Comic Stores Toronto Comic Stores Toronto

15 Best Comic Stores in Toronto to Explore!

Comics are not just about men saving the earth in tights. 

While the movies are amazing, for far wilder tales of action adventure and cosmic calamities, genuine fans go straight to the source material. 

Earth-saving superheroes have always been a thriving part of Comic Stores Toronto. There is a vibrant indie scene using the medium to tell various complex plots through words and images. 

Most comic stores often display a healthy range of Japanese comics, action figures, merchandise, and movie-related goodies.

The 15 Best Comic Stores Toronto To Watch Out For

Here’s our pick of the best 15 Comic Stores in Toronto.

1. TCAF Store

This store is a paradise for comic lovers.

Located on Yonge Street, a little piece of the Toronto Comic Arts Festival gets carried to Yonge and Bloor throughout the year by the TCAF Shop (also known as Page & Panel).

Definitely for the comic lover who reads ‘stuff far beyond the generic comic book style. This place is for you if you love a memoir/slice of life/travelogue, fantasy novels, and comics!

They also had some zines, self-published illustrations, and comic books, which were also available at the recent TCAF festival, so that’s pretty amazing! 

They also seemed to have many children’s books and toys. A unique comic store in all and certainly worth the visit!

 It’s convenient, especially if you want to visit and explore downtown or go to Balzac’s, buy a coffee, and enjoy your comics.

2. Red Nails II

Image from Unsplash

Located in the Bloor West Village, Red Nails II is a retail store of comic strips and sports cards and is one of the popular community Comic Stores in Toronto.

The area offers enjoyable browsing of early 1980s comics, both new and vintage publications. A well-rounded selection of new and comic book-related merchandise may be found here.

Outside of downtown, there aren’t too many of these small shops around today, and Red Nails is, in their way, a bit of a classic.

3. The Sidekick

Image from Unsplash

The Sidekick is another unique east-end cafe that diligently combines the love for geeky comics in a cool, modern, entirely unpretentious way to save the day. 

It’s a big, giant, quiet open space with all sorts of seating spaces where even non-geeks can comfortably spend some time. A corner with a fireplace and twin armchairs is in the rear, perfect for a good comic and coffee.

Carefully curated comics featuring a little more on local publishers than DC or Marvel are on display on shelves in the centre of the store, along with souvenirs — including a decent variety for youngsters.

If you enjoy comic books and coffee, you should check out this charming find in Leslieville! Bring a cookie and the tastiest soy latte here on a Sunday morning.

The product, merchandise, and atmosphere are not likely to be disappointing! There is something smooth and tasty about their soy lattes.

Check out amazing facts regarding the Toronto Tower here.

4. West End Comics

Image from Unsplash

Another great location for comic buffs on Queen Street like the little island comics, for just that comic enthusiast crowd and more, West End Comics has the product to watch out for among the Comic Stores Toronto.

Stacks of old and new comics, from single issues to comic books, cover the streets in rows.

Depending on the pages’ complexity, boxes of issues in less than proper form sit in one far corner, ranging in price from twenty cents to five dollars.

Aside from comics, other merchandise related to any enthusiast can be identified. Tin Toys, such as robots and rocket vessels, are available for purchase, and old textile action figures for franchises such as Captain Action or Thundercats.

Besides that, themed salt-and-pepper shakers, night lights, flash drives, pocket watches, and cufflinks can be mounted.

5. Excalibur Comics

Image from Unsplash

Opened in 1987, Excalibur Comics, another small Comic Stores Toronto, is located west of the Royal York Subway.

Robert, the owner, runs this fantastic store. The care and service available at Excalibur are beyond any other shop in town and leaps and bounds. 

A great selection of comics, trade paperback books, card games, figures, and more. There are just a few square meters of available ground retail space — nearly enough to turn around when there are more than two or three people inside. 

It’s common to see regulars hanging out inside that tiny space, hashing it up, defying all logic. 

Check out if you want to see how geeks interacted before the internet or if you’re seeking a truly hidden gem to support your Comix-Pokemon dollars.

6. Paradise Comics

Established in 1991, Paradise Comics is a classic Lawrence Park neighbourhood comic shop. 

It spreads out over 1000 sq. ft. space and holds Toronto’s one of largest collections of graphic novels and comics, including DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, and many more.

They respect the tech-savvy with an e-mail service that reminds you of what’s coming in the upcoming week so that you can respond directly, and they’ll set aside the things you want.

There are lots and lots of toys to cheer up the younger geeks. They’re well known for featuring Gold and Silver Era comics.

Know more about Paradise Comics here.

They feature an annual free membership program for comic geeks, which turns out to be their main USP in reviving their name among the Comic Stores Toronto.

7. The Comic Room

Established in the late 1970s, The Comic Room, located inside the Paperback Exchange in Scarborough, has served comic hobbyists since then.

They feature comics, including Marvel, DC, some little bit of Archie comics, and other random paperbacks.

Neighbourhood people have loved this little shop for decades, and today it does stock new and latest releases of popular comics and boasts rare and hard-to-find comics that refreshes every Wednesday.

The entire comic store is in the basement of the two-storeyed building. Price ranges between $20-$40 roughly.

8. The Beguiling

Image from Unsplash

Arguably, the Beguiling is said to be Toronto’s best-stocked comic book store and is among the most popular stores in Toronto among people visiting.

Local comic fans and artists admire this comic store in Toronto, hosting events on comics for decades.

Genres like manga, superheroes, art, and Canadian can be found here and are mostly dominated by Canadian college students.

Books are around $20 – $25. Old-school comics can range up to $35.

Know more about Beguiling here.

One can find the evergreen popular Phantom stranger, Deadman Strange, Tintin, Paris Soirees, Hip Hop Family Tree, and other popular editions loved by every comic book enthusiast!

