Whether you’re a hardcore fanboy that calls Comicon your mecca, or merely someone who saw The Dark Knight and Hellboy II this summer and would like to indulge in the world of comic books a bit more, this list should help you find what you need. At least if you live in the Philadelphia area. Below you will find descriptions of 5 comic book stores in the Philadelphia area and just what makes them unique.
DOWNTOWN STORES:
Fat Jack’s Comic Crypt
2006 Sansom Street
Online you may find reviews of this store talking about the pretentious and highly-opinionated staff, but I’ve yet encounter such snobbery here. Fat Jack’s may be crammed into a small downtown location, but the store truly utilizes the space well. There is a massive selection of new books from the big guys like Marvel, DC, Image, and Dark Horse, as well as plenty of indie fare. The back issue selection is the largest you will find downtown. The books are well organized and, unlike many comic book stores, Fat Jack’s has not begun to trim down their back issue section, so geeks and collectors will have plenty to flip through here. Of course the store also carries plenty of CGC booster packs and other gaming supplies.
Atomic City Comics
642 South Street
Atomic City always seems in a bit of disarray; back issue bins packed to the point of bending books, graphic novels, and trade paper backs in various areas, and bargain bins next to much more expensive comics. Still, they’ve got what you need. With a great selection of new books, and a massive amount of trades and hardcovers, you will be fine here unless of course back issues are your thing.
Brave New Worlds
45 North Second Street
Brave New Worlds has a much more polished look than the other downtown stores, and they do carry a number of variant cover books, but they don’t have any back issue bins. Maybe to compensate for this fact they do carry more of what the other guys don’t, that is collectibles like statues and action figures, and a large hardcover section. As long as you aren’t trying to fill single issue gaps in a collection Brave New Worlds can handle any of your needs, and, thanks to the already mentioned polished and orderly look as well as more laid-back staff, Brave New Worlds may be the best place to go for newcomers or anyone looking for a calmer shopping experience.
SUBURBAN STORES:
Showcase Comics
874 W. Lancaster Ave.
Bryn Mawr, PA
The suburbs may be known for having more space, and well Showcase is no exception. Within this huge store you will find a massive collection of back issues (yes, bigger than Fat Jack’s) as well as everything else comic-related from trade paper backs to role playing games. The store also keeps a huge amount of “recent” comics meaning that if you are trying to catch up on a comic that started a few months back, they will still be out on the wall so you won’t have to pay back issue prices. With bigger stores also comes more variants, which Showcase always has on display.
Comics and More
500 W. Germantown Pike (Inside Plymouth Meeting Mall)
Plymouth Meeting, PA
Comics and More is unique for a couple of reasons. One is that if you are a gamer, this is the place for you. The entire back of the store has been converted into a gaming area full of tables and even and old X-Men arcade game. They stock every imaginable CGC and even have cases full of Hero Clix and Warhammer miniatures. The second thing that makes Comics and More unique is their staff. While not everyone that works at a comic book store is some opinionated and obsessed fanboy who will belittle your purchases, it does often happen. Well, at Comics and More you won’t have to worry about that. While they do have a relatively young staff, they are knowledge and above all else, incredibly friendly and helpful. Yeah, they might have a pretty small selection of back issues, but if you are tired of feeling uncomfortable in comic shops, this is the place for you.
