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For 25 years, Alameda native Patti Tsang has provided her island home the most extensive resource for comics and related media. Alameda Sports Cards and Comics was located on Park Street for 24 years before she moved to a larger space on Webster Street a year ago. Tsang's popular shop is a welcoming spot where long-time loyalists and newcomers alike congregate in a common cause. Tsang's passion for the field is expressed in her own words: "I love the medium of comic books, of telling a story through pictures. The words allow you to know more about the story. There is nothing better than great art making the characters come alive through pictures, and then defining them with words. That makes a perfect comic book story for me. Comics have become a popular medium, with many films coming out, inspired by their rich history of panel-to-panel storytelling." Her love for comics is matched by her love for the serious hobby of trading-card collecting: "I love how sports trading cards capture players' historic milestones in their careers, along with the wonderful colors they used in the '60s, and styles of trading card through the '70s. It's a great way to appreciate the history of your favorite players, preserved in a 2 by 3 piece of cardboard!" Tsang also has a warm place in her heart for her customers, who are more like friends and family to her. "As far as people are concerned, I have generations of kids coming here," she said. "Many people have become very good friends of mine through our love of comics and sports collectibles."

Appealing to these two popular hobbies has not been limited to direct sales. Tsang has also made charitable donations to local organizations and fundraisers, from spelling bees, walk-a-thons, yearbooks and sports boosters to art and music programs, including but not limited to Alameda schools such as Otis, Edison, Franklin, Lum, Washington, Encinal High, Alameda High and Lincoln Middle School. She has also contributed to the Alameda Recreation and Park Department. Among her popular annual events is National Free Comic Book Day, coordinated in conjunction with the Alameda Children's Library. Over the years, Tsang has sponsored the Alameda Little League, Alameda Soccer, and Alameda Babe Ruth, the latter once boasting famous players Dontrell Willis and Jimmy Rollins. Other sponsorships have included the Alameda Times-Star Book Reading Program and the Argus Book Bucks Reading Program. Currently, Tsang provides her growing customer base a weekly e-mail newsletter, and offers collection appraisals by appointment. She also provides a comic book mailing service to interested and qualified institutions. Tsang has been proactively engaged with her community both as a conscientious citizen and as an ardent lover of all things comic book for two and a half decades. Due to her dedicated efforts, her shop has become not just a vital resource for this thriving subculture, but a local institution. This is a milestone the community at large should acknowledge and celebrate. Tsang is hosting a special 25th anniversary customer appreciation sale through Feb. 12, with special giveaways on Saturday, Feb. 5.