A vastly superior comic bookstore in So Cal--it has $1 comics, esoteric and popular back issues, valuable rare issues, in addition to the newest publications. The focus appears to be comics and graphic novels. A lot of stores around end up being mostly collectibles, games, and comic memorabilia but do not offer as extensive collections of actual comics. So this store does not disappoint! The staff are knowledgeable and helpful. The only thing they're missing is a store cat (something I've noticed lots of used bookstores seem to have). read more

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Service was very helpful and friendly. The selection is I would say broad but average, as I would say it's quite a popular shop so it's hard to keep the good stuff on the shelves. It can also get quite stuffy in there as it does have a warehouse feel to it. But I will definitely become a regular here! read more

Just brought in my collection of Silver Age comics, from when I was 13, and had a nice conversation with Jamie, the owner. He gave me a generous & fair price for all of them. I highly recommend SoCal Comics, knowledgeable staff, huge variety, like walking through the pearly gates into comic book heaven! read more

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Huge comic book store in warehouse like location. Tons of graphic novels old and new to purchase. Friendly, helpful staff.

There simply is no place like this in San Diego County! Huge selection of back issues! Huge numbers of key issues! A collector's haven, comics and other memorabilia. They also offer CGC service. Jaime and staff are excelsior! read more

This comic store has a large collection of comic books and graphic novels. The products are well organized and clean. It's a nerd Haven. I will be returning and recommending the shop to my friends. read more

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This is one of the best comic shops I've ever visited in California, if not the entire US. The owner knows his stuff and has a large, diverse collection of back issues, which is the only thing I really come for. Not only do they have comics, but also pulp from the 40s, toys, games, you name it. As far as comics though, there are several rooms containing boxes of comics, with comics even mounted on the walls in most of the rooms for your purchasing or viewing pleasure. I was able to pick a comic after trying to decide between about 5 different higher priced ones (which are mostly stored in a few different locked cases), and the owner was willing to work with me on a fair price for it. I highly recommend visiting if you are in the SD area. read more

They have great support for local creators and have a great selection of comic books, graphic novels, etc. The owner also can grade your comics. read more

A pilgrimage to the holy land of back issues. I came in with little expectation, hitting a number of comic shops as a weekender in town for a family thing. But I was floored! They had everything, from the pre-code horror that makes my wallet quiver to oddball issues of big series, more variants than you can shake a stick at, and key issues by the dozen in every variety you can imagine. After milling through the many, many back issues they had I then stumbled upon an entire other half of the store with graphic novels, current single issues, pulps, art books, and you guessed it... more back issues! I ended up spending hours there and never went to any other shops during my trip because, unsurprisingly, I blew my entire comics budget at this one store -- happily, of course! The only thing that threw me for a loop was needing to give comics to the folks at the front desk when I finished looking at an area, but I totally understand why you'd have such a policy in place if you had such an astounding selection of books as they do. I've not seen anything like it in years to be honest, certainly nothing even remotely close in my home area of LA. The only shop I've ever been in that came close was one I once worked at, which sadly closed years ago. This is a *must stop* for any comic collector in the area. I found more things I'd been looking for here than I have at most cons. read more

If you are a bin diver, this should be your go to location when visiting San Diego. Spacious store with lots of full boxes of comics. Large room of just $1 and $2 boxes, and plenty of reasonably priced back issues in more boxes. Friendly staff that doesn't ignore your existence, but also isn't on top of you pestering you either. Such a great comic shop. read more

Incredible selection and service, pictures don't do it justice, it's way bigger than it appears.

It's a hidden comic book gem because it's located in the background and the store is like a warehouse. Just remember to look for one big door that has a comic book shelve. It's easy to walk around in the store. Remember to stay hydrate before walking in the store. Lots of comic books, action figures, and the staff is wonderful. read more

Good place to get some dollar bin additions , hidden spot hit was worth the drive from Los Angeles

After several visits, I'd like to say I love the staff. The owner Jamie was patient and walked me through what he looks for when he's buying comics. I am a frequent customer and am happy to have this shop here. Arguable the only shop in this area with such a huge inventory reaching back into silver and golden age treasures. read more

Classic comic shop with lots of back issues and variants. It was a bit difficult to find but worth the trip.

