Vincent Zurzolo, Jr. was born April 23, 1971 in Brooklyn, New York. He grew up in Rockaway Beach, Queens, and also lived in historic Park Slope, Brooklyn. At a very young age he discovered a love of comics through his older brothers’ collection. By the age of 16 he was a dealer, building a reputation as one of the top back issue people in the business before merging his operation with Stephen Fishler’s Metropolis Collectibles. As a partner in one of the highest profile enterprises in the field, he has for several years advocated comics and other collectibles as good investments against the craziness seen in traditional financial sectors. He now resides in what he describes as “Daredevil’s backyard,” Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan.

Scoop: Were there other collectors in your family?
Vincent Zurzolo (VZ): I have two older brothers Jerry and Sal, 10 and 11 years my senior, respectively. My big brothers are the reason I started reading comics. I loved to race into our basement on a hot summer day as the basement was always cooler than the rest of the house and it was somewhat dark and mysterious. And of course, it was where my brother’s comic collection was stored. The first comics I read were Uncanny X-Men #95-100, Giant Size X-Men #1, Incredible Hulk #180-182 and Iron Man #1. I remember early Defenders, Avengers, learning about the Squadron Supreme, Power Man, Iron Fist, and Fantastic Four.

Scoop: What was the first comic you remember being aware of and what were the circumstances?
VZ: I think it would have to be Ghost Rider #19. I remember lying on my bedroom floor which was carpeted in a classic 1970s powder-blue carpet. It was midday, the sunlight was streaming into the room and I had my little fishbowl nearby with my pet crayfish. I don’t think I could really read very well at the time and I was very confused by the cover. I didn’t understand that Ghost Rider was a good guy because he looked like a bad guy. I also didn’t get why the Devil was angry at him and what the Devil was shooting out of his hands (fire blasts of some sort)…It is funny remembering that moment. I notice with many of my early comic experiences, when I recall them, I can see the room, smell the air, remember how the sun came in through the windows and that is pretty amazing to me. I believe, for myself and for many collectors, comic books harken back to a simpler time, a fond recollection of our childhood or what have you.

Scoop: When did you actually start collecting comics?
VZ: Ever since I was about four or five, I remember going to the local candy store, which was run by this little old Chinese man and buying whatever I could find on his spinner rack. And it continued from there. My friends and I collected from the ages of 9 to 13 together. We were all nuts about John Byrne’s Uncanny X-Men and George Perez’s New Teen Titans. Those were fun times. I remember Camelot 3000 and Omega Men debuting. I remember when Thor #337 came out and how crazy we all went for Walt Simonson’s art and Beta Ray Bill.

Scoop: What were your early favorites? 
VZ: I remember really liking the Guardians of the Galaxy and Deathlok. They were very different and colorful. Deathlok was always talking to his ‘puter, which I didn’t realize ‘til I was older, was his com-‘puter. My favorite Guardian was Yondu. I thought his finned head and bow were very cool.

Scoop: How supportive was your family of your collecting efforts?
VZ: My parents were cool with my collecting. I never had a lot of money growing up and I never asked them for more than spare change for books. I do remember driving through Queens once with my mom and screaming for her to stop the car. She pulled on the brakes thinking she just hit a cat or something. She looked around and then asked what’s wrong? I told her quite innocently and enthusiastically that we almost passed a comic store. I think it was called Big Apple Comics. My mom was slightly annoyed but also happy she didn’t run over anybody. I ran into the store and noticed a copy of X-Men #12. I thought to myself “What the heck is a juggernaut?” and “Who cares, he looks cool, I have to have that.” I saved up and proudly returned to the store with the $16 and bought it. My first Silver Age comic and I still have it to this day.

Scoop: When did you get serious about collecting?
VZ: I guess the early ‘80s but then I discovered girls when I was around 13 and stopped collecting. Later I got my heart broken and returned to comics. [Laughter] I started dealing when I was 16 years old.

Scoop: Why did you get serious about it?
VZ: My friend Marc invited me to take a ride to Forbidden Planet, which is a very cool comic store in Manhattan. It is still around, but in a different location now. Anyway, we started buying in the basement of the store and one day my friend asked me if I wanted to start buying collections. He said we could improve our collections and maybe make some money too. Now you have to understand I knew nothing about grading or values but said yes anyway because it sounded fun and I love a challenge. We started VM Comics and put ads in the Comics Buyer’s Guide. It was fun. We were buying collections all over NYC. I recall the first dealers I met were Steve Stryke of Golden Memories and Joe Rainone, who bore an uncanny resemblance to Clark Kent. I still do business with Steve to this day-great guy.

Scoop: As you grew up, how did your tastes change?
VZ: Though it may sound like heresy nowadays, as a kid I remember detesting Kirby art. But you have to understand my intro to Kirby was Captain Victory. I didn’t care for his cubist period as I refer to it. Later on I bought my first complete Marvel collection and understood the power and dynamism of the King’s art.

