Lined with shelves filled top to bottom with comic books and racks full of trading cards, Mage’s Comics is a nerd’s slice of heaven — marking a new but familiar addition to the southside.
Director and Co-Owner Eli Vida said he knew he wanted to retain the previous store’s, Comic Book University, emphasis on comic books, trading cards and gaming the moment the opportunity arose to take over the space. Vida is also a University of Indianapolis alum, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in marketing. Fresh out of college, he began his journey as a Comic Book University employee in 2016. However, postgrad, he encountered difficulties feeling fulfilled in roles tied to what he studied.
“… I worked there [CBU] for a year, and then I went off and started a marketing firm, and then I started a financial planning firm, and I did a bunch of stuff that I didn’t love,” Vida said.
In terms of how he came to be co-owner, Vida said it was largely because the previous owner wanted to retire. Originally opened in 2005, CBU specialized in comic books, graphic novels, tabletop gaming and trading cards to name a few.
“He was talking to somebody about retiring, and that person fell through.” Vida said. “And when I first moved back, I was like, ‘Man, I’d love to do this.’ … And so, end of 2023, [we] came to a deal with the old owner. … And we kept like, 95% of the like customers, and then we’ve added a bunch of new customers.”
In regards to comic books, superheroes, games and everything in between, however, Vida said the passion started young.
“I love Spidey. I’ve been a Spider-Man fan since I was a little kid and Batman,” Vida said. “My third birthday cake — there’s a picture of my cake with a big old Batman logo. I love, you know, ‘The Boys’ and ‘Pokémon,’ I was obsessed with ‘Pokémon’ growing up, and like, I got bit by the ‘Magic the Gathering’ bug ….”
According to Mage’s Comics’ website, it offers a variety of comic books, trading cards for games like “Magic the Gathering,” and graphic novels among other offerings. Upon visiting, store goers can also pick up card sleeves, card storage options or even a soda. When he knew he would be able to purchase the space and open up a new store, Vida said he wanted to preserve what was already there and then some and offered advice for those looking to get into running a small business — especially those who might not have what Vida refers to as social infrastructure. In short, the more resources an entrepreneur has, the more likely they are to succeed even with a few bumps in the road.
“Honestly, find a small business owner who is looking to retire,” Vida said. “I think that is the safest way for people in what I’m gonna call our generations, like millennials and Generation Z. … I’m saying, like, the biggest determining factor on whether an entrepreneur is going to succeed is literally how many times they can fail.”Additionally, Mage’s Comics offers a space for gamers to come and play — tables are located in two back rooms for tabletop gaming. Vida said that the space is generally free with the exception of paid tournaments; however, Mage’s Comics sets certain days aside for certain games. For example, Mondays are usually for “Pokémon” and Thursdays are dedicated to “Dungeons & Dragons.” Though, players sometimes pay a $5 fee to dungeon masters leading a “D&D” session, Vida said. Other than that, more detailed information about scheduled events and open board days can be found on Mage’s Comics’ event schedule.
