in Denver, Colorado. That shop is massive, and I’m legit scared we’ll spend all our money before reaching our destination, Now or Never Comics, in San Diego, California. Our road trip ends there on July 22nd, where we’ll be recording a live podcast with special guest Daniel Warren Johnson.
BD: Amidst the many challenges facing our community this year, with this trip, you are striving to celebrate the retailers who are a vital part of the comics industry. How do you feel that Comic Book Couples Counseling‘s Comic Shop Road Trip might help creators, retailers, and readers alike to find a sense of community?
LG: I love the idea that this is some humanitarian act we’re doing – having the most fun two comic nerds who love being in the car can have.
BG: It’s pretty selfish.
LG: We just want to do our part to show our gratitude and shine a spotlight on comic book retailers. Comics are huge in our hearts, but still, a very niche industry, and all of these stores are small businesses at a time when there is so much uncertainty. The best stores are so much more than places to buy stuff. They’re literary hotspots and modern-day salons. We crave the convo and community as much, if not more, than the books.
BD: CBCC‘s coverage of SDCC is always a highlight of the year! What are you most looking forward to about this year’s event?
LG: Big question! So much! We’ll be hosting some panels, doing some interviews, and doing all the attendee stuff we love – hitting up panels, scrounging through longboxes, and getting creators’ signatures. Most of all, we love seeing the friends we’ve made over the past 14 years attending SDCC.
BG: San Diego Comic-Con is my favorite place on Earth. Too often, you hear it’s overcrowded, and movies have pushed comics to the sidelines. I get it, but the comics community is still undeniably massive and welcoming. Lines are long, but lines can be your secret weapon. Some of my longest-lasting friendships were made in those lines. The best conversations at Comic-Con happen there. The panels, signings, or exclusives they lead you toward are just a bonus. Also, you will never see everything you want to. Embrace the audible, embrace your curiosity. Discover something new.
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for readers to learn more about Comic Book Couples Counseling and to follow along on the Comic Shop Road Trip?
BG: First, you should subscribe to Comic Book Couples Counseling on whatever your preferred podcast platform. We will try to post our live podcast at Now or Never Comics the day after we record it before San Diego Comic-Con kicks into full gear. But the trip itself will be uploaded every day on our socials. We’re on most of them @cbccpodcast. The goal is to do a mini-doc of each shop and landmark we visit. Our followers/listeners will be riding shotgun. And if you’re in any of the areas we are, let us know. DMs are open, and our email is cbccpodcast (at) gmail (dot) com.
*Art by Marc Jackson
