Bender's Books & Cards

My Yelp profile is purely for reviewing comic book stores. Bender's is the best comic book store I have ever been to. It is one of the oldest comic book stores in the country and a precious landmark of true comics culture.PROS: There is no comic in history that you cannot find here, unless it is hidden under one of the Lynx cats that lurks in the back-issue bins. Or it may be hidden under one of thousands of various vintage collectables of every possible variety. That rare, out-of-print, one-of-a-kind obscure item you've been hunting for forever? Bender's probably has that. But what's more important is that they have a rare, out-of-print, one-of-a-kind obscure item that you weren't even aware of yet. Discovery is a key element to Bender's. It's not just a showroom for Diamond Distributors. And you know how annoying it is that comic stores are only open from like 12pm-6pm? Or closed on Sundays? Bender's opens early in the morning and they're open every single day.It's funny that Bender's is called Bender's Books & Cards, when Comics are definitely the primary item. It's a pet peeve of mine when a store claims to be a comic book store in the name but is hiding a horrible secret within: that they have forfeited half of their store to gaming card culture or some other non-comic pastime. Bender's has earned the right to place "comics" in their name. They've also earned the right to place all of the following in their name: magazines, zines, vintage figures, planet of the apes models, star trek playsets, dick tracy mugs, board games, pulp novels, porn, universal monster masks, dragon statues, wizard statues, vintage star wars buttons, used dvds, posters, knick-knacks, records, dollars bins, etc. without sacrificing any of their comic integrity. They have plenty of space to accommodate every kind of collector. (And don't wimp out on the porn section in the back. That's where they hide a lot of potentially offensive comics with violence or nudity, like R. Crumb, Faust, Moebius, etc.)CONS: Any legitimate grievance about the condition or smell of the store is easily outweighed by the pros. Sure, that stain on the floor might be old cat piss. If you mind that, you are a poser and don't deserve this store. Yes, there are holes in the ceiling. And yes, sometimes there are cats in the holes in the ceilings. Therefore, yes, it's possible, however unlikely, that a cat will piss from the hole in the ceiling and onto your head. Accept and embrace this.VERDICT: If you prefer your comic book store to be more like an antique mall, then this is the one for you. I cannot overstate how important this store is, not only for comic books, but for every adjacent culture. No matter what you collect, you will find something here to add to your collection. Take the day, commit to digging and browsing every corner. This is the best possible version of an old, legacy comic shop that hasn't changed in decades. God bless it.

I had heard comic nerds talk about this place for a while so I was excited to go. They definitely have lots of collectible comics but it's so disorganized you can't even begin to find anything you might specifically want. You just have to hope you stumble on to something in one of a gazillion mixed up piles. It's like an episode of Hoarders, one hot mess in there. (some people have complained about the cat situation but I love cats so no issues for me there) If you have hours to spend rummaging this might be up your alley (definitely some gold in there) but it was really aggravating to me.

Such an awesome hidden gem! Not very many of these comic stores left out there. There's unlimited comics and nostalgic toys. This is a must go to store. The owner also has an adorable cat wandering around!

Wanna love it but stepping in cat feces was not part of the planned shopping for the day. It's a historical gem, lots of jems with little organization, it's a lot. Enter at your own risk, if the cat smell doesn't bother you, enjoy the vast amounts of inventory.

This is a hidden gem in Phoebus. A comic and figurine and Star Wars collector heaven. It's a bit of a mishmash inside so you have to be willing to dig for the hidden treasures but they have literally hundreds of figurines and comic books as well as other items like board games and DVDs. We also found things like wizards, Simpson's, Marilyn Monroe, etc. so you can come browse and will probably find something you are a fan of in here. The older gentleman at the front was super welcoming and there was a pretty shop kitty inside too. Always a win when a store has a pet mascot.

I was pleasantly overwhelmed with the sheer volume and assortment of comics but the organization was good. The owner/operator was friendly and knowledgeable; he pointed me in the right direction and even pulled some of the more obscure books I was seeking. I felt welcomed and respected, like stepping back in time to 1970's hospitality and customer service. I was only able to spend about 40 min looking and gathering books to purchase (the prices are reasonable) before realizing I would need several more visits in order to do the shop justice....can't wait to visit it again!

My kids love this place. There prices are very reasonable and it's always an adventure when you go in. The staff is always so polite and helpful. If you're willing to dig a bit you can find all kinds of treasures.

Benders is the coolest collectibles store that I have ever been to. It is a portal right into the past. 5/5. Definitely one of a kind!!After I get past the fact that it does kinda smell of stale cat piss in a fat kids basement, I truly enjoyed everything that benders had to offer.Among the short list of items that benders had were: collectible GI joe dolls from the 1950's era, still sealed cards from the early 90's including cartoon Doug cards, flintstones original action movie picture cards (featuring 90's John Goodman), reboot trading cards, and action figures from as far back as I can remember.There were an assortment of collectible action figures including breaking bad, dexter, and dr who. For my purchase, I picked up an issue one of mega man manga (I thought it to be a find) and a couple of other books.Benders is less of a comic book store and more a museum for American collectible culture. They have something from everyone's childhood. I even found collectible Barbie doll trading cards that dated back to the forties. Truly amazing.I gave benders five stars because:1. There is true historical value to this place2. They have posters, collectible glasses and mugs, comics, magazines, and records3. There is definitely something from everyone's childhood or sentimental life here.4. The prices are definitely a steal. A lot of things here are priced way lower than the eBay or elitist collectors circles5. The staff was super friendly and helpful.

A great, well stocked comic shop just past the HRBT in Hampton. The good - the inventory is impressive. Tons of new comics and industry related soft/hardcovers. Their amount of back issues is great. What they don't have on the floor, the owner is more than happy to look in the back. Today I couldn't find a copy of a $3 book from 1985 from my want list and he went in the back and brought me 3 copies to choose from. They also have lots of display cases filled with gold, silver, bronze and copper age books as well, but you'll have to ask to look through. In addition they have hard to find and out of print materials like art books, fanzines, pulps, big little books and magazines. If you like toys, they have a lot to choose from both new and used. You will be able to spend a good couple of hours in here and not see anything. The workers were also quite helpful. I stopped in a few weeks back and dropped $100 and went back again today and spent another $90 on items I didn't even catch the first time. I walked out with a silver age Doom Patrol book, a copper age Blue Devil book, a Marvelmania Catalog in really high grade and a Disney 33-1/3 record and book from the Haunted Mansion dated from 1970. They really have quite an eclectic bunch of stuff. The bad - It's an older building that also has some pet cats that hang out inside the store, so it has an odor. Mostly from the cats plus the age of an old building that also has some roof leaks. It can be a little off putting at first. But, if you're used to shopping at comic stores around the country like I have, then it's nothing new. The great stock and service more than make up for it. Please take a moment and check out this store, it's been a round forever and they have what you are looking for.

The inventory of comics is awesome...but the prices are absolute ludicrous...also, the smell of cat piss is rampant.....AND the roof is falling with water dripping.