Legit heaven for DC, Marvel, and other comic fans, The Comic Book Store in Bandra, Mumbai, is the country's very first licensed comic book store where you can buy comics along with collectibles and branded merchandise.
If reading Batman, Justice League, X-Men, and other such comics were a major part of your childhood, and you still want to get lost in the fantasy world of these comics, The Comic Book Store in Bandra, Mumbai is here. The store features over 1,000 comic books from different genres and has an impressive vibe, along with a photo booth where you can click photos with iconic costumes worn by some of the popular comic characters.
Located on Linking Road in Bandra, the store claims to be the first comic store in the country and can be seen even from a distance thanks to its yellow exterior and vibrant green signboard where the name of the store is written. Inspired by the unmet popular demand for authentic licensed comics in India, 25-year-old Hamza Sayed started this store in March after managing it for 3 years online. Sayed started this dream project in 2017 and in 2019, purchased his first stock of comic books from his savings which costed him Rs.3 Lakhs. After this, he built the website and began operating it from his home.
"As an introverted kid, my childhood was all about staying at home and watching Cartoon Network all day. Later I developed an interest in the stories of superheroes, which led me to the world of comics. But finding these comics and graphic novels was an expensive deal and only a few bookshops would have them. It wasn’t affordable for a school-going child and would cost a lot", he told Local Samosa. In 2017, Hamza started working on his idea, and after a while, left his marketing job. He, in fact, used all the savings to get his first inventory to India. "Since I also have a marketing background , I built a website and started my digital store, which is now India's first physical comic bookstore", he added.
Has over 1,000 comics including the signed copies, and much more
The store has a vibrant vibe with its bright yellow colour scheme. Once you enter the glass door, you'll see bookshelves or rather comic shelves on the right, front, and left walls. There are two tables on which a few comic books are placed. And it's no less than a paradise for comic fans. " The popular series Big bang theory was the inspiration for the store. I'm a huge nerd and it's a show that I relate to the most. Stuart's comic book store was the closest reference and you will find a lot of things that are exactly similar. Right from the open sign to the door, to posters, the superman cut out on the wall, and more", he added.
Currently, there are 1000+ comic books of various genres especially action and also a few graphic novels too. The starting price is Rs.100 and can go up to thousands as they have signed and vintage copies as well. Some of the comics have been autographed by Stan Lee and go for Rs. 18,000 per comic. There are also issues signed by other notable artists such as Donny Cates, and Alex Ross that are accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.
Other than that, there's also a photo booth where one can click photos wearing some of the iconic comic costumes, including Naruto's Akatsuki Cloak. "The costumes are not for sale but you can definitely try them and click as many photos as you want", she further told Local Samosa. Another wall on the left side of the glass door has a colourful poster. It features many popular comic characters including Spiderman, Superman, Venom, and more.
Find the hidden gems
There are also some very old gems available at The Comic Book Store, including Tip Top Comics from the 1940s, X-Men gold foil cover signed by Stan Lee, a signed Wonder Women issue #750 with the Alex Ross cover, Infinity Gauntlet #4 CGG slab that dates back to October 1991. Sayed has definitely done a great job with the collection and his hard work can be seen quite evidently. He plans to do events and cosplays and is even planning to open a store in Bangalore as well.
Where: Shop 3, Plot, 512, Linking Rd, next to National College, Khar, Bandra West, Mumbai. When: 11 am–11:30 pm (all week) Price: Rs.100 onwards.
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