I didn't see it coming, but who would until we traveled many years into the future?  But, for now, the early 70s, Como was not only surviving the cataclysmic changes in the industry, but diving into the new trend of trade paperbacks. Publishers saw this coming. Mass market companies (our one-time livelihood) were being absorbed by giants like Time Warner, Simon & Schuster, Doubleday, Random House, New American Library (formerly Signet Books), Bantam bought Ballantine, while many smaller mass market paperbacks folded and disappeared from the marketplace. Como hung in. While vowing to never take in another partner, Jock did hire Henry Hirsch from Magna Books, a Long Island distribution company run by Jerry Ginzberg, who happened to be Henry's brother-in-law. It was often said that the book industry was an incestuous business. In any event, Henry was well respected among his peers and had numerous contacts in the field. Without question, Henry was a strong asset for Como Sales and responsible for our enormous growth in the trade, but he was never a partner.

Sam Herman was inducted into the grand halls of Como at 799 Broadway where years before the police were closing in on a serial killer. Sam had heard about Como from Richard Strug, a neighbor, who was one of Jock's earliest reps. Sam had visions about a book rep's life based on Richie's lifestyle, home early in the day, time off at Christmas, travel, conventions, and making money. What a life. Luckily, for Sam, Richie decided to move on, but not before recommending Sam to Jock to take over his (Richie's) mid-Atlantic territory, and thus Sam Herman became a core Como. This transition occurred just around the time I was hired. 

Our company now consisted of Jock Moore, Peter Redding, Charles Collins, Henry Hirsch, and Sam Herman. We were like a small family who met up with each other twice a year for sales conferences and the annual ABA Conventions (now Book Expo).  However, with the expansion of our territories, Jock realized he would have to add a few more Comos to the family. Where other rep groups were scaling back, Jock was moving forward. Bill Hurst was one of them--a natural-born bookseller earmarked for Northern Jersey, but Bill, like me at the start, didn't drive. However, luck was with him.  He got his license, got married, moved to California, became a principal in Publisher's Group West, and retired early, a millionaire.

Next, Jock hired Judy Guerra, whose husband, Don, was a trade sales manager for Abrams. She covered some Jersey territory. Unfortunately, Judy was quite outspoken which did not sit well with Jock. A confrontation was inevitable followed by a falling out. She left the company, and I suspect we lost Abrams. But Jock took the credit for being the first sales group in the country to have hired a woman. Other women were to follow. Sam Herman's wife, Adele (aka Delly), had been told by Jock that she would someday become an employee of Como, and she did--first on a part-time, 3 days-a-week basis, and full-time two years later sharing the Mid-Atlantic territory with Sam. Delly became a core Como. With the addition of Henry's daughter, Judy Hirsch, the complexion of Como was slowly evolving, as was the book industry itself. First with the superstores, then the predators’ expansion:  Barnes & Noble and Borders, and Finally Amazon. New technology was emerging, and the core Comos were beginning to look like dinosaurs.

It was always expected by Jock that whenever a bonus arrived, we gave a little something back in return. For me, it was Scotch Pies, and there was only one place in the city of New York where you could purchase the Real McCoy, and that was on the Upper East Side. Thus whenever Jock distributed a bonus check, mine was always characterized as pie money.

For a short but significant time, we represented Marvel Comics. Now an old colleague from our Avon days, Stan Stetzer, happened to be the current National Accounts Manager for Marvel. One morning Stan called me into his office. There was something hushed and secretive about his manner, as he asked me if I would like two tickets to a Mets game at Shea Stadium. Well, I was never a baseball fan, so I politely declined. "But you don't understand, this is the night Spider-Man and Mary Jane are celebrating their wedding at Shea." It didn't take me long to change my mind since Spider-Man was my son's favorite superhero, and I felt a live baseball game might get him interested in the sport. It didn't, but he did enjoy seeing Spidey and MJ alive & and in person. I had to leave before the game was over. My son, Chris, was getting bored, and thanks to Stan, I had an invite to the wedding reception, at a late-night West Side, disco in the city----Adults only. Marvel characters walked about in costume throughout the evening; the Incredible Hulk being the most intimidating. There was an enormous wedding cake, plenty of food and drink, and a band that never stopped playing. It was a blast.

Now you never knew who might come walking through Como's doors. It was about 10 a.m. when we had just finished morning tea and heard a tapping at our door. I opened it, and who should walk in but Stan Lee, the creator of Marvel Comics and Spider-Man. Many years had passed since we represented the comic book giant. Maybe Jock and Stan were old friends from the past. I don't know. What did amaze me was the book Stan presented for our feedback. It was a trade paperback of humorous photographs taken of celebrities and political figures in somewhat embarrassing moments with funny captions beneath. First of all, the concept was not new. It had been tried before with some degree of success. However, for this to work today would require an all-new collection of contemporary images with funny tag lines. Ultimately we turned Stan down. Over the years we had the opportunity to meet with many a one or two-book publisher; sometimes the author himself, who, knowing little about the ins & outs of the publishing business, took a risky gamble and paid all the expenses to have his book printed. Now he is sitting in a garage full of books, trying to figure out how to transfer them to his local bookstore. It's a highly competitive world out there, appearing to become more challenging with the passage of each new season.

New faces, both men and women, were seen at sales conferences and conventions. Jock was growing tired. There were fewer people around with whom to share a beer, or a Johnny Walker Black. I suspect Jock felt it was time to retire the canvas bags; the catalogs; the order forms. At a Como business meeting, Jock offered to sell his shares of stock to Peter, Henry, Sam, and me. We purchased them in the early 80s. It was like suddenly moving from core Comos to business partners. A few years later we hired Ken McConnell. He was referred to us by Tom Heithouse who ran Sormani Calendars (a very upscale line of European art, travel, calendars, and old-fashioned Advents). Despite a sometimes dour personality, Ken was a diligent worker who had respect for his job and was much loved by his accounts as well as our publishers. We partners all felt Ken deserved to be in our Como hierarchy. In 1982 we offered Ken the same deal we had with Jock. He accepted and became elevated to that envious rank.