Vault of Midnight — Local services in Grand Rapids

This is a really great place to shop for gifts and trinkets for the hard to shop for person and your life. Apart from all the usual things like the large selection of graphic novels and hardcovers or the wall to wall coverage with new releases of the latest issues of comic books. Certain things are broken down into sections which is nice when considering the organization and flow of the small space. Books for young adults and children are separate from all the others. As is the Manga section. There's a new release wall for anything released within that week. The only thing this place Lacks next to your average comic book store is a severe deficit of back issues. There are some, and I know most people these days myself included usually just get trades and hardcover graphic novels. Maybe I'm just an old school and miss that iconic image of the multiple rows of long boxes waiting to be rifled through and a hidden treasure found within. But, things that haven't been re released yet or perhaps are from smaller publishers that don't get reprinted in graphic novel form are always nice to find in the back issue bins at places that have them. That being said, the strongest suit that these guys have appears to be the area of the graphic novels and collectors editions or omnibus books. There are so many great choices in stock at all times. There's also a pretty decent wall for those dedicated to playing table top or board games.

The staff on hand is always extremely helpful. I usually ask around if somebody on the clock has a specific interest in a genre or particular book that may be of interest, they will be more than happy to nerd out with you, which is pretty cool. Be sure to look for the staff picks. The only thing knocking them down the full star is the fact that it's downtown and there is no parking. All these social zones and the Jersey barriers don't help the situation. Apart from that though, The branding and aesthetic of the store is very inviting and fun. There's always fun music playing and you see a large cross-section of different people both customers and employees all coming together to geek out on their favorite stuff. I strongly suggest stopping in and at least getting a cool t-shirt or sticker...

Oh my! If you like comics, manga, anime, superheroes, graphic novels, board games, dice... Anything else like this, Vault of Midnight is the place for you!!

For starters, let's talk about the fact that they are in downtown Grand Rapids and some people are going to moan and groan about parking etc. Well, we found a nice parking ramp just around the corner from the store. I can't say for absolute certain on this, but I think they validated our ticket for us. Again, I'm totally sure on this. But there is also lots of parking along the street by the store, however it is right by the theaters and museums, so yes, it is a very busy part of downtown.

Once you enter the store, you are magically taken away from the busy streets of GR and into a land of wild and crazy imagination come to life via the pages of various books and other items. It's impossible to describe all the different items inside the store as the titles there range from the very popular ones of Marvel and DC to some very lesser known (at least to me) and even some foreign ones like the manga. They even have many games and dice.

The staff, of which there were lots, were very helpful. We were asked if we needed anything several times every time we've been. We've never been ignored. And they've always been super knowledgeable and friendly wherever we did need help.

We did purchase their book of the month subscription plan. I cannot begin to praise this enough!!! These books we are getting aren't just a small comic every month. We are getting actual hard bound graphic novels the size of text books for some months. This plan has been an absolute delight and has opened my eyes to so much new material, so many new artists! It is well worth the money.

In any event, if you are into the culture or into board or card gaming or anything else like I've mentioned, think about stopping by Vault of Midnight. It's a rare find these days. Comic shops are a dying breed, so it's nice to find one still thriving. I'm happy to lend it my support and I hope...

In movies, comic book shops are places of wonder and magic where nerds of all stripes go to discuss their favorite heroes, debate theories about upcoming issues and generally feel welcome, all wrapped up in the thrill that Mr. Magorium brings to his Wonder Emporium. In real life, comic book shops tend to be rows of crates, shelves and walls lined with old comics packed as tightly as possible, accented with a signature scent of musty books, and nerd sweat. Plopped in some strip mall somewhere on the edge of town, most comic book shops are not exciting to go to.

Fortunately for Vault of Midnight, they are a shop ripped right off the silver screen. With bright colors, wonderful art and enough games to plan the next 5 years worth of games nights, this place would make Kevin Smith proud. The staff is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable and they have a genuine interest in whatever you are buying that day. The best service they offer is their subscription model. At no extra cost to you, they will set aside any comic book every Wednesday in a folder designated for you. Each issue you subscribe to has a 10% discount. Simply amazing. The only thing they ask is that you pick up your issues once a month.

This place is truly amazing. I walked into it by accident about a year ago just as I was starting to get back into comic books again and I honestly can't believe I lived without having this place in my...