Q&A with Outsider Comics & Geek Boutique
- doughathaway5
- Aug 17
- 3 min read
Updated: 10 hours ago
Update: Outsider Comics is currently taking a break as they move into a new home.
Outsiders Comics and Geek Boutique sells comics, graphic novels, and gifts, specializing in local and indie publishers. They carry a large inventory of LGBT and BIPOC-related material. Wing Mui, who has owned the store for two years, describes rebuilding after the pandemic, and the value of doing good.
How did you begin working with Books to Prisoners?
Back in 2023, a Books to Prisoners volunteer stopped by to purchase a few books to donate. We've been aware of Books to Prisoners and their mission but haven't actually thought about directly working with them until that visit, so thank you to the wonderful volunteer who chatted with us and got us involved!
What makes your store different from other bookstores in Seattle?
In some ways we are sort of in between a traditional bookstore and a traditional comic book store. We only sell books with more pictures than words (with a few rare exceptions), but unlike most comic book stores we focus less on the monthly superhero comics and more on longer form graphic novels. We also carry a large selection of independently published zines and books and works by local artists, plus we are a queer, trans, woman of color owned shop and our selection reflects that.
How has your store changed in the time you've worked there? How would you like to see it change in the future?
The two big shifts have been how we handle events and what we stock. It's been a challenge to (re)create a vibrant in-person community with pandemics in play, especially while being inclusive of disabled community members, but it's something that we are slowly building up over the last year with new event series and community engagement such as events at Trans Pride Seattle and partnerships with nonprofits like Books to Prisoners. Our book selection has also been changing with an eye towards more inclusivity and marginalized voices, both because we want to fight the hate that's drowning them out and because our community wants more.
How has your store managed to adapt and survive in an environment dominated by internet booksellers and national chains?
To be honest, a big part of it is just continuing to genuinely be and do good. We used to joke that people should support small indie bookstores because, unlike the "local" bookstore down in South Lake Union, we let our employees take bathroom breaks. But ultimately that joke is a big part of the truth. Most people want to support folks who respect workers and customers as people. People want to support businesses that uplift others, that speak out against hate and genocide, that put values over profit. I mean, just look at what happened to Target as soon as they decided to stop pretending to care about marginalized people. We can never compete against Amazon on prices or selection, but we have our values, our genuine commitment to do good, and our passion for the books that we do carry and the ideas inside them. And we're not doing that for marketing! As queer folks, we have spent too long in the closet to do anything but be genuine about what we do now that we're out.
Is there anything else you want the readers of our newsletter to know about your store?
We have a store cryptid: a rabbit named The Underbun and he lives under our store! If you're lucky, you may see him nibbling on the grass behind the store when you drop by!
You can visit Outsider Comics at 223 N 36th St, Seattle. Or donate a comic for us to send inside at https://shop.outsidercomics.com/products/donate-a-book-to-books-to-prisoners-seattle.