I used to feel welcome in this store. I usually don't write reviews but I felt compelled after the treatment I got. I've purchased comics before in this store and walked around with it before. This time I was holding a comic and met with my cousin at a different part of the store. So naturally I held on to the comic that I intended to purchase later on ($10 dollar comic). The Asian lady got out of the other room and started watching me. She could of told me the first time she noticed I was holding the comic to tell me any policies. But she just watched me for 5 minutes. Afterwards she approached me, she didn't even make sense what she was trying to say but wanted the comic so she can put it in the front. I felt very uncomfortable in this situation. Hospitality was not there. I felt like I was racially profiled or shoplifter profiled cause of the way I dressed (baggy clothes, streetwear & jordans) I don't know if it's some sort of policy where you can't walk around with a comic. Will not be coming back to this establishment. read more

Like many people, I like to support local businesses, so I sometimes go out of my way to buy locally. And this store is like an American pop culture museum, so it is interesting to visit. But it is also true that you can buy any comic you want online from your living room couch. A brick-and-mortar store ideally will make it worth your while to come, and at minimum, will make sure that shopping is not a negative. Unfortunately, my last visit here was huge negative. We all know comic stores have bad reputation for customer service--witness the Comic Book Guy on The Simpsons--so this had to be pretty bad to even register. And it was. Here's my tale, and why I won't be coming back here: I came into the store at 4:45 PM on a Saturday. That's fifteen minutes before they close, but no big deal, as I rarely spend more than 10 minutes in this store. I look for what I want and then I leave. This time, I was met by an older man--not the owner, whom I know to be a good guy--who said to me as I entered, "WE ARE CLOSING IN 15 MINUTES." "OK, fine," I thought and started looking around. A few minutes later, rude guy yelled at some poor customer who had opened a comic bag in a discounted/bargain comic bin. I thought, "OK, I get it, that's store policy, but do you have to yell at the guy? Just say, 'Please do not open the bags--thanks!'" I was starting to sense that this employee was really bad. The younger employees, in contrast, were their typical selves--uninterested in you, but helpful if you ask them for something. I recalled the owner's name was James or Jamie and asked the woman I've seen many times here if he still owned the store. "Yes, he's just not here today," she explained. "That's good," I thought, as I was afraid the rude guy was actually a new owner. About a minute later the rude guy announces to me specifically that they are closing soon and anyone who wants to buy something needs to bring to the front five minutes before closing. I nodded and thought to myself, "I'll get out of here in a minute--but this isn't a restaurant where you have to close down a kitchen, so why doesn't he chill out?" A minute later the rude guy comes up to me *again*--it's still not 5 PM--and says to me with a smirk "So it's all about you." He literally said exactly that. "Um, excuse me?" I replied. "You are the only customer left in the store," he said with that smirk still on his face. I couldn't believe what I was dealing with here. Even the Simpsons Comic Book Guy isn't this rude. "So you want me to leave?" I ask. Then he backtracked a bit and cut down the snark, and said no, but also complained that he had been there since 8 AM. I get that he doesn't want to stay late, but it was not even 5 PM yet. "Sorry you hate your job," I thought. I ended up buying a $16 back issue, not because of him, but despite his behavior, as I made special trip to the store which is really out of the way (as others have noted). I won't be coming back. I know the owner of this store is a good guy, friendly, and a person of integrity, as you can see from his replies to some of the reviews on this site. Owner, if you are reading, I have my receipt showing that I made my purchase at 4:57:03. I urge you to get rid of this Saturday employee if you want customers to enjoy coming to your store, or just close earlier so this guy can get home.... Customers don't need that kind of treatment and that "It's all about you" comment was really creepy and out of bounds. read more

Love the store, been coming here for years and always find great stuff... BUT Please dont allow your employees to follow and question your customers. I understand the recent break-in and theft has everyone more cautious. But after the interaction with staff today we felt uncomfortable and decided to leave. read more

They have a massive selection of comics and books, they usually have most of the comics you are looking for though they do get a good amount of people in there so certain new comics do fly fast there. The staff is nice, not very chatty but nice. Have a great selection of older comics too though a bit high priced for some of the condition they're in. I would say overall they are probably one of the top comics shops I have been to in San Diego!!! read more

Great owner, staff and comics. You'll find items here you won't find at other comic book stores.

Great spot with a bad location. A bit hard to find but a total gem. You can find them just around the corner from Societe Brewing. They have a great selection of comics, and collectibles. It totally has an old comic book shop feel to it too. read more

I lived in SD for over 15 years. Now live on east coast. Went here on my last 3 visits. Many comics. Prices range from $1 to $100s. The higher the price, the pickier the service & availability. Owner has been selling comics too long. Curmudgeon to the whole deal. Don't know where he gets his books. I have tried multiple times to offer items new/old, series/independent, great shape/fair. Unless you bring mint (which they price low), just go away. It's more like a museum... FYI, I purchased $100+ each visit. Still love comics... read more

Excellent service and selection of variety of comics. Found some great finds at fair value!

