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Your narrator, the Leader
The Leader attended the Captain’s Comic Expo in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina 25 - 27 February 2022. He had enjoyed attending this show twice before in 2019 and 2020. The Leader was glad to return in 2022 after this show being canceled in 2021 due to the Plague. As always the Leader was pleased to see his comic book dealer friends Rick Fortenberry, David Hinson, Mario Russo and Tom Raupp who always set up at this show.

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Dealer Setup Day Friday 25 February 2022
Mario Russom
Here’s veteran comic book dealer Mario Russom of Atlanta, Georgia putting the finishing touches on his comics display wall. I’ll probably see Mario once or twice more before the year is out.
David Hinson
David Hinson of Rock Hill, South Carolina putting up his Charlotte Comic Con banner. Dave and his partner Rick Fortenberry promote that long running comic show in Concord, North Carolina in addition to setting up as dealers at many other comic shows. Rick does a show just about every weekend of the year and Dave has been doing more shows lately than usual for him. I first met Dave circa 1992 at one of the shopping mall shows in my town of Virginia Beach, Virginia. I had just returned from a year in South Korea and hadn’t bought any comics in a long time. Dave sold me a few Silver Age Marvel comics and helped get my old comic book collecting juices flowing again.
Daniel Murphy, Rick Fortenberry
Daniel Murphy switched from being Rick’s assistant to David Hinson’s assistant but when Dave and Rick are at the same show Daniel pitches in and helps out Rick as well. Here’s Rick (yellow shirt) watching Daniel set up his display wall.
Tom Raupp
I first met the owner of Pop Culture Playground Tom Raupp from Mount Dora, Florida at this show in 2020 and saw him again at the Savannah Mega Con in 2021. Tom carries lots of interesting monster and comic book related magazines and fanzines in addition to just comic books. We’ll see some of them tomorrow.
Phil Bender, Rick Fortenberry
Phil Bender also sets up at this show each year. He has some comics but mostly deals in non-sports cards and Big Little Books. Here’s Rick looking over Phil’s comic books to see if any bargains are to be had.
Tom Raupp, Rick Fortenberry, Mark Foy
Tom Raupp watching Rick Fortenberry and some other dealers and collectors peruse his esoteric and eclectic inventory. At far right is dealer Mark Foy who you will see again the last day of the show. Don’t know who the guy with the backpack is; he wasn’t setup as a dealer.
Rick Fortenberry, Dave Hinson
Rick and Dave at Rick’s table pondering and palavering over a box of mid-grade but interesting comic books. I like the DC Silver Age comic Rip Hunter Time Master laying there. Dave seems more interested in the DC Golden Age comic Adventure Comics.
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