I had read G.I Joe, a few Superman, Spider-Man and such comics at a local grocery store. Yet when they stopped carrying them I went about 4 to 6 years without seeing a comic.

Then I found the comic shop, and whew was it sensory overload. Boxes and walls of comics, and me with no idea how any of it worked. I remember it taking 2 months before the shop guy realized I was going to be a regular customer. So he explained to me that the new comics were on the wall. Or that most comics were only published once a month.

The pull boxes, preordering and the like came within a year or two after that.