Welcome to our guide on the best comic book stores in Dallas-Fort Worth! Whether you're a die-hard collector, a casual reader, or you're more of a gamer, there's nothing quite like the experience of browsing the shelves of a great comic book store. From rare back issues to the latest releases from Marvel, DC, Image and all the rest, these shops offer a treasure trove of graphic novels, manga, and superhero comics that will transport you to different worlds and dimensions. They all offer pull-list service for new release comics, but extra points are awarded to those with huge, amazing back-issue inventory. So if you're in the market for some new comics or just want to explore the vibrant comic book community in North Texas, read on!
1. duncanville bookstore
Hands down the best selection of vintage toys, vintage vinyl and of course rare, key back-issue comics lives just south of Dallas at Duncanville Bookstore. If you set up a pull list of the current comics you're reading at DBS, you get 15% off EVERY purchase you make in-store. Not just the new releases you're reading, not just on new books that come out every Wednesday, like a lot of other stores on this list offer. Here all pull-list customers get 15% off back issues, graded comics, toys, statues, trade paperbacks, posters and vinyl every time they step in the store. Andy, the owner, is just about the nicest guy with the biggest inventory in town, and the staff is super knowledgeable and friendly as well. They're one of the only stores in town that still does a weekly Facebook Live back-issue sale, every Thursday starting at 7 p.m. Follow them on Insta and Facebook to get a feel for the store, and check out their eBay store as well.
2. titan comics
On the north side of town, off 635 and Webb Chapel, sits another behemoth of back issue inventory, Dallas proper's comic retail leader, Titan Comics. They've got rows and rows of older books to sift through, an amazing stock of comic book boxes and other supplies, some amazing high-dollar rare finds in their display cases and THOUSANDS of trade paperback collections on their shelves at all times. They are a perennial shoo-in for the Dallas Observer's Best Comic Shop winner in their Best of Dallas list, and for good reason. Check them out on Facebook.
3. collected
This two-headed comic collecting monster on the Fort Worth side of town is an anchor for collectors in Tarrant County. They have locations in West Fort Worth and in Haltom City, and each location is stocked to the gills with all the latest new releases, plenty of rare, key finds up on the wall, and drawers full of back issues for you to sift through in search of those last few issues to complete all your favorite runs. Brent in Haltom City and Ron in Fort Worth are two of the friendliest comic shop owners you could ever hope to deal with, and both stores also have great selections of statues and other perfect gift ideas for the nerd in your life.
4. keith's comics
Keith's is a Dallas staple with three locations: Mockingbird Central Plaza, North Dallas and the third in Garland. They really know how to maximize their inventory in relatively small shops. We love sifting through their back-issue bins — they always surprise us with a neat find or two.
5. twenty-eleven comics
This one is a little off the beaten path, because it's in Flower Mound and the hours of operation are a little different, but it is WORTH the drive for sure. The walls are covered in beautiful copies of older key comics, and the back-issue bins are loaded as well. Since the books are mostly in gorgeous condition, they can get a little more expensive at times, but again, WORTH it. Check 'em out.
6. generation x
The Bedford-Euless area has a real winner in Generation X. We love them. They're one of the biggest gathering spots for card gamers in town — with various nights of the week set aside for Magic, YuGiOh and other card games. They've also got an incredible selection of board games, Funko Pops and other toys, as well as new release comics and back issues. We can't go without getting a couple key issues from their glass display cases, where they keep their most expensive paper.
7. Lewisville comics, cards & toys
This is another sneaky-good honey hole that a lot of local collectors may not be familiar with. Lewisville Comics sits just across the street from Vista Mall, and we could ogle their display cases all afternoon. They've got tons of graded comics, tons of sports cards and other memorabilia, and cases and cases of old comics to look through. Keep an eye on their Facebook page (linked above), because they announce really good sales there that sometimes just last a weekend or so.
8. awesome comics
Don't let the small stature of the North Dallas storefront that Awesome Comics occupies fool you. They've got the goods, for sure. They're constantly getting new (old) stuff in and have one of the largest selections of major keys in the Metroplex. Check their Facebook (linked above) — they recently got in an Amazing Spider-Man #300, graded at a 9.8, which they had listed at $3,750 — so that's the kind of inventory we're talking here. But we've also gone and been happy to score some nice finds for around $100, too.
