The 6 Best Places to Find Marvel and DC Comics in East York

BY SABRINA PIGNATARO

With more and more superhero movies in development, now is a good time to read up on the next group of characters to reach the big screen.

Just last week, Marvel Studios confirmed that Benedict Cumberbatch will be playing Doctor Strange in an upcoming film. The news comes at the heels of Marvel’s “Phase 3” announcements, which include the highly anticipated Black Panther and Captain Marvel films.

With DC Entertainment also having just announced their film schedule for the next few years, there’s no better time than now for superhero enthusiast and new fans alike to start reading up on the source material for the upcoming films, starting, of course, with a trip to your local comic book store. For residents of Toronto’s east end, here are our picks for some great shops to check out for all your comics needs.

Atomic Age Comics
497 Pape Ave
Named one of BlogTO’s best comic stores, Atomic Age is a small shop just south of Pape Subway Station at Pape and Bain. The store can be a bit cramped, but staff is helpful and older comics are easy to find if you’re looking to read up on characters you aren’t familiar with.

Planet X
2227 Queen Street E.
Unfortunately the location at Victoria Park and St. Clair closed earlier this year, but don’t worry: Planet X, voted Now Magazine’s Best Comics and Collectables Store 2014, has two other locations. One is located in Richmond Hill, but for East York residents, there’s a closer location at The Beaches, east of Woodbine.

Horsemen Comics & Toys
202B Sammon Ave
A relatively new shop that opened just two years ago, Horsemen Comics & Toys is a small neighbourhood location just north of Donlands Subway Station, on Sammon Avenue. With low prices and helpful staff, it’s a good place to start for new comic readers.

Comics & More
1325 Danforth Ave
Earlier this year, the Toronto comics community took a blow when Comics & More owner Rob Charpentier passed away after a battle with cancer. The store has always been welcoming to new readers, devoted fans, and creators alike, and remains a fixture of the Danforth community, located right by Greenwood Station on Linnsmore Crescent.

If you’re not big on the local store scene, here are some other options:

Comixology.com
If you’re not a fan of brick-and-mortar, or just prefer to do your reading on screen, check out Comixology, a website and app that lets you buy and read comics online. They often have sales, especially for characters with movie announcements, so keep an eye out!

Festivus Holiday Sale
This Sunday (December 14, 2014), Toronto Comicon is putting on a one-day comic convention in the South Building of the Metro Toronto Convention centre. It’s a good place to buy comics and memorabilia from exhibiting retailers, either for yourself or as gifts for the holidays.