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| - I've been a regular customer at Phantom for over ten years. When I started going to Phantom, it was in a different location and was the typical cramped comic shop I knew from my youth with a wall of new comics and a myriad of long boxes that occupied most of the space in the shop.
Back in 2010 or so, Phantom moved across the street on South Craig to a bright, new, spacious location and set the bar for what a modern comic book shop should be. Of course, there's still a huge wall of new comics. What sets it apart from a lower-tier shop is space and the layout. Any longtime comic book fan who buys new books on a Wednesday knows that things can get weird when there's a bunch of people on top of each other looking at new books. At Phantom, there is plenty of room to check out the latest books. Even better, they separate the current week's books from everything else that has come out over the last month. It's a little thing, but if you're a weekly customer, it really makes things easier to keep track of.
In addition to having all of the latest comics, Phantom also has a ridiculously expansive selection of trades. They have it all, from The Walking Dead, to Batman, to the Boys. They also have action figures, statues, t-shirts, and all the usual comic book storage supplies.
Wayne, Jeff, and the rest of the staff are helpful, friendly, never pushy, and usually have some decent music on in the background (it's always pleasant to browse comics with some Creedence Clearwater Revival on). Sign up for a subscription service, and you will never miss an issue of your favorite book. If your list is large enough, you get a small discount, too.
If you live or work in Oakland and you're into comics, do yourself a favor and visit Phantom. You'll never go back to a dim, cramped comics shop again.
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