End of the line for comic book store

Despite the popularity of all things comics, a popular comic book shop in Torrance could not survive the economic downturn and is closing down, according to the Daily Breeze:

Not even Superman could rescue Third Planet Comics & Games from this recession. The popular Torrance comic book and gaming store at 3631 Pacific Coast Highway will shut its doors Monday after about 13 years in business. "The deciding factor in this decision is that sales have fallen to a level where we can no longer meet our obligations," owner Robert North wrote to customers in an e-mail the day after Christmas. In the message, North said his employees "fought valiantly over this past year" to keep the shop in business. In June of 2008, he'd put the store on the market with an asking price of $130,000, but he couldn't sell it.

--Shelby Grad