Today we’d like to introduce you to Jasmine Mitchell. Them and their team share their story with us below:
Nirvana Comics has formed in Wilmington NC 10 years ago. The founders, Richard and Amber Davis ran the store while also running a bar/ theater (the Browncoat). Five years ago, Richard and Amber moved the store to Knoxville to accommodate Amber’s kidney disease. At this time Grant and Jasmine Mitchell came to work for the store. Nirvana Comics cultivated an atmosphere of welcoming people from all walks of life and an appreciation of not just superhero titles but of independent press books.
Richard successfully published his book Cult of Dracula in 2020 however Amber sadly passed away in December. In order to continue Amber’s legacy, Grant and Jasmine stepped up and became part owners in May 2021. Grant and Jasmine pride themselves in being able to accommodate anyone’s preference be that superhero, true crime, and all age books. We believe there is a comic for anyone.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
The Comic Book industry has been notorious for being closed off and filled with gatekeepers. Diversity has been hard to come by. For store founder Amber Davis she found most doors closed for her in the comic book industry because she was a woman. Customers would refuse to acknowledge her in her own store. Jasmine Mitchell has found this doubly so being a black woman.
Amber became part of a group of female store owners known as the Valkyrie Network. Amber also founded a ladies’ night book club that Jasmine now hosts once a month. While Jasmine still sees a lot of work to be done she has also observed a steady tide of representation and characters that look like her. Jasmine has also sought to include books that showcase diversity and black characters.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
We are a comic book store. We are proud to say we have the biggest catalog of comics in town. We showcase new titles released weekly while also selling antique comics from all the way to the early 1900s.
However, we don’t just strive to simply be a successful business. We try to create an atmosphere where no one feels excluded for their gender, race, or orientation. We also try to showcase lesser-known books from independent creators. Richard knows the struggle of getting his work out there and believe in supporting other writers.
Amber believed in inspiring women to follow their passions and enjoy comics. Jasmine believes in supporting black creators and showcasing characters that look like her. Grant loves the comic book industry and like so many before he found escape in the unbelievable stories when life got hard.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Shop locally! Knoxville is fantastic at supporting local businesses. Comic books are available online and even digitally but buying a physical copy not only supports the local store but also the author and artist. The comic book industry is actually much smaller than a lot of people realize. Shop indie!
When an author wants to publish an independent title they usually take a risk and their payment is based on sales. Nirvana Comics prides itself in supporting these independent titles and you can help us help the industry by supporting them! Buy Cult of Dracula! Richard’s book recently became a best seller and you can help him by supporting his work! Support diversity! There are few titles written by females or minorities in the industry. By showing support for them you open the door for others.
Contact Info:
- Email: nirvanacomicsknox@gmail.com
- Website: https://nirvanacomics.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nirvanacomicsknoxville/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nirvanacomics
Image Credits
Ryan H. Martin Photography
