Dan Thomas: The Face of Shield Comics

Dan Thomas of Shield Comics in front of merchandise 

Shield Comics is nestled into an alcove on 75 Main Street, sandwiched between a hairdresser and a yoga studio. As you descend the stairs into the small shop, the smell of ink and cardboard might overwhelm you. If you make the journey all the way down, you’ll be greeted by the face of Shield: Dan Thomas.

The shop is either bustling with "Magic: The Gathering" tournament players shuffling through collector cards, or quiet and cozy with a couple of regulars perusing the shelves for new comics and games. The shelves of games and comics are not as expansive as the card game section, especially due to the consumer base that loves collectibles.

Even still, Dan will always be happy to help you choose a new game or recommend a new comic. They’re open Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 8 p.m., though on tournament nights they are open slightly later while games finish up.

I stopped in for a lightning round with the man himself, and this is what I came up with.

Clock: What board game would you recommend to a new player?

DT: “Munchkin.” It’s fast and the rules are pretty easy. It’s a pretty classic universe with adventurers in dungeons.

Clock: What about an experienced one?

DT: “Dead of Winter.” Because it's sick. I don’t really have any other way to describe it.

Clock: Which one is your personal favorite?

DT: “Stratego.” It’s like chess, but you don’t know what pieces your opponent has. Obviously, it’s more complicated than that, but that’s as easy as I can make it.

Clock: Marvel or DC?

DT: I honestly don’t really like either. I think third party publishers are the best.

Clock: Favorite superhero?

DT: Ah, shoot. Uh, Squirrel Girl is pretty sick.

Clock: Favorite superhero movie?

DT: “Deadpool” is one of the few I’ve seen. So, “Deadpool.”

Clock: What’s a comic you think is underrated?

DT: “Low.” Nobody ever reads it, but I love it.

Clock: Overrated?

DT: “Spiderman.” Everyone pretends to like “Spiderman.” Nobody actually likes “Spiderman.”

Clock: Favorite color in Magic?

DT: Red. Fire magic and goblins.

Clock: Favorite card?

DT: Pyroblast. I hate blue, and other colors don’t usually get counterspells, so I like being able to reverse the roles for a second.

Clock: If you could re-experience a comic/story for the first time, what would it be?

DT: “Adrian's Undead Diary.” I remember reading the blogs when they came out years ago and being so sucked into it.

Clock: Advice for inexperienced shoppers?

DT: Just come in and say “hi!”