Spiderman made his second annual appearance at Rebel’s Sanctuary and handed out free comic books to passersby in downtown Manistee. From left: Randy Hiltz, Spiderman and Greg Hiltz.

By Greg Gielczyk

Comic books can introduce a young person to reading, long before they tackle more challenging literature. For Greg Hiltz, of Rebel’s Sanctuary in Manistee, comic books were the beginning of what has become an extraordinary, lifelong obsession. Today, his one-year-old comicbook store on Washington Street is the culmination of his passion and a family enterprise he manages with his father, Randy.

The younger Hiltz grew up reading comic books. His favorites included Spiderman and X-Men. As he got older, Hiltz became more interested in Bat Man and Flash. His older brother, Cam, was really “into” comics and toys, collecting all the Transformers and G.I. Joes, which spurred Hiltz’s interest in starting a collection of his own.

However, his growing collection is not why he decided to open Rebel’s Sanctuary.

From the track to the rack

A race car driver, Hiltz and his chums were more interested in cars than comics. They were all gear heads. That changed after high school when he and a couple friends began playing Magic: The Gathering and formed groups of players. When the computer game World of War Craft was released, he started playing the game online every weekend.

His life pivoted after a racing accident forced Hiltz off the track and laid him up for some time. While recuperating from his injury, he began to draw and one day drew a store. That got him thinking it might be “cool” to open a comic book and gaming store.

“I came up with some ideas, and one thing rolled into another, into another and into another until eventually I had so many comics, I didn’t know what to do with them,” Hiltz said.

Hiltz recalled his father read a few comics but wasn’t as taken with them, until his son showed a passion for them.

And now?

“He runs the store just as much as I do,” Hiltz said.

As for the store’s name, Hiltz replied: “My nickname since middle school is Rebel, and comic books, card games and D&D (Dungeons and Dragons) have always been my escape from everyday life. So, when we were coming up with a name, I said, ‘Well, comics have always been my sanctuary, so let’s just call it that.’ I wanted it to be a sanctuary for others, a chance to get away from everything, like it was for me.”

The comic book outlook

Hiltz said the comic book market is booming, and summer is the hottest time for comic book sales.

“People have really gotten back into them,” he said, “especially with all the movies and television shows … they want to know more about back stories and the characters.”

He shared that the best way to learn more is to read a comic book paperback, (a trade paperback of collected comic book issues). The store offers a wide selection of comic book brands organized in neatly alphabetized vertical stacks, racks, bookshelves and display cases.

“We sell a little bit of everything … Marvel, DC, Image, Boom,” Hiltz said. “Pretty much anything anyone could want. We either have it on the shelf or we can get it, for the most part.”

He explained that the older comics can be more difficult to obtain, but they will try to get them in the store.

There is also a market for used comics, and Rebel’s Sanctuary purchases comics from customers if they are in good condition and Hiltz thinks he can sell them.

To see what’s new in the comic book world, Hiltz has attended conventions, such as Michigan ComiCon, as well as some smaller “cons.” During them, he also meets new artists.

Plus, he just likes to look at comics.

“I have to keep up with the times, so I spend all day reading comic books,” he said, with a chuckle.

Hiltz reports that there is a core group of dedicated customers who visit the store regularly, and new customers walk through the door every week. If a customer sees something they want, they can ask to have it set aside for them.

When asked about the store’s online sales, he said they keep them to a minimum.

“We want to keep the comic books local,” he stated, explaining that he and his father want customers who visit their store to have the opportunity to purchase their comic books.

Now in its 20th year, “Free Comic Book Day” is August 14. To celebrate the occasion, Rebel’s Sanctuary will hand out free comic books to everyone who comes into the store that day.

Rebel’s Sanctuary is open 12-6 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday; 12-8 p.m., Friday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday; and 12-6 p.m., Sunday. Find the store on Facebook @RebelsSanc.

Comic books inspire

By Greg Gielczyk

Dave Lein began reading comics when he was in the fourth or fifth grade. Lein, who lives in Elk Rapids, grew up in Kaleva.

“I really liked Spiderman back then; this was, like, the early 1970s,” Lein said. “There weren’t a whole lot of comics out there, like there are now. I think they helped me achieve an appreciation of reading.”

Lein went on to become a writer and newspaper editor.

“Back in the day, you could afford to buy three or four comics for less than a buck,” he explained. “Today, comics are about $4 each. And while that might seem costly, the stories, art, vivid colors and grade of paper are so much higher in quality that they’re worth it.”

As an eighth-grade student, Lein created, wrote and illustrated his own comic book character. That effort won a young authors’ and illustrators’ contest.

“I like art, but I was never any good at it,” he added.

Lein said he used to collect quite a few comic books and had a collection of up to 4,000. Now, that number is closer to 400-500.

Currently, he is into “The Shadow.”

“I don’t know why,” he said. “I think the stories are just really good, and it makes you go back to when ‘The Shadow’ used to be on the radio and in pulp magazines during the 1930s and ’40s, and you really appreciate the story writing.”