¡Comics!

Recently, our family took a trip to Guatemala. It was one of those, "It's important to see where our family came from!" kind of vacations. Before heading down there I checked to see if their were any comic shops in the area, just to see what comic shops are like in Central America. Luckily, the area's first comic shop opened just a few months ago in Antigua, a town just outside of Guatemala City.


¡Ay Robot! Comics is located in the old colonial town of Antigua. The town itself is really quite beautiful and charming. It's nestled in a cool valley surrounded by lush mountains. The streets are lined with old, weathered cobblestone, which makes navigating them somewhat tricky. The center of town is essentially one giant mall. All the buildings function as shops, restaurants, cafes, boutiques and hotels. They cater to everyone, from tourists looking for cheap souvenirs to couples buying expensive jewelry. But who cares about that stuff, what about the comics?


¡Ay Robot! Comics is like a tiny geek oasis. Its a small space, resembling a geek's bedroom more so than a comic shop. But what it lacks in square footage it makes up in spirit. The walls are lined with comic art, with a healthy nod to pulps and horror comics of yesterday. One wall stocks back issues, trades and toys. There isn't a huge selection admittedly, at least compared to what we're used to in Chicago, but this is to be expected. It takes several months for comics to trickle down from the states. That being said, the comic fans in the area are more than appreciative. The owner spoke of the genuine excitement there is for comics in Guatemala, even citing the numerous conventions put on in the city. Comic fans eagerly await new books and seem to snatch them up as soon as they are available. Still, there was plenty of good stuff to read, ranging from DC to Marvel to independents; there's something here for everyone.


Of coarse, if you get me in a comic shop I'm going to buy something. I picked up a couple of old DC books from the 70s that were translated into spanish. The most interesting was a Batman book, or rather a Flash story "presented" by Batman; a ploy to get children unfamiliar with the Flash to pick up the book. It must have worked, it seems the Flash is actually a very popular character in Guatemala. In fact, DC sells far better than Marvel does there.
So, if your in the area, be sure to stop by ¡Ay Robot! Comics and let 'em know Deep Dish Comics sent you.


Can you imagine buying your comics here? Awesome!