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How well do you trust your Pull List? Do you ever make mistakes? Ever not visit your comic shop for a period of time and put all your faith in your list? I'm about to do that and here are some inner ramblings about doing so.

If you collect regular comics then you’ve heard the term ‘pull list’. I have one at my local comic shop (lcs). I use it to make sure I get the books I want and plus there’s a discount for books on my list. I’m going on a small vacation and won’t visit be visiting my lcs.  Now I have to trust my list to take my place. Now I’m starting to doubt how well I know what’s on my list.

When I first started visiting my lcs, I didn’t want a pull list. I really didn’t see a benefit. I figured that the store would always have what I needed. I didn’t think the stuff I read would sell out or that I wouldn’t get a copy. I didn’t need the discount either since I bought five books. After a series of missing issues I caved and got a pull list and life was good.

It is called a pull list but there isn’t a physical list, more of a database of information at my shop. I have a general idea of what’s on it but not specifically what’s on it. Even with a pull list, I still browse the racks and pick stuff up. Some of the comics on the racks I don’t add to my list. If it’s a new series and I’m unsure of it I pick up a few issues. If I like it after four issues it goes on the list.

If there’s a mini series that will be over in two months or less I’ll just pick up the issues myself. This is where the problem is, I don’t keep track of the mini’s I’m reading. I only know by looking at my collection at home or when I’m at the store browsing the racks. If I’m physically at the store I can check if the mini is in my stack for the week. If its not there I know I can go and pull it off the rack and put it with my other stuff. If I don’t pick up my books that week I won’t know. I’ll be away from my collection and the shop won’t know because it’s not on my pull list. I could be out of luck if the issue I want isn’t in the shop when I get back. Makes me wish I had written down the stuff that’s not on my list but I still read. It would make this a little easier.

I leave on my trip with a little uncertainty. Will I get the issues that I want? Sure, if it’s on my pull list. The rest is up to chance. All I can hope for is that the issues I want won’t be sold out and there’s still some on the racks when I return. Wish me luck.