Haven Comics Etc — Local services in Huntsville

I've thought a lot about whether or not to write this review, but I guess the owners are owed the opportunity not to lose future customers.

I used Haven for about a year. I had a box I shared with my husband. I was a regular. I dreaded going.

The first thing to happen was I won a raffle on free comic book day. The employee on duty seemingly looked me up on Facebook from my raffle or my subscription box and friended me. I did not know this person otherwise. There's a part of me that wonders if I really "won" the raffle.

Over the next year I became increasingly upset going there. The employee working would often follow me outside to continue talking to me. If more than one employee was present they would all come into the small main room and talk to me, compliment me, ask me questions. This sounds nice. But I could never browse or talk to a companion. It's like they were uncomfortable with silence.

This happened every time I went. I was asked personal questions about a brace on my wrist, incessantly complimented on everything I was wearing, and suggested a different event/comic every time I went in. I considered complaining to the owner, but he was very much a part of the issue and none of them ever seemed to recognize my uncomfortable reactions or demeanor.

Constant suggestions would've been fine but no one ever seemed to pay attention to what we actually read. As avid Marvel and Image readers we got exhausted saying no to a different DC pitch every week. We had a box with over a dozen subscriptions, if you feel the need to suggest, you have a baseline to begin with.

But then there was the problem of the box. Stuff was always late, or not there, or we'd get it twice. When a couple is sharing a box this sucks. One of us often came home to discover we'd been given a second copy of a comic the other reads and had already picked up. We were also having stuff put in our box that we were not subscribed to (very irritating if you don't know EVERY title you spouse reads), and upon bringing this up, it was insinuated that was intentional. In addition to that, an employee would often have to message me (from his personal page) to confirm what I was subscribed to.

Eventually we canceled everything because we both dreaded pick up and the culture in there is not helpful to anyone just wanting to grab their subs. My husband waited for a while on his last visit only to find nothing in his box. This wouldn't normally be frustrating, but their were two employees behind the counter, but rather than one checking boxes, they were both just chatting with the customer checking out. I've also shown up twice to the store being inexplicably closed during regular hours.

It was just way more work then it ever needed to be to do something very simple. Coupled with the issue of feeling suffocated and creeped on every visit, I didn't find it to be worth...

5-Star Review for Haven Comics – Huntsville, AL

Haven Comics is hands down one of the best comic shops in Huntsville. Whether you're a longtime collector or just getting into comics, this place has something for everyone. The selection is solid — from new releases and popular titles to indie gems and back issues you didn’t even know you needed. They also carry a great mix of action figures, collectibles, and gaming supplies.

What really sets Haven apart is the staff. Everyone there is friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely excited to help. They’re not pushy, and they’ll take the time to chat with you about your favorite characters, recommend something new, or help you track down a missing issue. It feels more like a community hangout than just a store.

The shop is clean, organized, and easy to browse. You can tell they care about creating a welcoming space for fans of all ages. They also host cool events like signings, sales, and game nights, which make it even more of a local hub for nerd culture.

If you're into comics, tabletop games, or collectibles — or even just curious — Haven Comics is a must-visit. Great people, great vibe, and a great spot...

I stopped in today (17 August, 2025) to buy some of the used D&D/RPG books that had recently been advertised on their Facebook page. They only had the D&D items out, and the clerk said the other books were waiting for the owner to price. He explained that the owner only came in one day a week, so I wouldn’t be able to look at those items until then.

I did find two books I was interested in and decided to pick them up, even though they were priced on the high end of market value. One was $69.99 and the other was $21.95, but the combined total rang up to over $121. I guess the clerk assumed I couldn’t do basic math, because he said that was the price with sales tax.

When I asked him what the sales tax was, he said he thought it was 9% (which is correct). However, when I pointed out that the total reflected about a 30% increase over the listed price, he tried to claim that was probably the state sales tax. I told him there was no way state and local sales tax could possibly be 30% and that he needed to check the total. He replied that there was nothing he could do about it, so I chose not to make the purchase.

I doubt I...