9. cosmic comics
Grand Prairie's Cosmic Comics is one of the oldest, continuously operating comic book and card dealers in North Texas — it's been going strong since 1979. They do an Insta video weekly when the new releases get in to let followers know about new, interesting titles as they come out, and they're constantly getting in new collections full of key back issues as well. And yes, for you card collectors and card gamers, they have an extensive inventory of old sports cards, Magic the Gathering, Pokemon, YuGiOh and all the others.
10. comic asylum
Richardson's Comic Asylum is another sneaky good spot to sift through tons of old back issues in search of what your collection is missing. This is another spot that, in addition to comics, you can find singles and packs of your favorite card games. They also lean heavy into manga and anime, if that's more your style.
11. comic warriors
Keller's Comic Warriors is a smaller shop, but we've found tons of great stuff there at several visits over the past few years. Repeat customers can take advantage of their points system, which gives you cash-back benefits for each $100 you spend in the store.
12. the multiverse comics
Hurst's Multiverse is another shop worth visiting if you're on the hunt for new or previously loved funny books. They carry all the new titles and have a sneaky-good back issue section, too. They carry toys, statues and a boatload of trade paperbacks as well. We'll never forgive ourselves for not snagging that Iron Man #1 they had behind the counter a couple years ago.
13. sinbad comics
Even though this last one isn't a brick-and-mortar comic book store where you can physically dig through the stacks, we wanted to show them a little love, too, because Sinbad is one of the best comic book dealers we've dealt with on Instagram, and they do call DFW home! Sinbad Comics is owned by local collector and dealer Kash Hatton and is based in Plano. Catch him on Instagram at @SinbadComics, where he does live sales! You can also catch him at some of the local comic conventions around town — he's got great stuff dating all the way back to the Golden Age of comics.
All these stores are taking part in Free Comic Book Day, which happens every year on the first Saturday in May (this year on May 6)! They'll have several titles from Marvel, DC, Image, Boom and other publishers that they'll be giving away for free that day, and several of the shops will also have Free Comic Book Day Sales going on to coincide with the deeply revered national holiday. Happy hunting!
✨BONUS SECTION: LOCAL yearly COMIC CONS✨
1. Dallas Fan EXpo
Dallas Fan Expo is the biggest and baddest comic con of the year in DFW, drawing tens of thousands of attendees and some of the most amazing actors, creators and comic book artists and writers to downtown's Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center. It usually happens in the month of June, and this year it's going down June 9-11. Single day admission is around $40, three day passes are $90 and the Ultimate Fan Package (the best value, in our opinion) is $129, which gets you a goodie bag full of fun stuff, three-day admission AND a one-day admission to another Fan Expo event in the future.
2. Dallas Fan Festival
Dallas Fan Festival is Dallas Fan Expo's little brother event, which has been held in recent years in the month of October, at the Irving Convention Center. This year, it's going down October 20-22. There are still a bunch of cool actors and comic book creators who show up, sign autographs and sometimes speak at panels. Last year we saw Matt Smith, fresh off the first season of House of the Dragon!
3. dallas comic show
Dallas Comic Show is a smaller, 2-day comic con event that in recent years has called Lewisville's Vista Mall (formerly Music City Mall) home. It just happened this year (April 29-30), and it seems like this is an event poised to grow in the future. We were happy to meet Spider-Man artist and co-creator of Spider-Man 2099, Rick Leonardi, at this year's event.
4. cowtown comic con
Fort Worth's Cowtown Comic Con has switched venues a couple times in the last couple years but seemed to have found a good spot last year when it moved to Will Rogers Memorial Center's Amon G. Carter Exhibit Hall in the Museum District. This year it goes down September 30-October 1.
5. Retro Expo
This twice-yearly convention recently moved from Plano to Allen, and it focuses more broadly on, as its name implies, all things retro: games, toys, vinyl, comics, EVERYTHING. They had their first event of 2023 already, and their next is scheduled for September 16-17 at the Marriott Dallas Allen Hotel & Convention Center.
6. ARlington Comic Fest
Shakespeare once wrote, "Though she be but little, she is fierce!" and that's how we feel about Arlington Comic Fest, held in recent years at Arlington's Bob Duncan Center. You'll have to wait until next year to see what we mean, as this year's event has already passed. It's nice because you can look through everything in one afternoon.
Add them all to your ✨🤓Nerd Love List🤓✨
