Corsair Comics takes flight in Myrtle Beach

Story by David W. Powers
For Weekly Surge

Photos by Scott Smallin
Staff Photographer

Once upon a time there was a small comic book store located in the shopping center beside Dick's Pawn Shop in Myrtle Beach. It was called Heroes' Hangout, and while all the local comic fans and kids who enjoyed the Pokemon-style card games knew where it was, it wasn't exactly the best location to catch tourists. Then the store did a brief stint at a location beside the Myrtle Beach Flea Market. A better location for tourist traffic, at least until the bulldozers moved in and started digging up the parking lot. Then the store disappeared and Heroes' Hangout was gone forever.

Thankfully it didn't die completely. Steve Haines, one half of the team that owned the former shop, purchased the comic book store lock, stock, and storage and rechristened it as Corsair Comics. He opened shop in a space with Palmetto Studios at 807 Main Street in Myrtle Beach as a division of The Palmetto Group. Instead of staring across a beachwear store parking lot or a bulldozed flea market lot, Haines can now see out his window clear to the ocean across the patch of dirt formerly known as The Myrtle Beach Pavilion Amusement Park.

For Haines, owning his own shop was just a natural progression. "I got into comics as kid and as an artist I was just naturally drawn to it. I worked at Hangout for about ten years now and when the opportunity came up to buy what was left I jumped on it."

Don't let the name fool you. Corsair Comics isn't just a comic book store. The store features a cross of merchandise that includes comics, Japanese anime and manga, sci-fi books, games, and toys. Haines has big plans now that he is the one running the show and the association with Palmetto Studios works out perfectly with his plans.

"I'd like to branch out into pop culture toys, which is something Palmetto has done for a while, but I would like to expand with my already established comic book customer base. We'll share our customers both here and next door at Palmetto Studios because they share many of the same interests."

Future plans for Corsair Comics include a gallery of local comic book/sci-fi/fantasy art and a push toward publishing local comic writers and artists. Initial plans are also underway to start a Myrtle Beach comic book convention that will feature comics, sci-fi, and anime. Keep your eyes peeled for new things because Haines is hitting the ground running with the new store.

Be sure to drop by Corsair Comics on Saturday for Free Comic Book Day.