The COO of Metropolis Collectibles/ComicConnect, Vincent Zurzolo, recently sat down with Anthony Desiato, host of the “My Comic Shop History” podcast to discuss his experiences in the comic collecting business. 

Starting from his early days selling comics on the street to his current status as owner of one of the largest and most successful comic dealerships, the interview sheds some light on Zurzolo’s career trajectory and his voyage to the high level in the industry.

Zurzolo recounts his early days collecting comics in his hometown of Rockaway Beach, New York, buying books off spinner racks from local businesses, to his early days selling comics on the street in NYC’s Financial District. His tale continues through the years of learning the ropes, traveling around the U.S. to various comic conventions, facing great obstacles, like the theft of $40,000 worth of his stock, and overcoming these pitfalls to build his business into the respected company it is today. 

Desiato touches on a variety of subjects with Zurzolo, everything from the celebrities he’s met at conventions, to his business associates, his personal fitness regimen, his first time cosplaying, and even gets the skinny on the tale of the unplanned creation of the Big Apple Con. The hour-long podcast delivers an in-depth look into the inner workings of the comic book industry from the seller’s perspective. 

Zurzolo goes on to invite listeners to visit Metropolis’ booth at NYCC, as well as Metropolis Gallery’s Simone Bianchi show, which is opening on October 5, to coincide with the New York Comic Con.

Metropolis Gallery is located at 36 West 37th Street, 6th Floor, a few short blocks away from the Jacob Javits Center.