JollyComics Posted May 21, 2022 Share Posted May 21, 2022 On 5/21/2022 at 11:48 AM, ExNihilo said: Sadly, Lee's closed early on in the pandemic. To my understanding he still buys collections and sells via eBay and the occasional local convention. Funny, I looked at several images via Google Maps. The first image was Goldilocks (Bakery) in 2016 and second image was Verizon in 2017. I can't find the name of his business at this time. I believe Lee has not update his website. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robot Man Posted May 21, 2022 Share Posted May 21, 2022 On 5/21/2022 at 7:15 AM, 50 Fiddy said: J N J Comics in Fountain Valley was my go to place for Golden/Silver Age pre-pandemic. They have about 30-40 boxes of "wall" stuff comics hidden in long boxes on one side of the store, and a few hundred boxes of run type books in his bins. The prices are pretty reasonable and the owner has worked with me on pricing on most of the stuff I bought from him. Kind of old school feel to the shop and it does have that old comic book store smell to it...when it doesn't smell like weed. I bought a small group of decent GA/SA there pre-pandamic. Went back about a year ago and the owner refused to let me look at any. He complained about flippers cleaning him out and said he didn’t have any. I could clearly see some boxes with GA books. He was very weird about it. And yeah, he chainsmokes weed in there. All he seemed to want to talk about is about someone who came in and robbed him a few years ago. I doubt I will ever go back there. littledoom and manetteska 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robot Man Posted May 21, 2022 Share Posted May 21, 2022 House of Secrets in Glendale often has some GA/SA. But beware. A lot of it has undisclosed resto. Was told they buy purple label books, crack them out and sell with the “I don’t know” metheod. Might be worth it if you are good at spotting resto as I have found a few resto free books in there. Sadly, just not much in the way of LA shops with vintage material. piper, silverseeker and NP_Gresham 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExNihilo Posted May 21, 2022 Share Posted May 21, 2022 On 5/21/2022 at 9:56 AM, JollyComics said: Funny, I looked at several images via Google Maps. The first image was Goldilocks (Bakery) in 2016 and second image was Verizon in 2017. I can't find the name of his business at this time. I believe Lee has not update his website. Goldilocks and Verizon were about two stores down from him. He's always gone by Lee's Comics as long as I've been collecting (early 90s). I used to go to the San Mateo location growing up before it closed many years ago. It's weird, I'll drive by from time to time and the space still sits vacant even after all these years. Whoever owns the space hasn't been monetizing it for a LONG time. JollyComics 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JollyComics Posted May 21, 2022 Share Posted May 21, 2022 On 5/21/2022 at 12:36 PM, ExNihilo said: Goldilocks and Verizon were about two stores down from him. He's always gone by Lee's Comics as long as I've been collecting (early 90s). I used to go to the San Mateo location growing up before it closed many years ago. It's weird, I'll drive by from time to time and the space still sits vacant even after all these years. Whoever owns the space hasn't been monetizing it for a LONG time. Jinx! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver_Couch_Surfer Posted May 21, 2022 Share Posted May 21, 2022 On 5/21/2022 at 12:10 PM, Robot Man said: I bought a small group of decent GA/SA there pre-pandamic. Went back about a year ago and the owner refused to let me look at any. He complained about flippers cleaning him out and said he didn’t have any. I could clearly see some boxes with GA books. He was very weird about it. And yeah, he chainsmokes weed in there. All he seemed to want to talk about is about someone who came in and robbed him a few years ago. I doubt I will ever go back there. I got the same speech when I visited for the first time in 2018. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze_rules Posted May 21, 2022 Share Posted May 21, 2022 (edited) I've been to all the comic stores mentioned in the bay area (many years). Best dealer (and high grade bronze inventory) I ever knew was Phil at comic collector shop. Not sure if he's the same Phil mentioned at Heroes, but last I checked he moved to https://www.heroesandchampionscomics.com/ in Sunnyvale. Looks like maybe he and Allan merged into Heroes, so not sure if service is as good as the old CCS anymore, but worth a look. Bonus for the mention of Bunky Brothers, not only were they the first (comic store) store I ever went to in San Bruno, but they had a place in San Mateo my friends would call 'hole in the wall.' Edited May 21, 2022 by bronze_rules Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HouseofComics.Com Posted May 21, 2022 Share Posted May 21, 2022 Lee's Comics will be setting up at the Berkeley show in early November. And yes, that's the same Phil. ExNihilo and bronze_rules 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
