Superhero comics fans should press their best unitards this week in preparation for Armageddon, and likewise indie and underground comics fans should pull out their copies of Hicksville for signing, as the NZ Comix Weekend is setting up shop on the 19th-20th April at the Southern Cross, Graphic and Spacething.

There are talks, jams, stalls, seminars and exhibitions - providing a homegrown counterpoint to the big budget pulp culture-fest over at the TSB Arena (although some of the Comix Weekend artists are also represented at Armageddon)
Details and links after the jump...

As Tom noted back in October, the northern portion of Capital on the Quay is to become a Borders'. Imagine a bookstore with a giant footprint, a café inside, and possibly the largest range of stock in town. That might well be what we're getting.

Several months later it seems the the work is just about complete, and earlier this week a sign appeared in the window: opening is to be 8:00am this Thursday 15th.

At the Wellingtonista we've been keenly awaiting the opening: probably more because we are hoping for some great opening bargains than anything else (not that we actually know anything - please comment if you do).

Around the watercooler though, there's been a bit of discussion about Borders' entry into the Wellington book retail market: will it be good, or bad for the book-loving public?

Experience of the Auckland store varied: one of us felt that although the initial stock on opening was broad enough to have people hyperventilating (three different editions of "Finnegan's Wake" - a benchmark by which any book-store, -chain, or even society can be measured he said, misty-eyed with remembrance), over time it seemed to become less diverse.

But a couple of the others have found the Auckland store to be pretty good actually, beating out even Unity in some areas (post-modern American poetry, anyone?), and that the range available is huge.

At this point, the concept of The Long Tail made its way into the increasingly thick soup of the conversation. The idea applied in this case being that Borders' can generate volume and make money by selling one or two copies of many many different titles rather than flogging large numbers of just a few very popular titles. Which may bode ill for for our favourite small-but-more-specialised bookshops elsewhere in town: Unity, Vic Books, Parsons, and even Dymocks all have their adherents up here in Wellingtonista towers. It's hard to say how it's going to pan out: maybe Borders' won't, or can't compete against the independents, crimping the Quay's other book megastore pretender Whitcoulls instead... or maybe not.

Right now, as we speak, the Costume Cave 2 is selling old theatre, TV and film clothes for you to prance around in.

Looking for that Hawaiian attire for a certain Friday party or maybe for that 1977 look then I'm sure they can help you out.

Here at Wellingonista Towers the boys are already accessorising and the girls are eagerly awaiting the catwalk parade later on. If you see any of us buying Xena frocks, over sized and outlandish hats or SciFi silver knee-high boots, give us a smile and ask us for a twirl!

Where: Costume Cave 2
Where: Level 1, 233 Willis Street
When: now until Sunday 18th, 10am - 2pm

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Cool prezzie alert - Locally made Gnome Homes & Gnomaloos. Hand cast by a master blacksmith in the Hutt Valley (who also does a good line in Roman Armour, and let's face it, who doesn't like dressing up in Roman Armour?, and a few other ideas he's working on which I'll report on when they come to fruition, but which must remain under wraps for now so as not to give away his ideas to competitors.)

I just got a couple of Gnomehomes & matching Gnomaloos for my nieces, they also come, I'm told, in camouflage colours for the boys, and in various combinations - Gnome Village, and the bulk pack which I guess could constitute a Gnome City.

You can get them through this site, or by emailing Murray (click on the little Murray figure for the email link), or through numerous retail outlets, including Christopher's Crystals in Cuba Street.

Welcome to www.gnomehomes.co.nz

Most of the time it's nice being the tallest female Wellingtonista (Martha and Natalie may get the column inches but I gots the height inches), but the trouble with being tall is that I need great big plates of meat as feet to support me. And you know what they say about girls with big feet - they need big shoes.

That's why I'm so excited that Willow Shoes - a website I've been shopping from for years since they specialise in shoes size 10 and up - has just opened up a branch in Wellington, in my neighbourhood even, at 27 C Waitoa Road in Hataitai. This is going to be especially handy (or err footy, badoom chish) now that Minx Shoes have moved their factory outlet from Waikanae to Otaki.

Do you have a hankering for a homburg? Are you bereft of bowlers? Is it time to farewell that fading fedora?

Fear not: Hank Cubitt is bringing his unique sartorial style to Wellington's bareheaded masses with the new Wellington Hatters shop in Woodward St. And Hank being Hank, he's not content to just bring you traditional headwear, so his offerings extend to straw top hats, patchwork tweed cheesecutters and feathered felt creations that will certainly help you stand out among the Lambton Quay crowds. It's not just for the chaps, either, as he also stocks chapeaux for the chapettes.

Now, does anyone have any hints on how to keep them on your head in a Wellington northerly? I once had a very fine Panama that ended up somewhere near the Chathams.