If reading comic books is your idea of a good time, then you’ve probably already heard about the sudden closing of Atomic Comics. If, like me, you were one of the many people who liked any of the four stores in the Valley bearing that name, and especially if Atomic Comics was the comic shop you always went to, then you were no doubt wondering, “Oh, man! How am I supposed to pass the time now?”

Well, that’s what this list is here for. Here are five other comic book stores and/or gaming shops throughout the Valley, for those of you who just want to keep up with your favorite comics or keep playing your favorite games.

Samurai Comics

With locations in both central Phoenix and the west Valley, Samurai Comics is definitely worth a look for comic readers and tabletop gamers alike. What’s more, they’re helping out former Atomic Comics customers by allowing them to pick up their orders from Samurai Comics stores. Also, along with the two stores listed above, they’re just opening a new east Valley location, right next to where Atomic Comics’ flagship store was located.

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1051 E. Camelback Rd.
Phoenix, AZ 85014
(602) 265-8886

10720 W. Indian School Rd. #61
Phoenix, AZ 85037
(623) 872-8886
www.samuraicomics.com

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Pop Culture Paradise

This place is conveniently located right next to ASU’s Tempe campus; in fact, it’s practically part of the campus. Whether you’re a student or not, if you spend a lot of time in Tempe, this place is definitely worth checking out.

[stextbox id=”grey”]707 S. Forest Ave.
Tempe, AZ 85281
(480) 557-6640
www.popculture-comics.com[/stextbox]

All About Books and Comics

All About Books and Comics joins Samurai Comics in the list of comic book stores in central Phoenix, and just like Samurai Comics, they’re also allowing Atomic Comics customers to pick up their orders through their store. They don’t really deal with card or tabletop games much, so you’d have to look elsewhere if that’s your thing, but they have a great selection of comics and are still very much worth a look.

[stextbox id=”grey”]5060 N. Central Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85012
(602) 277-0757
allaboutbooksandcomics.com[/stextbox]

Jesse James Comics

For those of you who live in Glendale, Jesse James Comics prides itself as more focused on customer service than other comic book stores and giving customers a memorable experience each time they visit the place. From their website, it looks like they also don’t deal very much with trading card games or tabletop games, but they do have a good selection of comics, video games, and toys from which to choose, so they’re definitely worth checking out.

[stextbox id=”grey”]10620 N. 43rd Ave. #1
Glendale, AZ 85304
(602) 993-0392
www.jessejamescomics.com[/stextbox]

Gamer’s Inn

In contrast to All About Books and Comics and Jesse James Comics above, Gamer’s Inn is not one of the Valley’s comic book stores, but it deals entirely in card games, miniatures, and other tabletop games instead, just as its name suggests. Obviously, it’s not the place you’d want to check out if you’re looking for comics, but if you’re more of a gamer than a comic reader and you’re looking for a place to get new cards, miniatures or whatever else you need, Gamer’s Inn is a great place to go for all of that.

[stextbox id=”grey”]1232 E. Southern Ave.
Mesa, AZ 85204
(480) 507-0509
www.gamersinnaz.com/home[/stextbox]

What are some of your favorite comic book stores?
Let us know in the comments section.