Learn D&D, comic creation, and how to be awesome
There’s nothing like a drive along Hixson Pike on some odd chance you have a day off and ample fuel to burn for the hell of it. I’m not one to observe anything other than the road; billboards and non-traffic signs are flatly ignored in my Zenlike approach to driving.
But the rare occasions I break from my tranquil state and actually notice my surroundings it can be alarming.
The stretch of asphalt from Northshore to Lakesite is constantly in a state of flux. Gone is the cool resale shop where I’ve furnished most of my house and gone is the place that served authentic Texas style brisket.
It’s now a holistic vitamin shop, a very creepy looking vitamin shop.
The pike and the businesses camped along its banks are fluid like the rising wake of a fast-moving river; some things remain while others are washed into the far away deltas of time. Every time I drive it there is something new or something gone. One business that has changed so often that it seems to embody the nature of its company name is Infinity Flux.
Infinity Flux—Cards, Comics, & Games started as a humble little storefront next door to Asian Food & Gifts and across from Rice Boxx. The initial floor plan packed gamers and comic books in the same workable space and for a time it was manageable, until popularity grew.
Owner Jason Mink, a maestro for space utilization, maximizes usable floor space, never sacrificing the merchandise presentation or the overall shopping experience (a talent highly sought after among Chattanooga’s convention curators). Infinity Flux has taken hold of convention gaming tracks by establishing board game space in exhibit halls for ConNooga and the most recent Metrotham Convention.
The store owners have been busy with events lately but they haven’t lost focus on their hub of operations. Infinity Flux is still a welcoming nexus for all gamers, comic collectors, and fringe dabblers like me who dwell in both worlds.
Recently they’ve established a Dungeons & Dragons instructional gaming event alongside their usual Sunday family board game night. Beginners looking to see what all the fuss is about with the godfather of roleplaying games can discover everything they need in one place.
No need to bring dice, figures, cloaks, or tin foil hats; the gamemasters will hook you up. I can tell you that your first D&D game can be a near spiritual experience. Tight bonds can be formed with strangers in mere hours and your imagination will be enriched in ways no other form of gaming can match.
It’s worth trying if you’re a person hungry for something different with the promise of endless replay value. D&D used to be like riding a moped: the best thing ever until your friends finds out. Nowadays mopeds and D&D are the things to do if you’re a cool kid. So, drop that controller, get out of the house, and make new friends who won’t judge you for your dirty moped obsession.
I think Infinity Flux should just change their tagline to “games and more”. The “and more” would signal the unofficial creative center for artists and writers in the areas of comic book design and publishing. Chatt Comix Co-Op started in a back corner among the glossy stacks of dust covers and plastic tables. It has since grown into one of the finest networking groups within the city.
This group has artists and writers of all ages tweaking their craft, honing their skills, and collaborating on works both personal and collective. Co-Op leader Tara Hamilton has had her work showcased at The Hunter Art Museum and the group had a visit from Hellboy creator Mike Mignola.
It’s an exciting place to be every first and third Monday and if you’re looking to get your comic ideas off the ground then you definitely need to hit up Infinity Flux.
Infinity Flux has a lot going on and if it wasn’t for the intense love and support from the patrons this amazing comic book/game store could’ve been washed away, along with the constant flow of ever-evolving store fronts prevalent along Hixson Pike.
I may be challenged for saying it, but Infinity Flux IS Chattanooga’s premiere nerd haven. It’s a playground for game creators, fiction authors, and artists to shed all pretenses and speak fluent geek to one another. It may be ever growing and changing but at its core it’s an immutable sanctuary of love for gamers, creators, and collectors alike.
When not vaporizing zombies or leading space marines as a mousepad Mattis, Brandon Watson is making gourmet pancakes and promoting local artists.