"What's that?" I asked. "Let's go! It looks like a comic…read moreshop," my friend Mica said. We were on our way out of the mall already when we saw the posted for Planet X Comic Shop. We went back to the third level of Glorietta and checked out the store. It was small, but well lit. The staff greeted us immediately and within seconds we found out their names were Jay and Sol. We told them it was our first time to the shop and they said it was obvious as we were oooh-ing and ahhh-ing and drooling over the things we wanted. Mica went crazy over the comics. Remember I said it was a small shop? It is. But they have a good selection of comics. I was interested in this book they had about Marvel and the way they do things. Then I checked the price and knew I wasn't going home with the book that day. "Mica, I need a job," I wailed. "I want this Captain America toy but it's 12K," Mica replied. Jay and Sol assured us that they have sales and everything becomes cheaper for a few days. Well, I can't wait for that day. For now, I'll be checking this shop every time I'm here to see what other new items they have.

In the Makati area, this is the best comic book shop where you can have comics (either new or…read morebackordered) reserved to you on a weekly basis (called a pull list). Customer service is awesome because of Eric, the shop's proprietor. I've been a patron of theirs since 2009 and even though there are other bigger comics shops in Manila, I always go back here. Plus, on every first Saturday of May every year, they are among the local comic book shops in Manila that participate in Free Comic Book Day, where anyone can get a free comic book of they choosing, free of charge, no strings attached.

Comic Quest. Of course I'll give it four stars. Any store that specializes in selling comics or…read moreanything relate to it's characters and so forth is always aces in my book. These sort of stores is what makes visitng malls worthy of my time. Not the food or the clothing, but the stuff that I can read. My brain needs food after all and printed material is often the best, most nutritious and satisfying source of brain food. Comic Quest goes a little bit beyond most comic book stores because it also likes to sell other items that are related to comics. For example, they also sell shirts with super hero themes. It's a common thing sure. Nothing new or original in that idea, but few comic book stores actually do this sort of things nowadays if at all. I'm not going to say that this is a part of a dying breed, but it is a uncommon sight. Feel free to walk right in since you might find something you like.

I have this problem where I cannot walk into a bookstore and then walk out empty handed. I'm a big…read morebookworm and saying goodbye to an entire store filled with books without a book for myself is just unthinkable. That's like hiring a prostitute, giving her a hug, and then sending her away. Actually, it's worse than that. EXPLOIT THE OPPORTUNITY, methinks. This is especially hard when it comes to secondhand or cheap bookstores like Bookay-Ukay. This place is amazing. It is filled from ceiling to floor with books - and not the usual crap you see in chain bookstores, either. You can tell that these titles were handpicked by whoever manages this place, and you're sure to find something you like in this hole-in-the-wall. My girlfriend had to drag me away from these books. I wanted to buy the entire building.

Finally visited the store, saw one of my fave comic books and bought it. never knew that I could…read moreget one for a such a low-cost. I'll definitely visit the store again for sure.

Fully Booked Katip is a place I regularly pass by whenever I get picked up. My dad comes from the…read morenorth, so I chill at Regis Center while waiting for him. This particular branch is really fun to stay in, because it's hardly ever full. The staff are used to dealing with the "college kid" demographic, and know all the latest Young Adult or Romance hits, and are very responsive when you want to have one ordered from another branch to be picked up or to pre-order a book. It's especially nice to hole up in the back part of the branch or in the couch seat in one corner and just will the hours away. There's fancy stationary and pens available too, if you find yourself short of any. Another thing I love about it is how it's right next to a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf branch, where you can enjoy your latest book buy with some warm tea and pastries to keep you company.

Fully Booked is the heaven of book lovers! They have great selections of all sorts, and even a…read morego-to for comic books and graphic novels. The store gives a classy and comfortable vibe. Conveniently placed in Katipunan, students, teachers and even parents are the usual customers who drop by at this branch. I personally go to Fully Booked to buy quality art supplies that may not be found in other bookstores. I also find some of their items exclusive that's great for gift shopping. This particular branch may not be big enough to house the particular item(s) you're looking for, but the staff can help you find them at the other bigger branches in the metro. The downside for me is that their items can be pricey and buying from there can make your wallet cry :( However, the place for me can be a good treat-yourself once in a while. It will also help to avail their membership card if you're planning to buy books and supplies there regularly. I will surely drop by Fully Booked once in a while to update myself with cool art stuff and perhaps buy a book as well. :)

Looking for affordable, educational and still efficient books? Then head on to Booksale, a bookshop…read morethat has almost everything: from recipe books to children's books, medical references, comic books, fiction and non-fiction novels, magazines, etc. Most of their books are sold for a much lower price, since they're already second-hand books (don't worry, the pages are still intact for most of them and they still look good in terms of condition). Some of their books may be outdated, but still full of information which you could use in whatever you need.

