Toronto is one of the strongest comic cities in North America, and it pulls in two directions at once. It is a major convention town, with Fan Expo Canada drawing huge crowds to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre each year, and it is also a serious art-comics city, with the long-running Toronto Comic Arts Festival and a deep bench of cartoonists who have lived and worked there. Its shops reflect that split, ranging from large mainstream stores stocked for new-release Wednesday to specialists in literary and small-press work. The scene runs from downtown out through the city's neighborhoods and into the wider GTA.
This guide ranks Toronto's best-rated comic shops by verified Google review score and explains what each one is known for. For every comic store in the city — sortable by address, hours, and services — see the full Toronto comic shop directory.
Top-rated comic shops in Toronto
These are the highest-rated comic book stores in Toronto, ranked by verified Google review score. Ratings reflect data at the time of writing — tap any shop for current details, hours, and directions.
knowhere comics
A perfect 5.0 rating across 140 verified Google reviews. The store on Cawthra Avenue carries new releases and keeps a back-issue selection on hand. See full details »
The Gargoyle
54 verified reviews at a 4.8 rating. This location on Kingston Road carries new releases and keeps a back-issue selection on hand. See full details »
West End Comics
A 4.7 rating across 288 verified Google reviews. This shop on Queen Street West carries new releases and keeps a back-issue selection on hand. See full details »
Last Gen Used Toronto
214 verified reviews at a 4.7 rating. This shop on Chinatown Centre Mall pairs new and back-issue comics with a tabletop gaming floor. See full details »
The Negative Zone - Comics and more
A 4.7 rating across 72 verified Google reviews. This shop on Dundas Street West carries new releases and keeps a back-issue selection on hand. See full details »
How to choose a comic shop in Toronto
With 25 shops in Toronto, it pays to match the store to what you collect. Follow ongoing series? Pick a shop that runs a pull list — a free hold service that sets your weekly titles aside so they never sell out before you arrive.
Hunting back issues and key issues is different. Check a shop's listing for its back-issue depth before you drive over. Some Toronto stores keep deep long-box inventory. Others lean toward new releases and trading cards. If you want to sell part of a collection, look for the shops tagged for buying and selling.
For grading, you do not have to ship books to CGC yourself. Many shops are authorized CGC drop-off centers, and our comic grading guide covers how submission tiers and turnaround work before you go.
Comic conventions and events near Toronto
Conventions are where Ontario collectors find dealers, creators, and key issues all in one room. Browse our directory of upcoming comic cons and collector shows across the US and Canada to plan your next event near Toronto.
See all 25 shops: this guide covers the highest-rated stores. For the complete, filterable directory of comic book stores in Toronto — with addresses, hours, and services for every shop — visit the Toronto comic shop directory.
Frequently asked questions
How many comic book stores are in Toronto?
Toronto has 25 verified comic book stores listed in the ComicStoresNearMe directory. This guide highlights the highest-rated. The full list with addresses, hours, and services is on the Toronto directory page.
What is the best-rated comic shop in Toronto?
knowhere comics is among the highest-rated comic shops in Toronto, holding a 5.0-star rating across 140 verified Google reviews. The other shops in this guide also rank among Toronto's best by review score — compare them in the list above.
Where can I get comics graded (CGC) in Toronto?
Many comic shops act as authorized CGC drop-off centers, bundling submissions and handling shipping so you do not need a CGC membership. See our CGC drop-off guide to find participating shops, and our comic grading guide for how the process and service tiers work.
When do comic shops get new comics?
New issues arrive on New Comic Book Day — Wednesday in the United States. Most Toronto shops put the week's releases out Wednesday morning, and many offer a free pull-list (subscription) service that sets aside your titles each week. Subscribe to our daily feed to follow new releases and comic news, tagged #NewComicBookDay.
Where to play TCG in Toronto
Plenty of Toronto comic shops double as trading-card hubs for Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, and Yu-Gi-Oh. For the full local card-shop scene — singles, sealed, and game nights — see our sister guide: Best Card Shops in Toronto →