Illusive Comics & Games

Was in SJ to shop for pops saw the reviews and checked it out. Glad I did they had a big selection of pops and they were a good prices even for exclusives! It takes me like 45mins to get there but I’ll definitely be going back every couple weeks.

I am a noob when it comes to board games. I am a veteran video gamer. Board games recently caught my fancy. I stumbled upon this store when I visited the Indian restaurant next door. So I went in with my wife and 18 month old daughter. As soon as I went in, I was greeted by Anna. I told her that I am looking to buy a board game. Steve, I think his name was Steve, jumped in while Anna was playing with my daughter and answering my wife’s questions. Based on my past board gaming experience, Steve suggested that I pick up either Catan or Forbidden Desert. I picked up Forbidden Desert because it was cheaper than Catan. I’ve played it every single day over the past 3 days with 4 other friends of mine. We absolutely had a blast. I will go visit the store again and again. I live in Fremont but I guess the distance is wroth it. Anna is so full of life and awesome. My daughter picked up a double dice and she was refusing to let go of it for billing. Anna said that she could keep it :) Agreed that it probably costs a couple dollars but she genuinely cared and that shows. This is the best shopping experience I had in recent times.

This is my go-​to spot comics. They have a great selection of new and back issues, an extensive collection of trades, and a giant wall of Pops. The staff is very knowledgeable. They may seem mean cause they pick on each other a lot, but they’re nice people. The layout is pretty straightforward. Right for Pops, left for comics, new issues in the back left corner.
A lot of the customers actually like talking to them and will hold up lines long after they’re done purchasing their items. They can’t really tell them to get lost. That part is a bit unfortunate. Also, I don’t know if its just me, but the owner seems kinda rude. Or maybe just really grumpy all the time.

Cool comic shop. Super friendly staff that knows their stuff. A few deals on clearance and multiple book purchases seem to earn you a slight discount.
Great selection of books, single issues, back issues, toys, games and more little knick knacks. I overhead one of the staff saying they have some exclusive deals with Funko (or certain comic stores do). They have a whole wall dedicated to Pop vinyl toys, so you can really buy to your hearts content.

Great store. There is a large selection of both new and old comics. The staff is very knowledgeable. The customer service is excellent. They provide newbies with information without condescension and regulars with the appropriate amount of sass that makes them feel like family.
This is what a comic book shop should be.

Found this place when I searched the Funko website for locations that sold Funko pop vinyls.
I wasn’t really expecting much since the stores I usually go to never really have anything interesting, or if they do they are pricey.
Glad I found this spot. They had an entire wall dedicated to Funko pop vinyls and their selections were massive. If I had more money I would’ve bought so much more than what I left with. The prices were pretty reasonable too! Much cheaper than at other stores like hot topic and FYE.
They also had a huge selection of comic books too.
I definitely will be back. I also recommend other Pop collectors to visit this spot before heading to FYE, hot topic or Barnes and noble.

This comic shop is pretty much everything I look for in a shop. They have all the new stuff a lot of back issues you can find some cool stuff in the dollar bins. The staff is attentive and friendly they also have a good selection of action figures and funko pops.

I visited this store over the weekend with my husband and kids and found the staff extremely helpful and knowledgable. I asked for a very age specific recommendation and was given several options and a lot of background information on each comic book. I was happy we chose this store and we will be back in the future as our kids grow and are interested in different things.
Thank you!

Fantastic! What else is there to know? All the comics are neat and orderly, lots of Pop figurines and the customer service was top notch.