With more and more interest going into the "nerdy" or "geek" culture, comic shops and hobby shops…read morehave arisen to provide specialty shop services to the growing population. So, where would one go for both? One option would be Filbar's, which manages to sell comic books, cards and figurines of superheroes and occasionally favorite fantasy characters from Japanese Anime as well. With these shops scattered all over, one can imagine a network of these subcultures managing to tell each other about the latest small place where one can pick up a comic or a toy or even a card game that caters to their hobbies and interests. This branch of Filbar's in particular is conveniently located inside a mall and looks more like an open stall than an enclosed store thus permitting even girls like me to get in on the trend. The layout and location of the store diminishes any sense of hesitation that uninitiated yet curious passersby may feel and the general interest magazines displayed in the front portion seems to be an effective ploy to get any mall-goer to do the first step: check out the store. With Filbar's around, we can be comfortable showing our curiosity and openness for this new culture.

This goes out to the nerds on the other side of the spectrum!…read more Comic Quest has more to do with comics than Comic Alley does lately. They stock western comics though and have quite a lot of titles on their shelves. DC, Marvel, Vertigo, Dark Horse... you name it, they probably have it. From the more popular titles to some of the more obscure ones. If you're a collector or just an avid comic book reader, they probably have something you need to put on your shelf. But it isn't just comics. There's a bunch of other things, too. They have My Little Pony vinyl toys and figurines, I've seen a few Avengers and JLA hoodies and shirts... and this is definitely a place you can stock up on Magic cards but the one thing I do have to admit I dream of are their artbooks. Anime artbooks, video game artbooks, those delectable bibles of concept art and behind the scenes sketches... Comic Quest has a pretty sizeable collection of them too. It doesn't matter what you're into. Western comics, anime, video games, cartoons... Comic Quest definitely has something for any shade of fandom. And the staff is pretty knowledgeable too! If you need to figure out preorders or see if they have something you've been looking for, they're sure to give you a hand.

For artsy people who like to make things with their hands and like to support artsy people who make…read morethings with their hands, The Common Room is a very welcome addition to Katipunan. On the heels of the growing craft scene in the Philippines, The Common Room describes itself as "a place where makers gather." I love it because it's true! You'll find everything here from wallets made from old comic books, hand-sewn patches, pins, perfume, plushies and succulents! When you step inside, you'll wish you had money to buy everything in the store (or maybe I'm speaking only for myself). My favorite brand they carry is called Tweed and Twine, which makes pouches out of really beautiful fabric. It's also located right next to Go! Salads, so when I'm there for my daily green smoothie, I can't resist the call of all things handmade, pretty and shiny, and have to exercise great restraint not to come out with pretty new stationery, magnetic pins, and other lovingly handmade things I didn't think I needed. I love it!

This is one of my favorite bookstores in the Philippines. I love the aesthetic inside and how it…read morewas laid out especially when they have photo of a woman create with books. It was also bonus that my book, Bridging the Confidence, was available at this location. Definitely a must go if you love book stores.

Bookstore -- more than books! (MANILA Philippines)…read more My two daughters would absolutely love this bookstore if we had one in the U.S. My 10-year old niece who resides in the Philippines introduced me to this store when I told her that I was looking for Sonny Angel merchandise for my adult daughter at home who loves this stuff. Not only did they have them but they had so many different kinds of Pop Mart blind box merchandise meaning you do not know which figure you will receive until you buy one and open the box. The bookstore also carries a good selection of Manga books series which my other daughter would be excited to see. For Yuko Shimizu fans... they sell the mural shirts here too. After all the searching for the Sonny Angel merch I was glad to find them in this bookstore and surprised my child with the plush. Customer service was excellent, they were very friendly and helpful. Great prices! The bookstore is located in the Mitsukoshi BGC in Taguig Metro Manila. Review #3294

I found this place just by wandering around Trinoma looking for a suitable gift for myself (yeah,…read more'cause I deserved it). I took a look at the store and decided to see what they had. I really couldn't contain my glee at seeing The Big Bang Theory and Chuck shirts! I'm a huge fan of both shows, even if Chuck is already finished (*tear*). However, the prices were rather expensive for a student like me. I mean, who would buy a simple T-shirt for more than P1,000? Okay, fine, I succumbed to the temptation. In my defense, they had a Buy 1 Take 1 promo! Up until now, I'm still waiting for them to have a promo such as that again. By the way, they don't limit themselves to TV Series shirts. They also have other collector's items or gift items such as playing cards and poker sets, telescopes, Swiss Army knives, etc. So if you like those kinds of stuff then maybe you'd like to drop by!