If you don’t know anything about comics or organized play, you may have never stepped into Zia Comics, located at 125 N Main Street, in the heart of downtown Las Cruces. According to the owner, Troy Stegner, there is a game out there for everyone. Each kind of game has different mechanics, purposes, stories and finding the game for you is as easy as walking into the store and asking for a recommendation. Many people only know about the staple games, but there are so many more options available. “It’s like loving to read and only ever touching a murder mystery,” he says. The genres are endless.
When asked how he came into the business, Troy, like many owners, began because he loved comics and had trouble finding a local place to buy them. Ordering them online often led to quality issues, so he decided to fill his own need. As a result, Zia Comics was born in 2012. Today, much of Troy’s time is spent researching the latest trends, speculating what will be hot, and forecasting where each new shift in pop culture will lead. He works to help create a growing and thriving downtown community.
Troy has diversified his business to include organized play and offer free board game nights, demo games, SWAPS, and learning events. He is constantly striving to reach a broader audience and have has ambitious long term plans including instating an event a day program that would include hosting First Fridays on the Plaza, bringing in artists, authors, and live bands, and running Las Cruces’ and El Paso’s Comic-Con.
Zia Comics is open Monday through Thursday from noon to 7 PM, Friday from noon to 10 PM, Saturday from 11 AM to 10 PM, and on Sunday from noon to 6 PM.
The Zia Comics team can be reached by phone during operating hours at (575) 222-4347, or by email at ziacomics@gmail.com. For more information, visit Zia Comics online on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and at their website ZiaComics.com.
