Big Planet Comics

Went here on New Year’s Day while visiting friends in the area; great store had all the new books, huge trade collection. Also some great books on comic creating. I picked up a copy of a Loomis Illustration book, and a EC collection. They had a small selection of some quality 60/​70s back issues that were priced very reasonably. Owner/​clerk was friendly and really engaging. Highly recommended.

Exactly what a comic book store should be. Everything was easy to find and in good shape. The guy behind the counter (the owner?) was friendly and really good at making repeat customers. He told the girl in front of me about an artist who was going to be in the store the next day and gave me a free promotional poster to go with my purchases. I’ll definitely be back

Yay to comic book stores!
Alright, let me first give you a little background. I did not grow up with American comic books. Except X-​Men, perhaps, but I don’t necessarily follow comic books too closely. Often, it gets a bit intimidating to go to the stores because some staff could be very judgmental of my lack of «comic knowledge.»
But not here! I just finished reading the Alias series, which is what the Netflix Jessica Jones show is based on. I love the series so much and want something similar to it. The guy in the shop was so helpful! He event pointed out a few series I should look into as well.
I’m definitely coming back whenever I need to get more insights on where to take my next comic journey. Sometimes, it’s easier to talk with someone in person versus Googling away my curiosities. Thank you, Big Planet Comics, for being an awesome shop!

Definitely one of the best comic book stores in the area. The staff is very friendly and helpful. They have a good selection of graphic novels and comic books, and everything is very well organized. When I wanted a book that they didn’t have in the store, they offered to have it ordered and delivered there. It was an easy process, which I appreciated, and I was able to buy the book at the store within the week.

I went here for a specific comic they were out on the day I went but I was told the shipment arrived Thursday. I came back after work, they had it. The owner (I think) Is pretty cool. The space isn’t huge but every time I’ve been there’s been sort of a line so I’m guessing they carry most of the popular stuff.
This will be my go to place from now on since it’s next to my job.

I live really nearby this place and it is great!
They have a huge selection of comics and graphic novels, and although their collectible section is not the largest it is filled with some good stuff. Joel & Greg have been running this place for a long time and they are some of the most nice and experienced people in the business. Recently Morgan started working here and he is really cool and friendly.
All in all this place is great and definitely the best shop in the MD area!

great comic store. good selection

My 9 year old daughter has discovered comics, and was so excited to spend her birthday money on them. The staff at Big Planet were great with both her and myself. She had one she was looking for, and they didn’t have it. But when we came back two weeks later, there it was! I was happy to be asked if comics were ok for her because of their mature rating (someone actually thought about mom!), and they genuinely some of the nicest people I’ve ever encountered.

This seems like a decent location to buy your comics, the store does seem a little bit disorganized for my taste. The staff were also friendly but seemed focus on something they were doing rather than customers. The store also had some manga but sadly the selection is very small. Sadly still have not found my geek fix lol.

Big Planet Comics is without a doubt, the BEST comic book shop I have ever visited. My husband and I have been collectors now for a couple of years. In our time, we have visited comic shops all up and down the east coast. We are so glad we found Big Planet Comics.
The staff at BPC is AMAZING! My husband and I usually stop in on the weekend, while Joel is working. Joel obviously knows his stuff and has always been incredibly kind and welcoming to us! Our weekly/​bi-​weekly visits to BPC are one of the things we really look forward to because of our great chats with Joel!
Recently, I also met Greg, when I stopped in on a weekday to pick up something I wanted to make sure didn’t sell out. Greg was also super awesome and taught me all about how to read barcodes to make sure we’re getting first printing, different covers etc. Thanks, Greg! Amazing knowledge that is super useful! (To this point, I don’t understand how anyone could ever say they had a problem with the staff. It just doesn’t make sense! These guys are so nice and helpful!!).
As I said, my husband and I have visited comic shops all up and down the east coast. Big Planet Comics has one of the best layouts and is one of the nicest shops we’ve been to. Everything is laid out neatly and organized. The shop is well lit and kept very clean. We feel very fortunate that this shop is close to where we live.
Finally, I would definitely suggest getting a box with them. If you become a subscriber (i believe you need 10 titles per month) you’ll get a discount and you can always call ahead and ask them to put anything away for you. No more missing those number 1s!
Seriously, Big Planet Comics is amazing. You should go there, now!