Scoop: How and when did you get into collecting art? 
VZ: I started collecting art as a byproduct of it coming in with different comic collections. I remember buying my first piece of art, a Marshall Rogers Batman pen and ink sketch at my first Chicago Comic Con from a well known collector, Lance Washington for $20.00. I still have that piece, it is framed on my wall and not for sale!

Scoop: What types of pieces are in your art collection?
VZ: I have an appreciation for a wide array of artistic styles and periods. It's funny, but on occasion other art collectors will tell me there is no rhyme or reason to my collection. I never got that. I buy what I like. It doesn’t matter which artist drew it, I buy what I like. However, I mostly buy covers and really love Gil Kane’s art. Some of my prized possessions include the cover to Amazing Adventures #11 by Gil Kane and Bill Everett, first furry Beast, the first issue of The Flash from the late 1980s by Jackson Guice, Moon Knight #57 cover by Stephen Platt and the prize of my collection is my Famous Funnies #215 Frank Frazetta cover. I have ventured outside of comics slightly and picked up my first Warhol which was very exciting for me.

Scoop: What makes it so a piece of art gets your attention?
VZ: Usually it is something I remember from my childhood. I have a lot of ‘70s art but as I got more into the hobby business I learned more and more about the history of the medium and it opened my eyes to the artists of the Golden and Silver Age.

Scoop: Do you have goals with your art collection or is it just something for fun?
VZ: I do it for fun and investment. Right now I don’t have a specific artist or piece in mind but I am looking for something big to add as a major piece.

Scoop: When did you become a comic dealer?
VZ: As I mentioned earlier I started dealing at the age of 16 but I would note that it wasn’t until I graduated from college that I decided to pursue it full time. I remember setting my goals at that point. I wanted to be the biggest comic dealer in the country. If I was going to do this I wanted to do it big. The only thing I couldn’t figure out was how I was going to do it. There were a couple of competitors that had such vast inventories and had on average a 20 year head start. So, I did a ton of conventions, wrote articles, sold comics on the streets of Manhattan (on Broadway between John Street and Maiden Lane), became an Overstreet Advisor and traveled everywhere to get collections. Six years after graduating from St. John’s University I was approached by Stephen Fishler of Metropolis, his idea was for us to merge companies. I thought long and hard about it and after a year of negotiating we came up with a partnership agreement and merged companies. He was one of the competitors I couldn’t figure out how to surpass. I guess the old adage is true if you can’t beat them, join them… and I did. I went from selling comics on the streets on Broadway to having a gallery on Broadway.

Scoop: How did becoming a dealer affect your comic book collecting?
VZ: I was taught early on that if you want to be successful in this business you had to detach yourself from the hobby. I was able to do this from the get go and very rarely had hesitations about selling a comic. I did decide early on that when I bought a major collection I would keep a few books from each collection. I still have Oakland, Northford and Spokane copies that have never been on the market. Nowadays I consider my inventory of over 150,000 books my collection, albeit an ever changing collection.

Scoop: What were the circumstances that led you to merge your business into Metropolis?
VZ: Steve and I had started doing business in the mid to late '90s. We also became very close friends, best friends I would say. We had great success buying the Spokane collection and it was about a year after that that he mentioned merging companies. While I was complimented by his proposal I was also hesitant as I had been working for myself and without a partner for a long time. I should mention that throughout the '90s I had a very close working relationship with Mike Carbonaro of Big Apple Conventions. We co-founded and were partners in the Big Apple Conventions, which we started after the fall of the Great Eastern Conventions in the late '90s. I loved the convention business but found it too difficult to maintain my comic business and the con business and eventually left the convention promotion business. I do still help out with Big Apple from time to time and also consult for New York Comic Con.

Scoop: You've been on TV and interviewed by top publications a number of times about comics. Do you find that attitudes from the establishment media are changing toward this area of collectibles?
VZ: I remember when I graduated from the University, when people learned I was a comic dealer their first question was… “and you really make a living selling comics?” I am happy to say I do not get those questions anymore. I think with the increase in prices realized for vintage comics and the success of comic book movies the general public and the media have a better appreciation and respect for the hobby and art form. Recently, along with my friend Michael Uslan I was able to convince the curators at the Metropolitan Museum of Art to include comic books in their exhibit, 'Super Heroes: Fashion & Fantasy.' I was so proud to see comics in the MET and to see the “from the collection of Metropolis Collectibles” sign below each book. This was a professional and personal achievement and it helps move the art form one step closer to its place of respect and appreciation as one of the great American art forms. I count this as one of my proudest achievements in my career.

