First Age Comics opens new Lancaster store

By John Freeman on April 2, 2014

First Age Comics, Lancaster’s co-owner Mark Braithwaite in the shop’s new store at 13 Moor Lane, busy shelving new issues of US comics.

Lancaster’s First Age Comics has moved into new premises, expanding its new comics, graphic novels and action figures and back issue sales operations over two floors at 3, Moor Lane, Lancaster.

Owners Mark and Lucy Braithwaite have been looking for a new shop for a long time, and have even come close to moving from their old haunt, Lancaster’s Assembly Rooms, on at least one occasion – that plan curtailed when their planned location was flooded!

But now, the pair are busy settling into their new shop, currently open Tuesdays through Saturdays while “works” on sprucing up the place – once a dentists’ surgery – take place on Mondays.

First Age Comics joins a number of aspiring entrepreneurs who have launched or overhauled their comic stores over the past year, and our map of every British comic store can be found here on our web site. (Please let us know if we’ve missed any!)

The Lancaster-based store also has an online presence on eBay, Facebook and Twitter. Mark tells us he is lining up a number of signing events with British comic publishers. We’ll keep you posted!

• First Age Comics is located at 3 Moor Lane, Lancaster – one of the most historic streets in the city. If you’re ever in the area and would like to visit, their opening hours are Tuesday-Friday 10.00am – 4.30pm, Saturday 10.00am – 5.30pm

The shop has a small but carefully-selected range of graphic novels for sale instore or online on eBay.

Co-owner Lucy Braithwaite dodges the camera as she sets up the First Age Comics back issues room.

The first floor of First Age Comics has been given over to back issues, and will be used for signings and gaming.

The Bat Signal beckons comics fans into the back issues section of First Age Comics, Lancaster.

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.