Forbidden Planet - this is a bit of a love it or hate it kind of shop. If you like comics, sci-fi, cult tv and films etc, then this should be the perfect shop for you, and in fact, it must be the biggest geeky shop in the country. i've been coming here for 17 years off and on, and though I acquired a girlfriend at one point who refused to step inside the place as the sheer geeky overload terrified her, I guess i'll keep going until my comics vouchers expire.
It has a huge choice, and they relocated a couple of years ago from a cramped, dank shop round the corner to this brighter, cleaner store. so why three stars?
Staff - Tills are largely unmanned. Staff are generally of the surly, unhelpful variety, who all look like they're killing time between audtions to get on 'who's the biggest emo fan in the country'. I've nothing against how these guys look - but come on, it's a shop, help me buy your stuff!
Music - Instore music is of the 'emo/alt' variety - that's great for probably about 40% of the customers. Come on, try playing something else once in a while!
Prices - You can't argue with the prices of comics in here, as there's not a lot of give in new comics prices, so fair dos. But books/graphic novels, Cds, DVDs - if they can charge full whack they will. So a DVD boxed set that you might pay £20 for on amazon ends up being around £35 here, luncacy. Unless you have a deadline to buy 'crazy manga stuff vol 7' that day, get on the web.
The smell - I'm not sure if it's in the building, the staff and/or the customers, but some people here should learn to wash on at least a semi-regular basis and invest in some deodorant. surely being into sci-fi, comics, whatever doesn't preclude you from some decent personal hygiene!
Christ, maybe i should just give up comics? Might be easier....
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