Apart from checking out Comic Stores Toronto, there are a few other exciting things to do. Click here to know.

9. Silver Snail

The Silver Snail comic store on Yonge Street has been a popular go-to place for Toronto comic hobbyists for decades.

Previously they used to have a store near the Queen West location, but after 2012 this store shifted to 329 Yonge Street over HMV Shopee and became the demigod to comic collectors.

The store can accommodate many comic enthusiasts in its grasp, having wider hallways and higher racks to store many comic stocks.

There is a separate toy section, clothing section, and games section. Young comic geeks can find the toy section very interesting as it holds stacks of superhero toys, RPGs, Tintin books, and merchandise of certain comic brands.

Check out Silver Snail offers and learn more here.

Silver Snail is a perfect getaway for young comic lovers in Toronto. An in-store cafe makes it perfect!

The Black Canary Espresso Bar highlights some life-size portraits of Batman, Spiderman, and others and is a well-chilled place for enthusiasts to sit down and read with peace of mind.

Silver Snail has gained popularity among Comic Stores Toronto. It will continue as one of the most visited stores by comic buffs in the upcoming years!

10. BMV Books (Bloor St.)

Image from Unsplash

BMV is a book lover’s paradise and a rom-com date night fantasy.

While it’s not exactly your neighbourhood basement used book store and one of the best Comic Stores Toronto, you will possibly discover books in great condition at bargain prices and usually countless copies.

You have three floors of fresh, used, existing, rare, paperback, hardcore … you name it!

For Torontonians, the BMV bookstore is a classic. This place has a wide variety of new and old classic books. They even have Blu-rays, DVDs, CDs, and even VHS cassettes.

There is a massive array of children’s books upstairs. There you can find a variety of popular series, ranging from hardcover to board books.

Prices are still more discounted than when book orders are ordered, and quality is top-notch.

Before heading to the third level, you’ll find yourself surrounded by graphic novels and comic books. There are so many here that everyone has something for them: superheroes, indie comics, or a slice of culture-all you might like.

11. BMV Books (Yonge St.)

Image from Unsplash

BMV Books on Yonge Street has various items: classics, contemporary literature, non-fiction, coffee table books, comics, cookbooks, you name it.

There is also a 2nd deck of the same volume as downstairs, and there are fairly large parts of a few non-fiction subjects and a large portion of children at the front.

At the back near the stairs, there is indeed a lot of older sci-fi, along with graphic novels and seasonal items like Star Wars collector books and Dr Who novelty items.

Pricing is almost the same as the other locations, for most of the usual stock, $4-10. Due to its higher quality, the literature segment appears to be a little more economical, and the specialized pieces may be more costly but still fair.

This is generally a good place to check out, especially if you’re looking for anything in one of its niches.

12. Hairy Tarantula

Image from Unsplash

Popularly known as Hairy T among the locals, it’s located right off Yonge and Steeles, as the plaza is. Parking, however, the entrance to this site is much simpler to find than its downtown location.

The store offers a variety of board games. There is a Magic card exhibition table. The prices are reasonable but not particularly competitive compared to other game shops.

They have a lot more space to host regular activities and events in the basement in this place. Also, look out on their website for their weekly, monthly, and quarterly deals.

They have Wazoo manga and graphic novels, legos, Japanese trinkets, lunchboxes for superheroes, and more.

13. Atomic Age

Image from Unsplash

Another little but true gem of Comic Stores Toronto, Atomic Age, is a pure experience.

It is a comic book shop with no frills and what one expects (i.e., very cramped) to look like on the inside. Outside, it looks a little run-down, but the room is well-used.

Instead of ambience, the energies go into the merchandise and operation. A decent range of comics and graphic novels is displayed in the shop, offering new and vintage comics.

And the typical knick-knacks at the front counter, of course.

It’s a small venue, so they’ll have a little bit of everything, concentrating on superheroes and action comics. There are graphic novels accessible but still a bit freezy.

14. Planet X

Image from Unsplash

A known one-stop-shop on the Comic Stores Toronto scenario, which features comics, collectables, games, and much more. Planet X also hosts weekly card games to entertain comic buffs.

They feature a wide range of products – up high, down on the floor, underneath the shelves, in display phases and cardboard, and here and there. They also feature a huge store.

Overall a nice store in the corner of the beaches.

15. Legends Warehouse

Image from Unsplash

Legends Warehouse is said to be one of the best Comic Stores Toronto and is the best for Vaughan people.

It’s a little hard to find since it’s towards the back of the lot seen on the maps, but you only have to follow the parking lot once you know that.

Not as big inside as the picture may imply, but to compensate for the many items inside.

There is a fairly decent range of popular and obscure board games. They’ll happily order it for you if they don’t have what you’re looking for and give you a call when it arrives.

Very flexible working hours, open late on several nights of the week, and activities are constantly happening here. In the back, they have a fairly big, well-lit, and clean room for gaming.

Closing Thoughts

Image from Unsplash

In Toronto, image comics and geek culture are rampant, with many comic book readers living here every week to visit their absolute favourite shop. 

With so many of the city’s comic book shops, which ones stand out?

As a comic book fan or comic book collector, whether you are looking for marvel comics, classic comics, silver age comics, dc comics collection, or even inspired board games.

I hope you discovered your answer from this list and your best comic stores Toronto.

 Click here to read more with us.

Suggested Reads:

6 Remarkable Moving Companies in Toronto You Can Rely On

 

Last Updated on by Priyanshi Sharma

Author

  • Pritam

    Biker. Writer. Wanderer. Gadget Geek. A food-loving guy not only loves to eat but to cook! I got to where I'm today by being me.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *