To some, the halcyon days of comic book stores might seem pretty much gone and forgotten now that fans can purchase their favorite titles and collectibles online. But that magical feeling of browsing a comic book from a real store will never be replaced.

Luckily, many iconic comic book sanctums still exist and are totally worth seeking out! Next time you’re visiting a new town, why not check if there’s a cool comic book store nearby your itinerary? They’re great places to pass the time while checking out the local’s take on pop culture and discovering the area’s own indie press. And who knows? You might come across a comic book, a valued figure, or rare piece of memorabilia connecting you to a happy moment from your childhood.

Whether you’re a hardcore collector eager to complete your back catalog or a newbie who simply enjoys being in a space densely packed with high-quality pop culture treasures, prepare to be astonished with this mighty list of some of the best comic book stores in the US!

Atomic Books (Baltimore)

 

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With its focus on indie comics and small press, Baltimore’s independently owned Atomic Books offers “literary finds for mutated minds” in the form of “objects made of paper, vinyl, plastic and various other actual materials at the edge of time.” Atomic is also the postal address for fan mail to local film and mischief maker, John Waters, who’s known to stop by from time to time!

Floating World Comics (Portland, OR)


With a fresh batch of comics every Wednesday, Floating World Comics is a shop that you’ll want to  return to again and again. It curates both popular titles and indie collections, including small press and self-published works from up-and-comers hoping to find an audience. In addition to comics, zines, graphic novels, and manga, you can also find a large number of books ranging from contemporary YA to classic literary novels. To get the full experience at Floating World Comics, visit during one of their many special events. You can enjoy readings, book signings, and even pop culture performances and demonstrations. The shop is also part of Portland’s First Thursday Street Gallery every month.

Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find (Charlotte, NC)

stack of comic books

America’s comic source since 1980, Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find is one of the oldest, best known, and largest comics retailers in the United States. Whatever your preferred genre or era, you’re likely to find it here or have the HAHTF hounds track it down for you with expert speed, particularly with respect to Silver and Golden Age comic books. Not hard to find at all, the shop is located in the Elizabeth neighborhood of uptown Charlotte.

Isotope (San Francisco)

This Hayes Valley, San Francisco “comic book lounge” is proud to represent the “bleeding edge of comic retailing modernism.” For the uninitiated, that means loads of cool comics, graphic arts, live music, workshops and events – and plenty of attractively designed and comfy spaces in which to absorb it all. Perhaps the world’s only comic shop that can get away with calling itself swank, Isotope exalts the best bits of pop and underground cultures while giving avid readers breathing room to enjoy comics in public.

Jay & Silent Bob’s Secret Stash (Red Bank, NJ)


Under an hour’s drive south of Manhattan, Jay & Silent Bob’s Secret Stash in Red Bank, New Jersey is filmmaker and comic buff extraordinaire Kevin Smith’s little slice of retail paradise. A brick-and-mortar homage to all things geeky and collectible – not to mention Smith’s films such as Clerks and Chasing Amy and the AMC show Comic Book Men – the shop’s main selling point is that is it first and foremost a place to buy the best newly released and back issue comics.

Meltdown Comics (Los Angeles)

Clocking in at 9,000 square feet, Meltdown is the largest “pop culture emporium” west of the Rockies. It’s also one of the best stocked throughout the land and definitely your best bet for geeking out on your favorite comics and collectibles in Los Angeles. The place has won all sorts of accolades over the 20-plus years it’s been in operation. Go west and discover Meltdown at 7522 Sunset Boulevard.

Midtown Comics (Manhattan)

 

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The biggest comics shop in the United States, Midtown Comics is a a glorious two-story Times Square shrine to the best in comics and merchandising. With more than half a million back issues in stock, plus plenty of signings and special events, Midtown Comics is the place to go in New York to get your comic book fix among hundreds of fans and pop culture experts. Being the ancestral home of Marvel superheroes, it’s only fitting that Midtown Comics is a true pilgrimage site to New Yorkers of all ages! Midtown Comics also has two more locations in downtown Manhattan and the Grand Central area, as well as an outlet store in Astoria, Queens. ‘Nuff said!

You may also like: 5 New York Locations Where Superheroes Fight in the Movies

The Million Year Picnic (Cambridge, MA)

 

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Tucked on the bottom floor of an unassuming red brick building in Harvard Square, Million Year Picnic is a small, locally owned comic book shop in that specializes in indie titles. You can find the big boys from Marvel and DC, but you’re just as likely to stumble across a rare manga series from Japan or a zine from a college hobbyist group. Half of the fun of the Million Year Picnic is simply wandering around and seeing what treasures that you can unearth from the depths of its crowded and colorful shelves. Best of all, if you find something good to take home, your purchase will help to support a small and community-oriented business rather than a big chain. A place for true believers, no doubt about it!

Amalgam Comics & Coffeehouse (Philadelphia)


With poster-lined walls and coffee tables painted like Captain America’s shield, Amalgam Comics & Coffeehouse is clearly a business built by passion. You’ll find joy in every bookshelf and every figurine perched on top of a counter. Amalgam isn’t just a comic book shop, either; as you might have guessed from its full name, the store also serves coffee, tea, and pastries that you can enjoy as you bury your nose in something like Harriet Tubman: Demon Slayer! Between the menu, the music, and the merchandise, visiting Amalgam Comics & Coffeehouse will be an entire experience worthy of those cheap airline tickets to Philly that you managed to score.

Forbidden Planet (Manhattan)


We put and end to our geeky vacation trip by traveling back to the Big Apple. Because it’s hard to walk by Forbidden Planet without going in. Even the windows are packed with things like Star Wars stormtrooper helmets and limited editions of Bugs Bunny Monthly from 1994. The geekdom only increases once you step inside and realize that you’ve entered a pop culture hurricane. There are comics, manga, and graphic novels as far as the eye can see, and they’re supplemented by everything from action figures and board games to DVD sets and novelty T-shirts. If you can’t find what you want in the brick-and-mortar store, you can browse their impressive stock online and have it shipped to you. Whether you’re into Funkos, anime, art books, role playing games, or plain old comics, Forbidden Planet will be your one-stop shop for fun!

Do you have a favorite comic book store? Let us know in our comments section below!

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About The Author

Chris Osburn is a freelance writer, photographer, consultant, curator, and the driving force behind the long running and award winning blog, tikichris.com. Originally from the American Deep South, Chris has lived and worked all over the world. He's called London home since 2001.