Great shop.
We stopped by on a whim to get some comics for our niece. She is 11 and is a fan of the female lead type comic series. She found everything she wanted and more! If she had no cap on how much she could spend, she would have easily bought a quarter of the store!
The owner was personable, friendly and welcoming. His dog who is obviously a senior was wandering around scoping out the place. She is obviously the boss of the shop.
They have a good selection for both younger and adult crowds. Everything is organized and easy to find and navigate.
Recommend this place!

I love this place. There are 2 owners I think but both of them are really cool. One of them really knows his comics so I usually ask him questions on what to usually get and whatever he suggests they are pretty good. I live in germantown and I really am not a fan of beyond comics so I just pass them and go to big planet. If you go on the right days you might catch a deal off some trade books

Best comics

I came into this store as a tourist who stumbled upon a really nice comic book shop. I don’t know the owner as several of the reviewers seem to do. I did experience almost every one of the observations all the reviewers had. I agree that this is a gem of a shop. The comics, graphic novels, series are all well displayed and easy to find. This is not the typical comic book shop. It’s clean and the person behind the counter was both knowledgeable, helpful, but a bit snarky. I say that because where I’m from, I’m lucky enough to have a new comic book shop that is similar to this one in style, layout, and quality of merchandise, but the person behind the counter is really friendly and always shakes my hand when I come in. That’s the extra star. This place is very good though and I do encourage readers to go here. It’s a gem. Not your typical comic book store.

In a better world, this would be an average comic shop and there would be a bunch of places like this around town. As it is, Big Planet Comics is a real rarity. The other Washington-​area comic book stores that have opened up (and usually closed) never really came very close, bless their hearts. Since everyone else is mentioning it, I will too: manager Joel is the man. Friendly guy, fun to talk to. I usually come here looking for one thing, but usually end up blowing about eighty bucks.

I have no experience with comics at all, but I am the proud mommy of an 8 year old voracious reader and so when we pass a comic book store, we must go in. The guy at the counter was really nice and helpful with my son. He helped me locate a little comic for my younger daughter, and my son was excited with all the comics he bought. We live in Cali but every time we go to NIH we try to come back here.

Always leave spending a lot of cash when I go in… kinda figures with such a great selection of TPB’s. I don’t really follow anything serially, but from what I can tell on the shelves, the new releases are always fully stocked, with previous months issues behind them (in some cases going as far back as 3 issues).
The staff that I’ve encountered have ranged from pleasant and engaging to sullen and snobby. Which to be quite honest doesn’t bother me at all since it doesn’t make or break my trip… I’ve noticed that the owner does talk to some of the regulars, but I guess since I’m a Fantom refugee it’ll take sometime to get to know them.
The only thing holding me back from giving it 5 stars are the hours as a user mentioned earlier. On weekdays I have to drive through DC traffic then hit Bethesda traffic via Arlington Blvd (brootal) to maybe get there with a half hour to spare. Additionally, prices of TPB’s can be much cheaper on Amazon, which makes me wish they had some sort of discount plan for readers like myself.
I keep going back because I never know what I’m going to find on their shelves. Without having gone there, I might never have read some of my favorite series.
Despite the minor shortcomings it really is a great experience.

I’ve been going to this store since it opened way back when. It has a nice mix of a lot of different genres as well as plenty of collected volumes and knicky knacks. Owner Joel Pollack runs a tight shop with a knowledgeable friendly staff. There is always a smattering of sale items and the space is open and well lit, unlike some more cavernous stores.
The shop is a short walk from the red line and surrounded by plenty of stellar restaurants in old Bethesda. Well worth a visit.

