If you haven’t been living under a rock for the past few weeks, chances are you have heard about the latest social issue flooding the Internet, the media, and hipster activists everywhere. Well, this geek sat down and thought to himself, “How can I make a difference for people I care about, and things I care about?”

Folks, here’s my answer: LCS 2012.

Basically what I’m proposing is that if you buy comics (and if you’re a reader of Geeks of Doom, that’s a pretty solid bet), I urge you to do as I do — Support your local comic shop.

Local comic shops are very high on the list of endangered geeks species. “They’re just another business,” I hear you say. But even as you say that, you know that’s not true. Local comic shops are something so much more than just a business, and they need our help.

Find a local comic shop. Seek out that place where you can congregate and share your love of comics and geekdom. Fall in love with it. Support its business. Support their owners’ love of comics. But just as important as the social aspect of an LCS is realizing that some of these shop owners decide what they are eating that night based on the books that people buy that day. If you don’t care about putting food in other people’s mouths, then think about how soon you may have no choice but to shop online. Because if the entity known as the ‘Local Comic Shop’ fades out of existence, where else will you go to get pristine mylar goodness AND stimulating geeky conversation?

I know some of you may say “But Tarsonus, I collect a book that most shops don’t carry, so I have to get it online.” Sometimes, this is a fact of life. But consider this: If they make it, Diamond Comic Distributors carries it. And if Diamond carries it, your LCS can get it. So, go talk with your local comic shop owner and ask ‘em to order it. Chances are they will. I don’t just preach this, I live it. My LCS of choice is Comic’s Experience in Saginaw, MI. Comic’s Experience is owned by a super nice guy named Steve. He is always happy to sit there and talk comics with just about anyone, on any comic topic. He also takes his business very seriously. If he doesn’t carry the title you’re looking for he’s certainly willing to order it from Previews. Steve’s helpful like that.

I like Steve and his comic shop so much that even though I’ve moved to South Carolina, I intend to keep using Comic’s Experience as my shop of choice. I have shopped from him my whole comic-buying life, and Steve wants to keep my business, so we’ve worked out a way for my comic-buying business to stay right where it belongs — with Comic’s Experience. I guarantee you that every LCS owner wants your business. And this will show through in their willing to get you what you want.

Sure, I have found some bad shops in the past. They do exist. All I can tell you is to keep trying. I promise you there is a shop owner out there who will be just as helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable as Steve is for me.

So geeks, LCS 2012! Make this a reality. Next time you need your fix, hit up your LCS locator [www.comicshoplocator.com] on the web, then put down that mouse, get out of the house, and go get some comics! Or, you can call 1-888-COMIC-BOOK and scope out a local comic shop. You may just be shocked by what you find.