Edited to add:
For the record, this was what I wrote on Twitter: “That was cute, but I deleted it anyway because it made you look like a dick.” It made Dustin look bad and snarky instead of being the guy who actually wrote out thoughtful responses. That’s why I deleted his comment. Now it appears I should have let it stay. I apologize, Dustin.

I don’t think I said anything about muzzling anyone, and the amount of anger you’ve announced loudly is pretty evident to anyone who speaks English. So let’s agree to disagree on that, because the argument will almost certainly devolve into semantics and comment-thread malarkey, with more references to “geeks” and “nerd armies” and other really smart ways to talk about anything.

But did I seriously (SRSLY!) have a comment deleted (”Holy Mackerel! Comics Aren’t Just For Kids Anymore! Biff! Bam! Pow!” is obviously too incendiary for your blog) so I could be called a “dick” in your Twitter feed? This more than anything is evidence that this conversation is worthless on every level, as is your position to comment in any meaningful way on anything other than the smell of your own stink.

What on EARTH would I want my own blog for? Goodbye.

While good wait staff should be skilled at making food suggestions to suit their customers tastes, it’s far more likely that when one product is suggested over another, it means that the business is dealing with a problem of something being under or over stocked.

I’m sort of curious now if a “don’t buy this product” campaign has ever been successful. I know that “This is too cool for the general public” works well, but that’s not quite the same thing.

I can’t believe you’ve taken my “you know, telling people to not buy the products your selling” and turned it into me wanting to muzzle the retailer. I’m saying that emailing people in advance telling them to not buy products likely a poor business decision and an example of why comics shops are still viewed as cultish, weird places by the vast majority of people.

However, I want to point this out: if this means so little in the “real world,” then why are you leaving long, thoughtful comments on it, Dustin? Maybe it’s time for you to start your own blog.

1: This discussion seems highly indicative that comics are for kids. Because I think most adults would say “Who Cares?” Obviously, to my detriment, not me.

2: Seriously Kevin, why do you care? The amount of righteous anger you’ve displayed over this non-issue is strange. If you have a background in marketing, I wonder why any response other than to unsubscribe and maybe shake your head in wonderment is appropriate. The amount of time you’ve spent thinking about this turns the subject from what this retailer did wrong in your opinion, to your general mood or feelings about anything. Heck, if you want to get mad about something, talk about politics or something that matters.

3: Ditto.

4: Double ditto. All these rules! And all for comics retailers, possibly the most maligned sector of the most incidental slice of the publishing industry. Who Cares?!

5: “…he cares about his little clubhouse of nerds and making sure you know what they think about how things should be run at Marvel or DC…” You’re describing yourself and all other comics/opinion/art bloggers. What is it that gives you more right to your public opinions than he has? Is it the fact that he is ostensibly a salesman and should BY GOD BE SELLING THOSE COMICS instead of telling you what he thinks about them? Whether or not he’s right or wrong to say bad stuff about comics, surely the market will reward or punish him. I find it hard to believe the market needs your help or defense.

6: In this repeat of an earlier discussion, with an equally infinitesimal impact on the real world, I find your characterization of anything as “a bit much” to be, if not ironic, then at least laughable.