I’ve never been a big comic book reader, but I always wanted to get into it. I went here with my boyfriend who discovered it and the staff was super helpful. I was able to browse through a ton of comics without being constantly talked to by employees. But if I had any questions– everyone was super helpful! I’ve gone back multiple times and gotten suggestions about comics to read. The best part is that I don’t feel judged for whatever series I’m reading, the staff is just happy I’m reading something.
My boyfriend has also gotten plenty of suggestions and advice on new series to read. The staff is very knowledgeable about both writers and art styles (so you can get suggestions based on either or both of those!) This is definitely a store I’ll visit often. Perhaps next time I’ll even get a subscription going, so I don’t miss out on any comics.
There’s also a great selection of games and merchandise for a lot of different comics, so if you don’t feel like reading, there’s still stuff for you to browse. Between the great selection, friendly staff, and overall amazing atmosphere– I’ll always suggest this shop to anyone looking for something to do.

Came by on my usual Comic Book Wednesday runs to get the new stuff as usual. But I decided to get a stack of comics, I’d say over $ 80 with of em. Chris helped me all the way through 3 transactions, all within the half hour I was their. He was so nice and patient, a true comic book buddy. Steve and Perry are also great guys, everyone their is great and friendly!!!

This is is a pretty cool comic shop. I wouldn’t say it’s one of the best, but the staff has always been friendly and they do have a ton of trades. It’s also in a kind of hidden spot on El Camino Real. The first time is always pretty hard in location this place, but once you find it, it will be etched in your mind forever due to the hassle it was to find it.
They have a decent stock, but wish they had more back issues, but then again back issues aren’t the hot commodity they once were. Trades tend to sell a lot more as finding back issues becomes more and more of a challenge.
Either way, a cool little shop in the middle of El Camino Real.

They opened up a sister shop that is now designated for all their free open game days. Its down the street. Here are the logistics as provided by the owner herself:
«The new shop, Isle of Gamers, is just across the street. It’s where all the Gaming Events now happen. There are open and free gaming times, but it’s where all tournaments happen. This allowed us to increase our offerings of other items at both locations. Please feel free to come by and visit.
For the summer, starting on Monday, we’ll be open at Noon each day. Otherwise, normally, we are open 4pm-​Midnight Monday through Thursday, Noon-​2am Friday and Saturday and Noon-​8pm on Sundays.»

Stopped in with a friend today and just a blah experience. He was picking up his Wednesday books, I was just planning on a new Previews.
The staff was helpful, and the shelves were full, which is great for customers, not so great for comic shop owners.
We both easily found what we set out for. A minor problem is that in my Previews catalog, there was no ordering booklet. I asked and was declined. Note to purveyors, even if it costs you a dime or quarter per booklet, some customers rely on that booklet for release dates alone. It can be a valuable resource for me, and more for you.
Anyways, the gaming section has shrunk, which is ok, giving way to a large wall of Funko Pop vinyl’s, which is also ok. But no exclusives or hard to find Funko’s.
I inquired about subscription service only to find out that there really is no benefit to having a pull list. ???
It’s a good comic shop, and I’m glad it’s there as there are not many comic shops around anymore. But in this digital age of easily accessible/​downloadable comics, I’m baffled at the lack of willingness to work with customers.
UPDATE: 5÷20…
Yes I was contacted by owner after first review. It seems that she misunderstood me, considering I collect Funko, and welcome the selection. I also still like her store and have recommended it.
The issue here is subscription service. Comics are easily available at my fingertips. As a weekly buyer, 10% just doesn’t do it. There are to many other outlets like
and
that make this choice easier and easier.
My problem is I still like supporting my local brick and mortar shops. So I still support them, even having extremely more viable options at hand. Im a weekly grab, not a Free Comic Book Day poacher.
All that said, it is a complete fallacy that a order book comes with your purchase of Diamond’s Previews catalog. Have asked twice, once since first experience. Shot down both times. Never was a issue at Brian’s Books.
My DCBS order is in at over $ 100+ shipped. for June. Saved $ 75. So enjoy that 10%.

