COMIC SHOPS

Just west of the historic downtown area of Campbell at the corner of Winchester and Campbell, so just head south from the Winchester Mystery House!

Friendly (and cute!) staff; you can tell they really love the hobby. Roomy, bright and well laid-out; it's easy to find what you're looking for. A great source for cards, action figures and back issues at reasonable prices. Hands down, the best choice for the Concord/Pleasant Hill area. Their website needs some work, but here it is... Flying Colors Comics.

Near the corner of Oak Grove and Treat, County Connection line 115.

From 85, take the Camden Ave exit and head south. Turn Left on Kooser and look for the Mervyn's plaza.

Nice staff, clean store and well lit. Chicago Comics tries to carry the widest variety of comics from mainstream to small press and indy publishers, including foreign publishers like Oog & Blik and Les Humanoides Associes. There's also a variety of manga in Japanese and English.

To get there, take the Red line train, get off at the Belmont stop and walk east (toward Lake Michigan) to Clark St. Turn right and walk down a few blocks. By bus, you can take the #32 Clark St bus which runs north/south on Clark or the #8 Halsted that goes north/south on Halsted which is west of Clark one block at that point. Just tell the bus driver you want to get off the bus at 3200 north.

Nice staff, clean store and well lit. They carry about every new title that you can think of from DC to Marvel to independents to manga. There is also a wide assortment of both new and previously released graphic novels and trade paperbacks available, including PEDRO AND ME and DYKES TO WATCH OUT FOR. Bargain boxes of comics are 50 cents and others are five for a dollar. The store also has a secure website that lets anyone in the US take advantage of the store's liberal 35% discount on mainstream comics (discount may be less on other comics and items). Check the G-mart site. They even provide a computer in the store to open or update your account or to check on your subscription.

From I-57 north or south bound, take exit University St. and go east. University is a one way street, so just follow it. At Walnut St. in downtown Champaign, turn left, and then right on Main. G-mart is on this block across from Jupiter's, a good place for pizza and pool. If you're coming east on I-74, follow the same directions as above. If coming from either direction on I-72, exit Neil St. southbound, take a left on University, then a left on Walnut, and a right at the next light which is Main. If you park before 5:00 during the week, put some change in the meter to avoid getting a ticket. Look for a copy of the Buzz, Champaign's free paper, if you're looking for something to do.

Very friendly and helpful owners who are in the business because they love comics and want to share them. They are fair to a fault, never greedy and hostile, and enjoy a good conversation about comcs.

Near McDonald's on main highway IL Rt. 16 and traveling east toward Eastern Illinois University. Can't miss it. Charleston is located in east central Illinois near I-57, south of Champaign, west of Terre Haute, IN, and east of Decatur.

Quimby's carries a selction of indy and small press comics as well as magazines like ON OUR BACKS, BIG AD, TRANSGENDER TAPESTRY and body art magazines.

Contact the store for directions using public transportation.

There are 2000 square feet of Comics, Toys amd Gaming stuff (Magic, YuGiOh, World of Warcraft, HeroClix, D & D.... etc). They also do have a Cosplay group that meets there that does community service.

This place is well lit and comfortable. The store is family owned, so you know it is friendly and well decorated.

The staff there will greet you no matter what is going on and they are always willing to go that extra mile to find you what you want. If you need something ordered they will do it.

There are always customers there who are ready to hold a conversation on comics or a gaming guy who is ready to sit and play a round with you.

This place is always warm and they make you feel at home whether you are a regular customer or not.

If you stop by there you will definitely be glad you did.

From I-80 Toll Road /Interstate 294: go south on Halsted St. to Ridge Rd. turn Right (west). Drive about 2 miles to Dixie Hwy. Turn Left (South) and they are immediately on the left, east side of the street.

If you are coming south on 294 or east on 80 you can take the Dixie (Homewood ) exit south and take it durectly there.

By Metra train: get off at the Homewood station exit on Ridge road, walk two Blocks to Dixie Hwy and make a right (south).

They are on Dixie Hwy north of 183rd and south of Ridge Rd.

On north side of Michigan Avenue, just three blocks east of Schaefer Road, in Dearborn.

The guys that work there are awesome. Extremely friendly and helpful. The owner tries to find old comics for me and all the employees are good resources. Best store in Omaha.

From Interstate 80, take the 84th Street exit and go north. The plaza is on the left-hand side of the street where the Baker's Grocery Store and Shopko are located.

I've been going to this shop for a few years now. The owner is amazingly friendly, as is his staff. I never get books shoved into my reserve box that I won't like, and they're great about getting things in for their regular customers. The place is fun, friendly, and carried the Prism Guide on their featured titles table when it came out.

Roger is a great guy. He once said to me how when he was a kid he wished there were comic shops like the kind he runs. There weren't but at least now he's making sure that comic lovers can shop at a place like his. A couple of times when they appeared to be sold out of something I wanted, he gave me his own personal copy right then and there.

The Time Machine is much more than just a comic shop. Besides lots of complete collections of obscure runs of comics it has records, posters, action figures, tons of out of print magazines, and really hard to find sci-fi, TV, and movie memoribilia.

If you need something that's sold out in every other shop in the tri-state area, just tell him you were referred by "one of the family" and he'll hook you up with whatever you're looking for.

I have been going to this comic book store for over 15 years. I have a file here, and get a 10% discount. I can get a better discount at another store, but the owner of this shop, Geoff, is a great guy. He's a hot, hairy chested bear of a man with a bushy moustache. He's a straight guy, but very friendly, and very gay-friendly, too. Despite this, he has a fondness for anything Disney, and loves Spiderman. He occupies my lover while I buy enough comics each week to pay his rent. I have strayed and gone elsewhere before, but I always end up coming back to QCC&C, because the service cannot be beaten. He knows that I'm gay, and even alerted me to the gay content in THE AUTHORITY, even before I had picked up on it. He pulled me a copy of CHARM SCHOOL when it first came out, knowing that I would be interested in it. He's a very good judge of what you'll like, and what you won't like. He actually fired a homophobic employee who he discovered was harassing gay customers (not a lot of us, but more than most people realize), myself included. He's great about special orders, and actually gives great recommendations. I whole-heartedly recommend this comic book store to anyone travelling in the Cincinnati, Ohio area. Tell him that Martin sent you. If he doesn't give you a puzzled look, then you'll get AbFab service!!

I-71 to the Ridge Road exit; follow Ridge Road up the hill until you reach Montgomery Road. The store is on the corner of Ridge and Montgomery.

Great and helpful, not to mention amusing and entertaining, employess. They learn your name. They are clean and well lit. And they don't have that holier-than-though attitude.

Mopac to 2222, exit south then right on Burnet, and it's on the left side at 49th and Burnet.

Will, the store owner, is a tried-and-true FAN as well as the proprietor. He takes care of his regular customers. He's always fair, honest, and great to talk with.

In Seattle's University District. Call for directions.