Delaware Valley of the Comics: Temdee Collectibles

Guest Column by Eric Bresler

Turnersville, NJ’s Temdee is an ideal example of the small town collectible shop. It’s a sizable space that is literally packed with just about any hobby that may turn a dime from coins to comics, sports memorabilia to Snowbabies. Walls are covered in action figures, the ceiling lined with statues. About a third of the store is dedicated to comic books, both new and old, including a good selection of Silver Age books and oddities from the ‘80s.

Owner Stephen Weiser and his wife opened Temdee in 1976 as a stamp and coin shop about half a mile down the road from its current location. “The name is a combination of my wife’s name, Diane, and The Temptations, who I really liked when we first started dating,” explains Steve. “We began selling baseball cards in ’79 and comic books around ’80 when we noticed that it was becoming a big market.” After a brief relocation to Runnemede, Steve and his wife settled down in their current location in 1982. They still deal in stamps and coins, neither of which are nearly as lucrative as they once were.

“I collected comics as a kid, early Fantastic Four and Spider-Man. I think the first comic I read was a Silver Age Flash. Most of my collection was destroyed or thrown out.” Steve doesn’t pay much attention to current books in favor of the stories of his youth. “[Comics] are more complex now. Marvel and D.C. do annual events, comics aren’t as simple as they were in the 60s. The publishers want these long stories as a way of generating profits.”

Temdee doesn’t offer subscription services, but they do keep the last three months’ worth of comics on the shelves for cover price before they head to the back issue bins. “We still move a lot of back issues. They aren’t the backbone of a comic shop, you can’t sell the back issues without the new issues. Customers will come in to buy the new books, but they’ll work backwards as well.” All comics are priced according to The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide though they do offer a large selection of sets at discounted prices.

So if your shopping list includes collectible Star Trek dinner plates, a John Wayne Monopoly board, and vintage holiday Hess trucks then Temdee is your one-stop shop. And be sure to say “hello” to the store’s resident German Shepherd, Bud. He is friendly and gentle.

Verdict: With an on-site warehouse, Temdee is a safe bet if you’re looking to fill holes in your collection as long as you’re willing to pay guide prices. These types of large, established stores tend to maintain the initial retail costs of items for decades, which can sometimes work to the customer’s advantage.

I’ve paid cover price for quite a few treasures at Temdee including the out of print Kimota! The Miracleman Companion, several Treasury-sized comics from the ‘70s, and a bunch of first printings of early Acme Novelty Library issues (additional copies of which remain on the shelves). Worth an occasional visit.

Temdee Collectibles
5051 Route 42
Turnersville, NJ 08012
www.temdee.com