Sub-City Comics — Local services in Dublin

Highest prices in Ireland across the board. Stock is poorly kept, mostly in bad condition but priced like high end graded books. What's much worse is the rudeness and attitude of the owner and some staff (there is a younger guy who works there who is great and is probably responsible for every positive google review here. Not sure if he should be commended or rescued). I've spent hundreds in this shop and been treated with outright contempt by the owner every time I've encountered him. Simply paying for a comic book comes with a sneering evaluation of what you've bought. I have never encountered someone so angry and stand-offish in a retail environment as the owner of this shop. I've worked retail and can't imagine speaking to people the way I've seen Sub City staff do, and I've been on the receiving end myself. I've seen the manager be abusive towards that one nice staff member too, boldly and in front of customers. The shop has a serious habit of not pricing things and then either looking up recently sold listings on ebay at the till or just making up a price they think you'll hand over. Comics that are put in a box marked "ONE EURO" could be any number they like when you get to the till. This is generally considered poor form in the comics business, but it's understandable to an extent within a market where prices can change. What isn't understandable is the hostility. When politely asked the price of a comic found in a box marked ONE EURO, the owner sneeringly replied "You can make whatever face you like pal, but that comic's not a euro' with a big grin. After dealing with nothing but this kind of energy from this guy over the years, I finally said "no thank you" and left. It's not much to ask to be treated like a human being mate. Outside of the appalling social skills of some staff members, the shop is just a plain old rip-off. I wouldn't mind too much paying a premium if the comics were kept clean and stored nicely and if the staff were nice. But the comics are often loose in boxes, bashed about and you're lucky if they're in a plastic bag ( and watch out if its a NICE plastic bag, because the owner will remove it after you've paid and keep it to re-use. Seriously.) Sub City have been in business about 30 years and are locally owned. The owner of the shop is well known within the Irish comics scene for writing his own comics with Irish-themed superheroes and slipping them on the shelves of his shop next to Wolverine and the Watchmen. For what its worth, Sub City's main competitor - the cheaper and cleaner nearby British chain-store Forbidden Planet, has managed to reserve a fair amount of shelf space for years for small press Irish comics. I know the owner of Sub CIty is aware of that, because I see his comics on that shelf in Forbidden Planet. Yet in his much larger space, the owner of Sub City is unable to fit a single small press book that doesn't feature his name on it. I think that's a shame. A good comic shop can be more than just a retail space, it can significantly add to the culture of comics in a place if done well. It's sad to see it done so poorly. If you want comments about your face and overpriced mangy books, check out Sub City. Otherwise, stick with Forbidden Planet, Dublin City Comics, Little Deer and Big Bang who are all GREAT. Sub City really is the outlier and should be avoided like the actual plague. EDIT: The reply below accuses me of a crime - putting a 1000(!) euro comic in with a bunch of euro comics to try to get one over on the guy, when actually HE put it in a euro box and all I did was try to buy an item in his shop. The issue I had was not with the price of the comics but the hostility. Nothing was 'explained' but I was belittled, and not for the first time. He is also proving my point by calling Invincible no.1 a 1000 euro book - its 1000 euro in 9.8 condition, graded & sealed. In the condition it was in, covered in stickers and dirt, its worth less than a tenth of that. Note how he has not rebutted anything of substance I have said here and just went in...

Everyone there was kind and helpful I found no problems or difficulties. The staff are also very casual yet professional and always had something to say or show about a comic. The knowledge needed to work in a place like this is incredible and never failed to impress me. They also give great recommendations. The wide selection made a new comic book reader overwhelmed and excited. I have knowledge and experience with comics but never in physical form, and seeing some of my favorite stories there was amazing. The basement is the most impressive collection of anything I have seen. I have a small collection of comics that I am exited to read. I will also follow on social media to keep up and if I have any questions or doubts about any comic. 5/5 when I go back to Ireland it will once again be my favorite...

My last visit REALLY disappointed me! To find most of the 50c comics debulked massively and then packaged in multipacks and being sold over 1000% more price wise considering that they used to be 50c/1€ a comic and now they have been bundled up in RANDOM at times and being sold for 20€ and upwards! I even recognized some of the titles because I was collecting them! It used to be my favorite spot because I could pick up some stuff for cheap but now the selection has declined significantly! Obviously I'm not trying to get gems for a euro but the selection is just...