Dragons Keep: I understand you are part of the special ops team at Dragons Keep, ensuring gaming and comic book customers needs are being met. Being the gaming and comic fan that you are, I have to ask how you got into games and comic books?
Jeremy: As a kid I always wanted to get into gaming but never got the chance to. I would get the occasional X-Men and Spider-man comic and I had dang near a full collection of X-Men comic cards. Then when I was about 12 I got into anime and everything else got put on the back burner. Then a couple years ago anime brought me into the gaming fold with anime TCG's. I started running events here at Dragons Keep and then they invited me to work here, it wasn't until then that I started getting back into comics. DK: Since you started at Dragons Keep what has been your role, what are doing at The Keep?
JS: A large portion of my efforts go into helping people figure out what hobby games they want to get into. So many people know that they want to be on the gaming seen but just don't know where to start, TCG's, RPG's, table top games, it can be quite daunting to a first timer that walks into the store.
DK: Why are you excited to be working at Dragons Keep, what do dig about being involved with the shop?
JS: Well first off I love being able to teach people how to play a game that's completely new to them and see how excited they get to be able to get into the game. Another thing is the people, there are some awesome people that hang out here that I wouldn't have gotten the chance to know otherwise.
DK: I know being at Dragons Keep is quite a blast, I love visiting the shop, you know gaming, comics, a haven! What have been some of the high lights for you while you have been working at Dragons Keep?
JS: I never really had the chance to get into gaming before like I said. Since I've started working here I've not only had the chance to start playing in a steady RPG but I've been able to start DM'ing my own as well. It's really a lot of fun, especially when the players really enjoy the story line.
DK: Lets talk about those books plastered with wonderful color and brilliant art with your favorite heroes or heroines that we enjoy so much! Have to ask ya, what was the first comic book you remember picking up and reading?
JS: That's easy, I remember it clearly. It was at the grand opening of the Toys R Us back home, they had a bunch of free comics and I chose Spider-Man. It was Spider-Man vs. the Vulture.
DK: What are some of your favorite comic books today and why?
JS: Spider-Man for sure, particularly the Clone Saga that's running right now. That's always been one of my favorite story lines. Deadpool is another awesome one, and Blackest Night has been great.
DK: What do you say to that kid, teenager, or adult coming into the shop for the first time, who says to ya, "Hey, I am interested in gaming and comics but there are so many, where do I start?" or, "What do I need to know to start gaming or collecting comic books?"
JS: Those are fun moments for me, I feel like a kid in a candy store when I get to go through all the gaming stuff. I think I might even enjoy it more than they do. I'll take them through the games one by one depending on how much time they have. The games that they show the most interest in ill try and get them hooked up with a group or open gaming time so they can check it out for themselves, and if they have the time a tabletop demo.
For comics I'll go through the different story lines that are currently running, the ones that I know anyway. There are just so many good comics its hard to keep up with them all. And when I can't seem to help them find something that they are interested in I direct them to Drew, our in house comic guru.
DK: What are recommendations for fans, what game or comic book should folks check out?
JS: That's part of the appeal I think, there is no be all end all game or comic that speaks to everyone. This is really a hobby that you can make your own. I can list off some of my personal favorites though. For RPG's I really like World Of Darkness. For tabletop gaming Warmachine is my favorite, I play Protectorate and Retribution. For 40k Chaos Marines are my favorite army, and for Fantasy its between Chaos Warriors and Vampire Counts. For TCG's Bleach is my first love (and is the reason that I am here) but I've been playing a lot of Magic lately and I've really been enjoying that.
DK: For those folks out there who might not be familiar with you or those you have not had the chance to meet, what would like to share about yourself?
JS: Something about me huh? You know, some people from back home laugh a little when they hear what I do. I'm typically not a very social person and here I am with a job that has a lot of social responsibilities. But its fun, its giving me an excuse to put myself out there a little bit and its not that bad.
DK: What are your plans to help Dragons Keep remain a cool place to hang and visit? What do you have in store for folks who stop in at Dragons Keep?
JS: We're always looking for new ways to bring you guys better events, we're looking into a couple things right now that we think players are going to enjoy. Of coarse I cant tell you about them quite yet ;)
DK: If you could invite any creator (artist, game developer, writer, hey even a celebrity) down to Dragons Keep for a special event who would you invite down to the Keep?
JS: This one might sound kind of obvious and cheesy but R.A. Salvatore and Patrick Stewart. I think they're both fairly self-explanatory.
DK: What have we missed? Is there anything we missed that you would like to mention?
JS: Just to say that I really am glad to have the friends that I have made here at Dragons Keep. The experience here just isn't the same without cool people to share it with.