By Mina Rose Morales

One of the city’s comic bookstores remained a hub for comics despite close encounter with shut down. “The store was doing poorly,” said Tim Finn, the current owner of Hub Comics.

Inside Hub Comics after its most recent renovation. — Photos by Mina Rose Morales

Their Story

Finn used to be an occasional customer at Hub Comics. Before becoming a customer, he would visit Bloc Café down the street. When he heard Somerville was getting their second comic bookstore, he began visiting the store. He bought the store from the original owner James Welborn in 2011.

Welborn dreamed of owning a comic bookstore. Originally from Nevada, he made money working in the software industry. He owned the store for three and a half years, according to Jesse Farrell who is the manager at Hub Comics.

Finn inherited Farrell from Welborn. When Welborn sold the comic bookstore to Finn, Farrell stayed with the store.

The previous shop had neon green and orange walls. The store had a lot of inventory. Finn has renovated the shop.

Why comics?

“Comics is a natively American artform. We invented the modern version of comic books. Precursors like hieroglyphics and the Bayeux tapestry, like we didn’t invent sequential art, but comic books are American,” said Finn, when asked, why comics?

Finn began reading comics the summer after fifth grade. The first comic he ever read was an issue of G.I. Joe, which remains his favorite comic. He began drawing comics three months later.

Finn is an adjunct animation professor at Lesley University and has self-published his own comics. Some of his most recent work includes Jet Brick and the Half-Chaste Date and Gore Squares.

“It sounds better if you say comics are but I’m saying comics is. Painting is, right? Advertisement is. Film is. And I say this all as both as a reader and as a maker. When I make comics, I can do things that I cannot do with prose or that I cannot do with illustration,” said Finn.

Farrell began reading comics when he was around ten. The first comic book he bought was from the 7-Eleven on Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge. He still remembers purchasing the Fantastic Four issue 232. Farrell also self-publishes his own comics. His series is called Action Draculas.

“I love the interplay of words and pictures. The reader has to activate the pictures with their imagination. It’s an act of participatory imagination that is different, and I think richer than movies, and books, and I think it’s a different immersive experience,” said Farrell.

“You’re hired,” said Finn. seconds after Farrell’s response.

Surviving of Digital Sales

When digital book sales started, people began asking if the store was affected. Their sales went up, according to Farrell. “You can read it on a screen, but it’s kind of not the same experience. One is not necessarily better than the other, but comics they are objects in a lot of ways. It’s an artform, but, also, they are objects that can be held and appreciated,” said Farrell.

The Future

Prior to Covid-19, Hub Comics held community events. They hosted author signings, artist talks, art shows, movie nights, and much more. Their most recent event was on April 24, 2022, featuring comic artists Dave Ortega and Raúl the Third. They plan to be as active in the comics community as soon as Covid-19 numbers go down.

“Comics is a powerful artform,” said Finn.

Comic bookstore owner Tim Finn and store manager Jesse Farrell.