500Club Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 On 5/20/2022 at 8:30 PM, piper said: I’m a sadist. Leafs’ fan, yes. thehumantorch and piper 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Semicentennial Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 On 5/21/2022 at 10:10 AM, Robot Man said: I bought a small group of decent GA/SA there pre-pandamic. Went back about a year ago and the owner refused to let me look at any. He complained about flippers cleaning him out and said he didn’t have any. I could clearly see some boxes with GA books. He was very weird about it. And yeah, he chainsmokes weed in there. All he seemed to want to talk about is about someone who came in and robbed him a few years ago. I doubt I will ever go back there. Yeah, he is really weird about his books. I went through his expensive boxes on my first visit, but the next time I went he wouldn't let me look at any of the books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robot Man Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 On 5/21/2022 at 6:30 PM, 50 Fiddy said: Yeah, he is really weird about his books. I went through his expensive boxes on my first visit, but the next time I went he wouldn't let me look at any of the books. Frankly, most of his “better” books wern’t all that great anyway… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakman29 Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 On 5/21/2022 at 7:15 AM, 50 Fiddy said: J N J Comics in Fountain Valley was my go to place for Golden/Silver Age pre-pandemic. They have about 30-40 boxes of "wall" stuff comics hidden in long boxes on one side of the store, and a few hundred boxes of run type books in his bins. The prices are pretty reasonable and the owner has worked with me on pricing on most of the stuff I bought from him. Kind of old school feel to the shop and it does have that old comic book store smell to it...when it doesn't smell like weed. Does he still keep the lights off day and night. Hahaha😂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Semicentennial Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 On 5/21/2022 at 7:03 PM, oakman29 said: Does he still keep the lights off day and night. Hahaha😂 I haven't been there since before the pandemic. The last time I was there the bird was flying around and crappedal on some of his books. Robot Man and oakman29 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Semicentennial Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 On 5/21/2022 at 6:56 PM, Robot Man said: Frankly, most of his “better” books wern’t all that great anyway… I picked up a few good books from his bins. I picked up 2 caliber presents #1 cheap. They graded 9.4. Nothing really expensive ($500+ books) in those bins. oakman29 and littledoom 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JollyComics Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 (edited) On 5/21/2022 at 8:30 PM, 50 Fiddy said: Yeah, he is really weird about his books. I went through his expensive boxes on my first visit, but the next time I went he wouldn't let me look at any of the books. Because of restored books? He may not want to be suspecious. Edited May 22, 2022 by JollyComics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakman29 Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 On 5/21/2022 at 7:27 PM, 50 Fiddy said: I picked up a few good books from his bins. I picked up 2 caliber presents #1 cheap. They graded 9.4. Nothing really expensive ($500+ books) in those bins. Slim pickings on high grade from JnJ though. littledoom and greggy 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatlab123 Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 On 5/21/2022 at 7:03 PM, oakman29 said: Does he still keep the lights off day and night. Hahaha😂 Sometimes😀 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatlab123 Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 (edited) On 5/20/2022 at 1:54 PM, piper said: This August, I'm taking the family to Anaheim (3 nights), Ventura Beach (3 nights), and SF (4 nights). Is there any must see comic shops that I should visit? Cheers, John In Anaheim there is ray’s comics by Disneyland ..in the city of Tustin ..comics toons and toys …fountain valley ..Jnj comics …all 3 have cgc etc ..jnj like some have said is old school ..Jeff the owner is little odd and it does smell like weed Edited May 22, 2022 by fatlab123 littledoom, piper and oakman29 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Knight Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 Frank n Sons in City of Industry is a great place to visit. It's one gigantic swap meet with everything from comics to toys to memorabilia.. Just so much stuff under one roof and it's free admission! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Semicentennial Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 On 5/21/2022 at 7:45 PM, JollyComics said: Because of restored books? He may not want to be suspecious. I don't know about that. He told me once that one of his trusted customers ripped off a bunch of his higher dollar books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...