A Home Away From Home
Well known Edmonton comic store takes up temporary residence on 118 Avenue
BY VICTORIA STEVENS
Comic books aficionados and graphic novel enthusiasts won’t have far to travel to grab their books from one of Edmonton's favourite comic and graphic novel shops on Free Comic Book Day.
Variant Edition (V.E.), usually located on Stony Plain Road, has taken up temporary residence in Pe Metawe Games on 118 Avenue after a flood in January required them to vacate their space until the clean up and repairs were complete. After trying to make it work with boxes upon boxes in their living room, and attending a local pop-up event, they were invited to set up shop in Pe Metawe.
“Before we landed here, we had basically upped our deliveries and hoped for the best,” says co-owner Danica LeBlanc.
Variant Edition has been around since 2015 and has become well known in Edmonton as an inclusive and community minded business bucking the stereotype of comic book stores. Co-owner Brandon Schatz worked at one of the large comic book stores in the city and became frustrated with how he was being treated and finding his suggestions being ignored. After leaving that store, he and LeBlanc eventually decided to open V.E. under the slogan “Something Different”.
“The idea behind it was to be a different kind of store in the city, “ Scatz says about the idea behind V.E, “Not the ones you see on television which are usually the butt of the joke “
After moving locations a few times they finally found their home on Stony Plain Road. With Schatz’s 17 years of experiences - described as V.E’s “comic sommelier” - and LeBlanc’s tenacity, and knack for connecting people with great stories, Variant Edition has seen things continue to get better and better, year after year. Their selection spans the spectrum of interests, and nearly everyone can find something to enjoy, even those who are not normally into comics or graphic novels, or who often feel excluded from stories.
Both Schatz and LeBlanc say they love being at Pe Metawe. As a business located on Stony Plain Road, they feel that they have a kinship with the 118 Ave area.
“What we found with Stony Plain Road is that the community is voracious about supporting each other and lifting each other up because everyone looks down (on the area),” Schatz explains while LeBlanc nods in agreement, “And that’s what I really feel here. There is such a vibrancy in this area, “
With Free Comic Book Day coming up on Saturday, May 4, and V.E. projecting that they will be at Pe Metawe until at least mid-May, Alberta Ave and surrounding communities get the chance to snap up a free read without having to travel far.
“The idea is that people can go to a comic store and get a taste of what the industry can offer, “ Schatz expounds. V.E. offers up to 5 selections for adults and allows kids to grab as many books as they promise to read. There are books from all the comic companies giving a variety for people to choose from for their free book. Both LeBlanc and Schatz would love to see lots of people from the community pop in to see them during their time here on “The Ave” and hopefully continue to pop in when they move back.
VARIANT EDITION
@Pe Metawe 11806 94 St
front and side entrances
Wed-Fri 11 am - 7 pm
Sat-Sun 11 am - 5 pm
VariantEdition.com
Bravo to this collaboration.