After more than 20 years, College Park’s comic world has morphed into an all-new look.

The independent comic book store on Route 1, previously known as Liberty Books & Comics, changed hands and names over the summer – with little fanfare and little public notice.

Maybe part of the reason was that the sign out front did not change to its new name, Big Planet Comics, until as recent as two weeks ago, said Peter Casazza, one of Big Planet Comics’ new co-owners.

Jim Dodson, the store’s former owner, decided to sell the store – which was called Closet of Comics until 2004 – to Casazza and co-owner Jared Smith in June so he could move to New Hampshire, Casazza said. Big Planet Comics is the fourth location of the independently owned and operated Washington-area chain. It also has locations in Bethesda, Georgetown and Vienna, Va.

The change in owners and name has brought about several changes to the store, but visitors will still see familiar faces working at the store’s counter.”We kept over all the employees, except Jim, of course,” Casazza said. Dodson could not be reached for comment on the story.

Dodson’s store was also known for its display of Libertarian campaign gear and heated political discussions. That’s gone, too.

“Some people have been missing the Jim-vibe,” Casazza said. “There were a couple of customers who have said they miss the Libertarian stuff and the political discussion.”

The store is also missing the table near the front of the store where patrons could sit and read, which has upset a few regulars, Casazza said. The store isn’t messy as it once was either, he said. One of the first steps Casazza and Smith took was to give the store a cleanliness overhaul, Casazza said.

“I didn’t even know the name had changed until I came in and noticed there wasn’t a big pile of comic books in the middle of the store,” said Jeff Chiu, a 2004 alum who has been visiting the store for 10 years.

Chiu wasn’t alone in not noticing the change.

“I didn’t even realize it had changed hands,” Brittany Klein, a sophomore mechanical engineering major said as she browsed the store.

Klein said she had visited Liberty Books & Comics once last year, but she wasn’t impressed by its selection of Japanese-style magna comics, which she prefers to American comics. She was visiting the store Sunday to show a friend the stores’ American comic selection.

The newfound cleanliness and organization has improved the overall feel of the store, Chiu said.

“Things are just easier to find,” Chiu said. “They changed stuff, but they didn’t do it too much that a regular couldn’t find their things.”

John Staton, who has worked off-and-on at the location for more than 10 years, has found the change in ownership exciting, he said. Casazza and Smith’s willingness to sell lesser known comics, as well as the more mainstream DC or Marvel brand, has also helped the transition, Staton said.

“They share the former owner’s commitment to small press,” Staton said. “Peter and Jared know their esoteric titles. They’re really on top of things.”

Other patrons noticed the stores increased space and didn’t seem to mind the changes.

“There’s more space,” Kevin Jones, a 25-year-old Washington resident, said. “I’m reading and enjoying myself. I haven’t been [here] in a month or two but I saw some new faces so I figured stuff happens.”

Despite the general acceptance, Staton said some regular customers have been slowly receptive to the changes.

“It was a big change and a sudden change … The suddenness leaves some people catching their breath,” Staton said.

But for Chiu, the change hasn’t been big enough for him to take his business elsewhere.

“It still feels like home,” Chiu said.

rudi.greenberg@gmail.com