Paradise Comics – Toronto, Ontario:
A review by Mike Fairservice

I think this is really cool.

I just got the go ahead by my masters at Metal Machine to toss up reviews of new comic stores I I manage to find that I haven’t been to before.  I’ll be able to give you a heads up of what I think about the staff, the store and pricing.

The first store I am going to review is an icon in the comic store world, and Overstreet Advisor, Paradise Comics, and I went there on one of the busiest days of the year for them, Free Comic Book Day. I just had to go to this, the add read as follows:

8TH ANNUAL FREE COMIC BOOK DAY CELEBRATION

Saturday, May 1st, Noon to 6pm at Paradise Comics

Paradise Comics is happy to participate in the 8th annual FREE COMIC BOOK DAY with a special gathering of creators.
In attendance will be:

LEONARD KIRK
who joins New Mutants in July, coming off his work on Dark X-Men to draw the team of young X-graduates with writer Zeb Wells.

TY TEMPLETON
Currently, Ty is writing IDW’s Star Trek comic book, working for Bongo, DC, Marvel and others, as well as teaching at the Toronto Cartoonists Workshop.

RICHARD ISANOVE
His distinctive coloring on the Wolverine: Origin series marked a new direction in coloring in the comics medium. It was soon followed by the blockbuster Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series of comics.

HILARY LEUNG
Hilary Leung is a designer by day, illustrator by night and ultimate player on weekends. Having spent the last five years pursuing other dreams, he is happy to return to his first true love – drawing The Legend of Ninja Cowboy Bear is an illustrated children’s story about three friends who discover an important truth about equality and how to appreciate one another.

AND AS A SPECIAL TREAT WE WILL ALSO HAVE

LIANA K
LlANA has been called “Canada’s Ultimate Fangirl” by the Edmonton Journal, is a prominent voice in the world of all things geeky. She was the “Red” half of Ed & Red’s Night Party!, Canada’s longest running comedy series, she co-hosts a talk radio show on Toronto’s CFRB, and writes feature articles for www.gamingexcellence.com. She is also an avid cosplayer. Special insider look at upcoming Ed and Red TV shows!

We will be giving out over 20 different individual comics from a variety of publishers including Marvel, D.C., Dark Horse and many others.

So I decided to make the hour long drive to paradise comics from Barrie.  I wasn’t disappointed.  When I first walked into the store I felt right at home.  From the wide selection of $3.00 comics, (dating as far back as the early 70’s) the walls covered in bookshelves filled with trades, a nice selection of action figures, not to mention the CGC, wall comics was amazing.

The store was just buzzing full of customers and I walked through the door at 10:30, store opens at 10:00.  When I walked in I was greeted with a “Hello”, and they let me look around a bit before they asked me if I needed help.

I only ended up buying a few packs of World of Warcraft cards, which were at the lowest price I have seen anywhere yet.  But I think I will make the trip down to Paradise Comics once a month or so to buy my comics from now on.  So if you want to go to a really nice store, with VERY knowledgeable, friendly staff, a GREAT selection of both new and old comics, I highly recommend that you check out Paradise comics, 3278 Yonge St.  Toronto.