Long overdue update. Got back into the comic game and still the best in town is So Cal Comics. The people who work there are friendly and the owner, a fun person to have a conversation with. Ask him about his appearance on Pawn Stars! The first room you see is shelf to shelf new books. They have a good selection of new books, not as many indie titles as Know where comics in San Marcos, but just about all the titles. To the right a room full of back issues books in long boxes, alphabetical. I have never found any books for myself there. Pass a hallway, the next room has Modern back issues., alphabetical also. These are good for filling in your collection. On the walls and in glass cases are pricier comics. Finally, in the corner of that room are silver and golden age comics. You can check in their website to see what books they have in that section. I feel they do a great job telling you what inventory they have. Go hang out for an hour there, buy some books to support a local, long standing business. read more

Wow! This place is awesome! Matt and the rest of the staff is amazing. They always have terrific advice on new comics and even know what kind of style we like. We've never wanted a comic and not found Many copies! Perfect for gifting. Well stocked. Well loved. You can really tell they care about the place which is so rare these days!!! Perfect place to drop the bf/husband off for hours of fun!!!! read more

I'm the cousin that was with the previous 1 star review, regardless of any policies it could of been handled differently. Customers should feel comfortable and have a pleasant buying experience. My cousin was a returning customer. If there's policies in place, the employees should lightly greet with "hey welcome in, if you need anything let us know, just bring your comic to the front if u plan on purchasing" upon arrival of customers. We didn't even see the said business owner that replied to my cousins review, it was a Asian lady that approached us. I don't know how the events happened on their end but if he was there, I don't know what's worse having a business owner tell the Asian lady to shoplift profile us or the Asian lady racially profile her own race (us being Asian). She could of told my cousin from the first instance to put the comic in the front but instead she continued to watch us to judge what we'll do. My cousin said he's been there before with no issues. I do not recommend coming to this place, my cousin told me the chat transaction between him and the business owner. According to my cousin he had poor customer service skills. Seems like he shoplift profiles a lot of his customers. It was my first time there, does not seem like a friendly place. I will not be supporting this business in buying my comics read more

Southern California Comics is a diamond waiting to be discovered. The reason is that they have a plethora of vintage products waiting to be purchased in their store. The examples are the Bottled City of Kandor that I picked up the other day along with the Stardust Art Print signed by Charles Vess in 1995. What they have in-store are vintage comics that are also graded, graphic novels, posters, statues, art prints, and more. You can verify what products they have on their website for further details. The associates in the store were very nice and helpful. They allowed me to inspect the items before purchase and helped brought the purchased items to my vehicle during a rainy day to ensure that none of the products got damaged out of the store. Pros: Variety of products Unique Art Prints and Posters Organized Customer Service Cons: Somewhat secluded Minimal Action Figures Overall, my experience was very satisfying and I expect to come back again to the store whenever I have the time to do so. This is my go-to store when it comes to purchasing vintage comic books and collectibles. read more

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Jamie is great to work with. Jamie and his staff are very passionate and knowledgeable about everything comics. The store was larger than I had expected. They are very cautious on moving comic books around the store but understandable. Plan to spend some time there, they have a lot available. read more

I agree with the previous post made by Ray-n I visited this store last weekend and here are the pros and cons imho Pros: Large store Tons of beautiful slabbed and non slabbed books Hard to find books Dollar bin boxes Larger than most selection of supplies, such as harder to find sizes like magazine sleeves and too loaders There's and attached cafe/coffee shop, if that is your sort of thing at a comic books store Cons: A bit hard to find even with gps as it's in an industrial park If you are hot and want air conditioning, good luck as the majority of the facility is cooled by fans. Not sure if I caught employees at a bad time, as it was the middle of the afternoon, but no one was approachable as they were in deep conversation or having a full on meal at 3 or 4 pm. It's also odd that if you have customers, not just myself as well, trying to look at your for sale goods in cases, wouldn't you want people to be able to see the for sale items? There were multiple times where I was trying to look but employees did not move their food or magazine or whatever, just ignoring myself and other customers trying to look. Wouldn't it be better to perhaps eat in the attached cafe? Perhaps YMMV in terms of customer service? I echo what Ray-n said-- this placed is priced high! I've been collecting for quite some time (IIRC correctly the owner quoted 20 years of selling experience), and I do keep up with related prices. Imho a better place to get an idea of how much a book is really worth is eBay. You can actually see what people are paying and, using apps like Key Collector, you can also get an accurate range. With that being said I, again, found the majority of pricing to be on the high side. I did ask about some issues and if there was any wiggle room at all. The guy at the cashier flat out said no, so imho there is no bargaining. FYI, I am not a flipper and I keep my slabs and my floppies, so my hope was to get fair pricing. Summary- Giving the place 3 stars as, again, they have beautiful books. I personally love to endorse and give my money to LCS's and that day my budget was 500-1000. Did I spend any? Unfortunately no. I'll be saving my money for other LCS's with better pricing and hopefully better customer experiences. One thing to note-- there are a lot of 5 star reviews. Perhaps you have to be a regular to be treated better or have better pricing? Or perhaps, as I mentioned before, ymmv with this shop from day to day? read more

