The idea of visiting a comic bookshop came to me when I was watching the comedy series "Big Bang Theory" on Netflix. Thanks to Netflix and TV streaming and broadband we are able to binge on every episodes of Big Bang this year. Besides Big Bang, we watched "Friends" too and almost watched it a second time on Netflix. So Big Bang inspired me to visit a comic book shop in Singapore. We saw the characters standing by a horizontal shelf and leafing through the stacks of comic books and choosing which to purchase. I used to do that since a long time ago.I remembered visiting a comic book shop 10-15 years ago and since some of them relocated, I have not visited them. Occasionally I would buy 3-4 comics compilations or paperbacks from Kinokuniya but that was it. So I decided to search online to see if there is any comic book store left in Singapore. Lo and behold, there are still some surviving ones. The one that I visited with a friend is located in Holland Village (or along Holland Avenue) and it's called "Wonderific Comics". The actual address is, Holland Road Shopping Center, 211 Holland Ave, #03-24, Singapore 278967.
I was pretty excited to have found this store. I could imagine myself browsing the stacks of comic books on the cabinet. The store has a small entrance with a full drop windows that you could see through. Some old books were being sold at the entrance. They were really old but some of them actually managed to catch our attention.
We entered the narrow entrance to be greeted with 2 shelves on both side of the shop, all lined with paperbacks, toys and books. Very familiar sight. There was no other customer except both of us, James and me. I suggested to come here because I was curious how a comic book store would look like these days, since books retailing is a sunset industry in Singapore. A friend of mine used to run a comic book shop in Bukit Timah Plaza but it has long been closed since 20 years ago. He retired as a freelance comic artist, also a not so profitable job here.
I was excited to see the rows of comic books, but they are so alien to me. I have not been an avid reader of comics, though I love comics and I collect them. I don't collect all of them, except for my favourite artists. I am following artists and not the comics. I am not a fan of Marvel characters unless they are drawn by my favourite artists. So I am a little different. Recently I am looking for more artists to collect so I have an excuse to buy books, but they all look so similar. It is hard to find someone unique and extraordinary like Sean Murphy.
Anyway back to the bookstore; I was hoping that I could find something interesting but soon enough I got lost, lost in titles that I am not familiar with. Most books are either DC or Marvel, none of which I am following. I secretly told James that I am reading some off from the internet. My excuse, my bookshelves are full and there is no more space to contain more. I have been giving up books and donating them to bookshelves for used books in the library. Eventually after walking through the narrow lanes (just 2), we exited without getting anything. A customer came by to collect his order. I guess he is a regular and is familiar with what he wants. I remembered I was a regular collector for Heavy Metal magazine since 20 years ago when it was banned in Singapore.
This is how the comic book store looks like in Big Bang Theory. (source: https://screenrant.com/big-bang-theory-hidden-details-comic-book-store/) There are tons of information about this store if you visit the link I have attached here.