I’ve been going here for a long, long time, and maybe I’m biased, but this is one of my favorite places on earth. They have a deep stock of comics for grownups — sorry, ‘graphic novels’ — and keep the whole dolls/​collectibles thing to a minimum. Joel, the owner, has guided me to good material for about 25 years now. He takes his role in the community seriously, going beyond simply owning a shop to helping organize small press conventions, attracting artists to the store, posting up customer art, and fighting in the courts for his right to distribute adult-​oriented comic art.
The selection is always rich; while the majority of the stock is conventional super-​hero stuff, there’s a wide range of other genres including manga, ‘indie’ books, underground, classics, and straight-​up erotica. Where a particular genre may not be heavily represented, the examples they do have will demonstrate an intelligent, discerning sense behind the selection.
I’ve always found the staff helpful; Joel, as I said, is a gem. He usually has high-​school/​college kids working there who may not be into what I’m into, but are always enthusiastic & knowledgeable about comics in general. I’ve never had trouble getting a staffer to help me chase down a title I’m looking for.
I don’t give 5 stars out for much, but it’s hard to imagine a better all-​around comic book shop than Big Planet.

I think I’ve visited just about every comic shop in the greater Washington, DC area since I moved here about seven years ago, including a few that are no longer with us. Big Planet’s store in Bethesda (there are also locations in Georgetown and Vienna) is my favorite.
A big part of the reason for this is Joel Pollack, the shop’s owner/​manager. Even on a busy day, he always takes the time to exchange a few words with just about every customer, most — if not all — of whom he seems to know by name (he knew mine by about my second or third visit). He’s knowledgable not only about his store and its contents, but also about comics in general — he’s never failed to answer a question I’ve asked about when a certain book is going to ship or who the artist was on a particular title (NB: your mileage may vary on this point; I’m by no means one of those people who stands around arguing about what Captain America’s armor is made out of – I’m just saying he knows his stuff).
Big Planet has a great selection: they order an ample number of copies of everything from the mainstream publishers and a good selection of independent publishers as well (although I’ll confess to being a fairly mainstream comics reader). You’ll never have to hunt; everything is where it’s supposed to be, alphabetized, and easy to see. And there are generally enough copies of everything that you don’t need to worry about beating the Wednesday regulars to the shop to snag a copy of the week’s hot book.
There’s a subscription service for regular customers as well. If you commit to buying at least 10 comics a month, all of your requested books will be put aside for you, and you’ll receive a 10 percent discount on all of your purchases.
Another of Big Planet’s strengths is its devotion of shelf space to collected editions. Marvel and DC trade paperbacks, manga, low-​cost 50s and 60s reprints, super-​fancy slipcased hardcovers: a great selection of all of the above. This variety comes at the expense of back issues; while you’ll be able to find the last few months’ worth of most current titles, the pickings are slim beyond that point. But that’s what the Internet is for these days, right?
Making what I think is a great decision, Big Planet displays a wide array of kid-​friendly comics right by the register (think Archie, Scrooge McDuck, and superhero books geared towards younger readers). In combination with the manga and the collected editions — all of which are more accessible to new readers than many of today’s monthly comic books, this demonstrates a commitment to having a business that caters not just to the hardcore fanboys (he typed while wearing his Aquaman t-​shirt) but to anyone who comes through the door curious about comics or just looking for a good read.
Perhaps the best thing about Big Planet is that it defies almost every comic shop stereotype you care to name. It’s immaculately clean. It’s well lit. It’s open when the sign on the door says it’s going to be open. You can find things without moving a stack of comics or a box of back issues to see what’s underneath. This is little stuff — Shopkeeping 101 — but comic shops tend to be incredibly bad at it. Big Planet is a model comic shop. If you’re a comics fan, check it out; you won’t be disappointed. If you’re not a comics fan, who knows? There’s a lot of great stuff out there that you’ve never even heard of, and this is the place to find it.