The owner is everything wrong with the buying and selling business in general; absolutely a scammer who has gone decades taking collections, paying quarters on the price and falsely trying to reassure the seller that he's legitimate and that he's paying top dollar for it and flipping it for multiple times more. Spoke to a few others who have had similar situations with this person and it's sad to see he's gotten away with it for years. Truly read through the negative reviews and understand that all the instances of this owner being rude, ruthless and conniving are accurate. Do not give this store of this owner your business at all. read more

This is the kind of place I would have loved to work when I was younger! Jamie Newbold, the owner, understands the importance of a solid inventory, proper signage, and logical product layout. Jamie also seems like a good manager to his staff. While I was shopping for a large number of back issues (their back issue depth truly dwarfs that of other area stores), I overheard Jamie coaching some of his staff on grading and detecting restoration. He has a critical eye but really understands how to train and mentor people. This translates into a staff that really knows that they are doing and understands how to take of customers. During my stay I interacted with 4 of his employees looking for specific (and sometimes esoteric) comics and they all were friendly and highly knowledgeable. Most of the time I was taken care of by Caitlin who mindfully offered help but also gave me room to focus on my browsing. Like the perfect waiter - present and ready but not overbearing. Let's talk about the comics. Very well organized and very easy to find titles. Comics were properly maintained in issue number sequence and often there were duplicates of an issue! Golden age Dells were a bit disorganized (mixed in with Charltons) but I dug through the several boxes and found a few gems! Unlike an area chain of comic stores, SoCal Comics has real depth in most titles going well back into the bronze and silver age. Although I wasn't shopping for graphic novels they had a massive selection. If you're a serious comic book collector looking to fill your back issues at a fair price, Southern California Comics is a MUST visit. I live in the SF Bay Area but I am planning an extended visit (you could easily spend a day here) during my next business trip to San Diego. read more

Just left "Southern California Comics" in San Diego. They have a warehouse wayback in a industrial area. They have golden age, Silver age well everything. Lots of impressive things. But the prices are thru the roof! Some items are priced over $500 For example: ASM 129 CBCS 7.5 $1500 (GPA $1,060) I think they have those comics there to attract people and they price those comics with a "I don't want to sell them price". Cool shop but prices are ridiculous! The hunt continues! read more

The best comic shop in town! The nicest employees also. Jaime has given me some good deals when I want to buy comics or fanzines. I love to look through the bins to find those nuggets! Jaime even gave me his expert grading opinion when I brought a long-time comic into the shop. Love these guys! read more

It was long ago but I still remember that unique scent of comics. Boxed up sitting in plastic bags the scent when you first step into a comic book shop is inescapable. House of Comics on Broadway was the first comic book shop I visited. My mom would get her hair done a few businesses away while I wandered down the rows of cardboard boxes filled with comics. Comic Kingdom on University Av was the next shop I visited. I found it in a ad in a comic book. I could bike there and it was bigger. Golden State Comics off of Adams Av was next. It was the closest and an easier bike ride. This was the first place I became a subscriber so I wouldn't have to go on new comic day every week. Comics Etc which started on Miramar Rd next to an outdoor go-kart track was next. It later moved to a spot inside Newbery's at the Mira Mesa Mall. I was a part time employee there for a few years manning the cash register and picking up comics every Friday at the distributor. It was awesome picking up comics from the comic distributor Diamond. They had great deals on comics and graphics novels that were damaged but perfectly readable. This was as far down the publishing chain as I went. Last was the Comic Gallery which I first visited at the Ralphs shopping center which is now the Hmart shopping center. The shop closed and I started going to their location on Balboa next to a sewing place. They had a cool rewards system for frequent buyers. Each shop had an interesting owner and employees. It's a hard business as none of the shops are in business now. Southern California Comics is different. I've been coming here since the fall of Comic Gallery and business has been good enough that the shop has about twice as much space as when I first started coming here. The selection of back issue comics and graphic novels is the best I've ever seen in San Diego. Same with the selection of materials to preserve your comics. There is an incredible collection of collectibles and once in awhile there are comic book signings. Some of those shops from the past were staffed with eccentric types with poor social skills like Comic Guy from The Simpsons. It's refreshing how the owner Jamie and the staff are knowledgeable about comics and very friendly even when I'm having them special order things they don't normally stock. I hope I don't have to change shops again but based on the continual expansion of the shop and Jamie's recent model Corvette I'm guessing Southern California Comics is doing well. read more

