Six comic book shops in six hours in metro Atlanta on a Saturday afternoon. This weekend we took a tour of the majority of shops listed on Google Maps in Atlanta so I could find the best collections of new and old comics to feed my new obsession.
Since getting back into comic books within the last year, I only knew of two comic book shops in the area. My favorite shop continues to be Dr. No’s in Marietta but I have some new shops to visit occasionally.
#1
Titan Games & Comics
2103 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth, GA
I had a list of titles to find during this expedition and I will admit I spent more money at this store than others for the rest of the day. But the selection of new titles was surprisingly low compared to what I was used to. It’s a nice little store but I think I’ll skip this one in the future unless I need to find old titles. They did help me complete my Captain America collection back to #600. Unfortunately, I miscalculated and I’m still missing #604.
#2
Galactic Quest
4264 Sudderth Rd., Buford, GA
I loved this store. It was crazy busy with a Yu-Gi-Oh! tournament in the back, people everywhere. The owner welcomed us the second the door opened and we had a nice chat. They had a great selection of old and new titles but I only spent $3.71. I think the activity in the store distracted me from really diving into the collection. The one problem with this store for me is the location. Buford is a little too far to drive compared to the other stores in the area.
#3
Tea House Comics
Ste B-107, 5920 Roswell Road, Sandy Springs, GA
This store is tucked away in a shopping center right across the street from the place where we hold the Atlanta Affiliate Summit Meetups in Sandy Springs. I will be back to this store at least on the last Tuesday of each month. Shelley is the owner and was very nice to talk with. She was helpful and had a good selection. What I did find interesting was a roundtable session of adults discussing the comic book industry in the back of the store. Was this a Comic Book Meetup?
#4
Great Escape Comics
1050 East Piedmont Road, Marietta, GA
Blown away. That was my first reaction to this store. When we finally found it, I walked into a comic shop wonderland. I loved the layout. Every inch of the usable floor and wall space in this store is effectively utilized to display new titles, archives and most importantly, single titles of value. The walls near the ceiling are plastered with hard to find and interesting collectible titles. This is the store where I spent $25 on Captain America #105 just because it was the oldest I’ve seen and it was in great condition. I will be back to this one.
#5
Swayze’s Venue
2543 Bells Ferry Rd Suite 650, Marietta, GA 30066
Are you kidding me? A closet inside a smelly music venue. It was embarrassing to walk into this place and even more so walking out. They did have a set of Captain America’s in the #150 range for $10 each but I didn’t dare trust my debit card with these people.
#6
Dr. No’s Comics & Games SuperStore
Canton Road, Marietta, GA Blackwell Square Shopping Center
My comic book home. It’s the biggest comic book shop I’ve ever been in and it’s where I have spent the most time recently. I like the layout, the customer service and the selection of new titles. I needed to find other stores to complete some missing collections because Dr. No’s is very popular and I think collector’s have sifted through their archives much more than others. Dr. No’s is my goto place for comics and games. I will be a customer for life.
Two stores not visited on Saturday but deserve a mention.
FCB Sports Cards, Comic Books, Games‎
9850 Nesbit Ferry Rd, Suite 21 Alpharetta
If you have about 30 seconds, walk passed the extensive sports collectible cabinets and peruse the 7 or 8 titles they carry. It’s a shame because this location is within walking distance of my house.
Oxford Comics & Games
2855 Piedmont Road Northeast, Atlanta, GA
I originally thought this would be the comic book fantasyland I was looking for. But after visiting here many times over the last year, I much prefer other shops. It’s cramped and sometimes unorganized. Customer service sucks and when I’ve asked them to order books for me, I never hear back. I’ve spent money there but I can do without the Buckhead attitude.
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