Sadly, I am not a huge fan of this, shockingly, rather small comic book store.
It’s touted in the community as the «safe comic book store for women». That’s been 100% of the marketing I’ve heard. And as I woman, I thought why not check it out? I’d like a place where I wasn’t harassed while shopping.
Boy was I disappointed. This place is very small… no more than 3 people or so can get in an «isle» (more of a cubby) and there’s about 6 isles total. The organization of the comics are also by name of the comic, not by company (Ie, Batman would be in the B section, not DC then organized out from there). So finding something new is a little difficult. I know every comic book store has it’s own way of organization, but this seemed a little chaotic. I guess if you know exactly what you’re looking for, you won’t have a problem. I did find some comics (after a good 45 min of digging) that I’ve never seen before and they ended up turning out to be great! The price is actually quite reasonable.
I was going to pass off the experience as «okay» (I mean, it’s a standard comic shop…), however I had a little run in with other male customers. «Safe for women»? Yeah, no. True, this place is owned by a woman and they have a Safe Place poster on their window, but it is not. While looking for comics, I had 2 guys (who were not employees) come up and try to talk to me, mentioning that «it’s so rare to have a cute girl in here!». They wouldn’t leave me alone. Yes, I had a Wonder Woman comic. Yes, I liked comics… thank you for thinking I’m pretty… leave me alone! I don’t want to be harassed because I’m a girl! I don’t want to go to your stupid D&D thing! I ended up checking out and leaving. Seriously?! I get this crap in other places… I would think they would kick these type of jerks out…
I’m not sure if I’d come back, but at least they had a lot of cute Pop figures?

Illusive is a great location to find comics, figures, and board games. The staff is super friendly and will help you find any item or will order it for you. They also have a frequent buyer program for their board games. I highly recommend signing up for it if you are an avid board gamer. I especially like their selection of mystery minis and Funko Pop dolls. I collect them and find loads of them at Illusive.
Make sure you check out their Facebook page for updates on shipments and special signing events. There is always something cool going on at Illusive Comics.

Went here to get my comics professionally graded as they are a CGC submission spot. They handled everything with care and gave me a call when my comic books came back. I totally recommend coming here if you’re looking for comics, new or old and if you want to get your comics professional graded through CGC. It took about 3 months in case you were wondering.
A+ for customer service.

This is my favorite comic book shop to stop in. Every time I call, they almost always have the titles I want. In fact, I’ve purchased almost the entire Grant Morrison Batman arc just from them alone, which is incredible. The staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and they really celebrate community — in addition to hosting their game nights, they also do things like game nights on the holidays for those who don’t have other plans.
If you buy three full price trade titles, you get 10% off. I take advantage of this quite often =)
Support local!

Hosted my son’s 10^th birthday party here, and I couldn’t have been happier! I wanted a Magic the Gathering lesson/​playing party for my son and considered a few nearby places. This store had the best setup and friendliest staff, so I went with them.
Everything from the beginning to the end was done without frustration and worry. The owner Anna was great to provide me with all the answers I needed and gave me a reasonable price package. For 8 kids, we had a 2 hour party and a dedicated staff that taught and played games with the kids. I was able to bring the food and decorations, and they took care of the entertainment and take home goodies.
The dedicated party staff (Eric) was terrific with the kids and flexible to accommodate those who got bored of playing Magic. Board games were available and made everyone happy. The fun took a bit to get started due to instructions. However, once the kids were able to start touching and seeing the cards for themselves, the party got rolling. At the end, the kids were able to take home the decks they played with, as well as one kid’s age appropriate comic book each.
My son was so happy and remembered the staff as the man that laughed a lot. Thanks Eric, and thanks Anna and staff for making this my son’s best birthday party ever!

Calling all my fellow geeks! This is by far the best comic shop I’ve been to in a LONG time.
They have an extensive collection of ongoing series, tradebacks, and back issues. There is also a wide selection of board games and trading cards. The staff here are very knowledgeable, super friendly, and have awesome personalities!
There are weekly MTG Draft tournaments on Fridays and lessons for anyone who wants to learn too. Bonus points for being newbie friendly!
I can easily see how I’ll be sinking a lot of my free time and money here in the near future: P
TIP:
Check in for 75% off $ 1 comics!