Scoop: There have been a lot of ups and downs in other markets. How do you see the collectibles market now and in the short term future?
VZ: While gas and food prices rise, real estate values and the stock market fall and the country is in a recession, comic books are very, very strong. In a recent comparison of orders from 2007 to 2008 we have seen an increase of 100 orders per month on average. This has definitely translated into increased sales and we are very confident that this will continue. I believe the increase can be attributed to people taking money out of low interest bank accounts or underperforming stocks and placing their money into hard assets like comics and other collectibles. I believe sales of coins and fine art are both on the rise as well. A Matisse just sold for $85 million. In my opinion the comic and original comic art market are in its infancy in this respect. Think about it, a comic has not sold for a million dollars yet. It will in our lifetime and that is going to be a very exciting moment. I hope I am involved in either the purchase or sale!

Scoop: How did you start collecting ray guns?
VZ: I remember buying a book on ray guns called, oddly enough, Ray Guns by Gene Metcalf. I loved the designs, colors, and the fact that kids in the ‘30s, ‘40s, and ‘50s got to play with such cool toys. These are pieces of art. The designs are dramatic and sleek. I imagine one day seeing an amazing collection of ray guns in a museum; it will happen. Tin, metal, and die-cast are my favorites though I also like the large plastic rifles as well.

Scoop: How did you start collecting Megos?
VZ: I remember sitting in the back seat of my parents’ car on the way back from King’s Plaza in Brooklyn playing with my Mr. Spock Mego action figure. I had a lot of the Star Trek Megos and they gave me hours and hours of fun. One day when I was dealing in comics I ran across a comic collection that included a Mego collection. Of course I bought it and the rest is history. I have a decent collection with many Mint in Box.

Scoop: What sort of pedigree comics do you have in your personal collection?
VZ: I love pedigrees. Some dealers and collectors don’t think much of them, but I love pedigrees. Not all of them mind you. I think there are many collections that get a pedigree tag but are not real pedigrees. A pedigree should be from an original owner collection, be in decent quantities and in a consistent high grade. Mile High, San Francisco, Spokane, Bethlehem, Northford, Crowley, and Oakland pedigrees are all represented in my collection. My favorite pedigrees in my collection are the Human Torch # 8 San Francisco, which is CGC-certified as 9.6, and Red Dragon # 7 Mile High, which is CGC-certified as 9.4).

Scoop: What else do you collect?
VZ: At the age of 16 I began studying Bruce Lee’s martial art Jeet Kune Do. I read all his books and became a huge fan. He was not only the greatest martial arts action star, he was also an extremely accomplished martial artist and a visionary. I sometimes wonder what he would be doing if he were still alive today. When I found the opportunity I began collecting Bruce Lee memorabilia. My prized possession is a check signed by Bruce Lee. Knowing that he held this check in his hand and signed it is very cool.

Scoop: What led you to do the Comic Zone Internet radio show?
VZ: I was approached to host the Comic Zone by an online radio station called World Talk Radio. I decided to do it as a way to give back to the comic community which has given me so much happiness not to mention a financial way to design a lifestyle for myself. When I started hosting the show I was very nervous. It took me awhile to develop a style and in the early days I often got butterflies in my stomach at the start of shows. My shows are at least an hour long and take me about 3 to 4 hours from pre-production: booking a guest, researching said guest, production-interviewing guest and post production- mixing the show, uploading it, advertising, and promotion so that thousands of people can listen to it for free, forever. ComicZoneRadio.com has been a tremendous learning experience and very rewarding for me and I hope for the fans.

Scoop: What have you learned while doing it?
VZ: That hosting and producing a radio show are two things I can do. I have met and interviewed many of my favorite creators, artists, writers, dealers, collectors, directors, actors, comedians, and friends. I have learned so many things I never would have known if I hadn’t had the opportunity to ask the questions.

Scoop: Has it made you approach collecting or dealing in different ways?
VZ: I believe it has reinforced the methods I already utilize. I would say though, it has increased my ability to listen to others and has opened my eyes to collecting and reading works by artists I may not have been interested in before interviewing them.

Scoop: What else do you have going on?
VZ: Slightly over two years ago I invested in a restaurant called Red Bamboo Brooklyn. It is located in the Fort Green area of Brooklyn and it specializes in vegetarian food. Our restaurant has a chill Caribbean flair, two floors with a bar, and indoor and outdoor dining areas on each floor. In our first year the readers of Time Out Magazine NY voted Red Bamboo Brooklyn the best vegetarian restaurant in New York City-no easy task. With the help of my father, Vincenzo, a retired restaurateur and chef, I developed a vegetarian version of the popular Italian dish veal marsala that proved so popular as a special that it found its way onto the permanent menu. I have taken many vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike to Red Bamboo and the outcome is always the same; people love the great tasting food and can’t believe the dishes they are eating are not meat.

Scoop: If you could give one bit of advice to new or potential collectors, what would it be?
VZ: Collect the best you can find and collect what you love. Create a strategy, a game plan for what you want to achieve including a budget and the items you want in your collection. Leave a 10% miscellaneous fund in your budget so you can buy certain items that don’t necessarily fit into the main thrust of your collection. Find a few sources from which to build your collection and build a relationship with those people. Educate yourself and make sure you know what you are doing and the most important thing: Have fun!