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These guys are awesome! First, Rebecca came outside and flagged me down, as the location is near the back of a business park. Then, Ray offered to look up the value of a few comics for me. Meanwhile, Dennis took the time to discuss the history of collecting in San Diego. It was really cool and welcoming... They were super friendly, and I will definitely come back again! read more

As a lifelong comic fan, I've always been more into reading them than collecting them. Comic book stores are generally places I go to browse new and old collectibles, and maybe pick up some old books to read. On our recent trip to San Diego, Kristine C. and I had an impromptu last day as the downpour had hampered our outdoor plans. Coming back from other areas farther north, I realized that one of my bookmarked comic book stores was on the way back, so we stopped. Other peoples' claims that this is the best comic book store in California are definitely a reason to want to come for yourself. I haven't been to many in this area; but I can honestly say this may be the biggest and most well stocked and organized comic book store in which I've ever shopped! SCC is located in the Kearny Mesa are of San Diego, in a huge commercial area of shops and restaurants. It's off the main road in a business park. It's unassuming from the outside; just a glass door and two small windows with superheroes staring out. The sign isn't bright or sticking, you have to turn from the road to see it. When you enter, you're welcomed by the cash registers and business desks. We were immediately welcomed and offered a tour of the store, I hesitated but was glad we accepted as the store just goes on and on. Through the right door you'll find new comics, collectibles in multiple rooms behind, $1 comics (12 for $10) in the back right, kids comics, antique comic and comic strip compilations at the back; statues galore. Be sure to always look up, and keep going as collectibles are everywhere. On the left is the trade paperback room with a poster section, independent comic publishers, and the DC/Marvel room at the back left. Everything has a place. Everything is clean. The store is brightly lit. The majority of it is exposed concrete floors and simple white shelves and comic long boxes. If you're planning on spending a long time in here, dress warmly (it also didn't help that my shoes were wet). Prices are reasonable and clearly marked; look for sales and deals. If you plan on spending a bunch, be sure to take advantage of their generous Yelp deal: $10 for a $20 voucher through the Yelp app. They care about their social media presence. I bought 12 $1 comics (Indiana Jones for me and Supergirl for Kristine), some loose Star Wars action figures, and a carded figure. It's a treat to come here, so if you're a fan of the genre, be sure to give yourself some time to browse. Ask for assistance and recommendations. read more

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Hands down, the greatest comic book shop anywhere! It's like a whole comic convention under one roof. They have new books, old books, toys, magazines, posters, books, artwork, and an entire room of $1.00 comics! The owner, Jamie, is an amazing guy and the staff is always friendly and helpful! Very Covid safe too! I've been to pretty much every Comic shop from San Diego to LA, nobody beats Southern California Comics! read more

They have a wide variety of comic books and the staff is really helpful. For the amount of comic books they have, their organization was impeccable. I dug up some 80's/90's Uncanny X-Men series issues in the $1 bin. I'm definitely coming back here and taking friends with me next time! Edit: I have to add that Dennis and the rest of the staff are super friendly. I've been back 3x since my last visit, I could spend the whole day at this place! read more

You cannot beat the selection here. It is like the Louvre of comic book store... you can't do it all in one day. The staff was very polite and helpful. They all wore masks, which we appreciate. Wish they had stools, which is a must in a place this big. read more

I haven't been collecting comics for almost 40 years but still have my books. Started re-bagging/boarding and boxing with stuff I ordered online but I was short so I realized that I should see what was local to me. Found So CA Comics and then watched a video where these guys visited the store so I decided to go in. I checked the website before going to make sure they carried what I wanted -short and magazine boxes. I like the store. It's a total destination store as it's a little ways back into an industrial park. It has the feeling of a store that started off in one unit and expanded into another 1-2 units as it's a lot of different rooms. They have it well organized but it has this nice dark/layered/piled up feel to it which is what I used to like in my favorite comic book stores. It's like they've run out of space and the inventory keeps piling up. There's a feeling of discovery in that type of atmosphere. If they've ever thought about it, I would suggest they don't move to a larger wide open space or something with walking traffic and keep things as-is if they're doing well. The store has great character as-is and you don't want to ever lose that. read more

Southern California Comics - Discount bin room. Probably gets pretty busy but I was in during an off-day and hour. - Comic Books Near Me - San Diego, California