The elements that make a comic book store “good” or “the best” are the same elements that make any bookstore of any type anywhere good or excellent. The store and inventory should be clean, the books should be logically arranged and displayed, the atmosphere should be inviting, and, above all most everything else, the staff should be knowledgeable and really into their products. The person behind the counter and his or her attitude about comics and customers can really make a store or visit there exceptional. Based on that, these are some Las Vegas comic book stores that really hit the high end of scale. – Mike Donahue

Alternate Reality Comics

4110 South Maryland Parkway, No. 8
Las Vegas, NV 89119
(702) 736-3673
www.alternaterealitycomics.net

Owned by a Las Vegas couple, Ralph and Katherine Mathieu, Alternate Reality Comics is one of Las Vegas’ longest standing comic book stores. The store has a great selection of alternative and superhero comics, plus it sells manga and graphic novels. The owners are real comic book lovers who are passionate about what they do and the different variety of comics. They can also “talk” comics, which is a real plus. Katherine helped start “Sequential Tart,” a webzine by women into comics. The store is close to the Strip and just down the street from the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV). Hours: Sunday through Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Maximum Comics

5130 South Fort Apache, No. 285
Las Vegas, NV 89148
(702) 367-0755

530 South Marks Street, No. 130
Henderson, NV 89014
(702) 242-6642
www.maximumcomicslv.com

Maximum Comics is one of the best comic shops in Las Vegas. There are two locations in the Las Vegas Valley, and both stores sell new and used comic books, manga, graphic novels, back issues and toys. The stores have a huge diversity of comics and some obscure books that you might not be able to find elsewhere. The employees are friendly and seem to know what comic books are all about. Hours: Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Cosmic Comics

3330 East Tropicana Avenue, Suite G
Las Vegas, NV 89121
(702) 451-6611
www.cosmiccomicslasvegas.com

This is one of the best comic book stores in Las Vegas. The store has walls of books, including Marvel on one side and D.C. on the other, as well as a back area loaded with some hard-to-find issues. It has a huge selection of horror, humor, limited editions and signed editions. It buys comics as well as sells, a real plus for a comic book store. It was a 2003 Spirit of Comics nominee. Hours: Monday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.