Comics in Los Angeles: You Don't Have to Hide it Anymore

Once the undisputed champion of comic book stores in Los Angeles, their standing has definitely fallen a notch due to stiff competition and the owner’s death a few years back. Still, they have a huge selection and they bring in a lot of famous actors and artists for signings. The fan-boys here are ridiculous, be warned.

Another excellent store in hipster dominated Silverlake, Secret Headquarters is smaller than many of its competitors but makes up for its lack of size in quality of selection. Lots of great indie titles and import books, and it’s strangely reassuring to see hipsters carousing about shoulder to shoulder with the freaks and geeks.

If I’m in the Burbank area, I will most likely drop by the HOS. stage whisper That’s what all the cool kids call it! Unlike many comic book stores, the staff does not feel a need to be unhelpful and surly, and I’ve always gotten surprisingly good customer service here.

This store has a wide variety of comics and Japanese manga, but by far the most defining characteristic of this shop is the legion of acne-riddled boys that play the card game Magic the Gathering. My girlfriend hates this place because she always claims as soon as we walk in, twenty pairs of nerdy, sexually unsatisfied eyes zoom in on her athletic frame. Oftentimes, I’ll feel the urge to slap up a couple of the more lascivious starers, but when it comes down to it, it’s not like they’ve got anything better to do than play Magic the Gathering and stare lustily at my long suffering girlfriend.

More of a lifestyle store selling all types of furnishings, clothing and cultural decor for the nerdy, Giant Robot has enjoyed a surge of popularity in the last couple of years.

In continuation with the robot theme, like Giant Robot, Kidrobot sells all sorts of stuff: comics, unique toys, gizmos, and even their own apparel line. I also like the fact that this is probably the only comic-influenced store I know where the girl to guy ratio is more balanced than the usual 0-100% found elsewhere.