A warning to all you ladies out there: if, after dragging your doting boyfriend around the retro…read moreshops of Park Street, you loving ask, 'is there anywhere you want to go?' you may just end up at Forbidden Planet. This comic book and sci-fi mega store is every boys dream and every girl's nightmare. Be prepared to lose several very important shopping hours here. Having said that, it's easy to admire the scale of the store and the quality of the goods they have to offer. Even I, a sci-fi phobic, enjoyed flicking through the comic books and eyeing up the DVDs. It's a great place to shop for presents for boyfriends, friends and little brothers. And, luckily for me, the shop assistants are so helpful so even the clueless can pick the perfect stocking filler.

Comic book nerds and geeks (or those that think Sci Fi is so square that it's hip) from all around…read morewill love forbidden planet. It's not the easiest place to find - it's on the less visited part of triangle, so a little away from the main shopping drag on Park Street, but definitely worth making the effort for. If you're not into comics too much yourself, this is definitely a brilliant place to grab an original gift for someone who is - there's endless amounts of memorabilia. The stuff here is pretty expensive though.

Staff were really friendly, it's a nice little shop and have a great variety off stock.read more

Geek alert whoop whoop. As an avid film fanboy, gamer, Graphic novel reader and figure collector,…read moreForbidden Planet is what we like to call 'home' in the loop. It specialises in comics, Graphic novels, film/tv/comic memorabilia and dvds. There's a lot of products crammed in to the small narrow shop and is hard to browse if your not sure what your looking for. However there is a lot of things in here your just not going to find elsewhere in Cardiff. Rare collectors items, figures etc are some of the things your not gong to find in your local Toys R Us etc. They will also get things in for you or help you find certain items if you cannot see them in store. The staff are always enthusiastic and ready to help in that sense.

Visited this comic book shop today after finding it online. The shop has a wide variety of pop…read moreculture items, action figures, graphic novels etc. Lots of comic books to browse through - mainly modern/current but still a selection of back issues to look through. You could easily spend a few hours here! The owner is very friendly and knowledgeable - will definitely be going back. Check it out if you're in the area and love anything to do with comics and comic book culture! 5*

I have been going to Ians for years for all my comic book needs. He has a very large selection of…read morecomics and can order in if there is something you want that isnt in stock. The shop itself is quite small but carefully arranged. It is in a good area, Albert Road has some of my favorite shops down it, and buses are near. Plus Ian is a real nice guy too.

A wonderfully friendly staff, full of knowledge of the history of comics. A wide selection of…read moregraphic novels and manga, tons of action figures, thousands of back issues... Comic Connections is the best comic shop I've visited.

Comic Connections is a treasure trove of finds for anyone interested in comics and sci- fi. Tucked…read moreaway on Parson's Street it has everything from comics to DVDs to collector's figures to games. There is a really well stocked second hand DVD section which is reasonably priced and has good quality, widely varied titles. The comics section is immense as the shop title suggests! With modern, widely available titles to more specific and rarer issues, covering everything from the commercial Spiderman, X-Men and Batman to lesser known horror comics of manga comics. Also carries a selection of more detailed graphic novels many of which have been turned into blockbuster films. A really nice little place to browse and find some real bargains.

I'm writing this review begrudgingly, as I want all of the albums at this brand new shop for…read moremyself. Hot Wax Records has yet to launch officially, so please excuse the austere interior and lack of stock in place (there's not even a sign up, but owner Dave is still trading). Offering a wide selection of 12-inch albums, DVDs, modern collectibles, posters and comics, Hot Wax is one of Cardiff's newest "music and more" shops and soon to become my favourite place to spend money. I stumbled upon this jewel in the alluvial deposit that is Cowbridge Road East just the other day. Oh, but the vinyl, the glorious vinyl, many of which comprise my "dream collection" and most are all priced less than a fiver. If I didn't have somewhere to be, I would have happily spent the entire afternoon here, digging for musical treasure. Please note the store is closed from 1-2 for lunch, and as of last week the card machine system is not in place so only cash is accepted. Won't deter me, though!

I really do like this shop, I'm personally not really into fantasy stuff but its good for people…read morewho actually do like fantasy things. They stock things like Sci-fi items to Manga and sell old comics and models. The prices are quite reasonable considering its an rare item or memoribilia. Great place to visit if your into fantasy things.

Amazing shop!! They do all the rare, old and new comics at decent prices. They do loads of film and…read moretv memoribilia. i love their nightmare before christmas stuff! They do figures, and posters, and all sorts. Its totally brilliant.

The Here Gallery is such an assuming little place. They are fully stocked with tonnes of inspiring…read morearty things; books, posters, wallpaper, stickers and lots more, that always makes me really smiley when I'm here. There is a gallery downstairs which exhibits interesting work, from local and international artists. They always welcome submissions for their consideration, and you can tell they are quite select with the work they choose, as the work shown always is quite spectacular. If you're a little down in the dumps or facing a mind block with your own artwork, this place will really help re-jig your mind.

Stokes Croft's got a few flowers poking through the grey concrete, the Here Shop is one of them. A…read moregallery and bookshop, they've got an often changing range of contemporary art. They do exhibitions by visiting artists, with pen drawings of slightly alien looking organic shapes (that description's ripped off their website) by a Yugoslav-American Yellena James currently on display. Whatever is being shown the gallery is always a warm and quiet respite from the traffic on Stokes Croft. The bookshop side of things is similarly left-field and varied. They have loads of children's books, as well as books on graffiti, manga, and an eclectic mix of other subjects. You really have to go along to get a proper sense of the sort of thing they have. It feels like one persons just taken their personal interests and made a shop around it. I like this about the shop, you get exposed to things you might not otherwise get exposed to. The Here shop is kookish and neat, a nice play to wonder round for half an hour or so.

I've lived in Bristol all my life and always enjoyed going in BOTL. Although it smells of mould and…read morehas had many of the same books on the shelves for years, the prices are very reasonable and there is a wide selection of material. The owner is always polite and helpful, which made it rather depressing to overhear him enjoying a tediously racist and homophobic conversation today with a friend at the front desk. Once they'd set the world to rights about the perils of representation in media of 'ethnic minorities' and gay people being able to live openly, they went in for trans folk. 'Middle aged men dressed as women' was the sneering phrase. As I paid for my copy of the NRSV Apocrypha, thanked the owner and wished both gentlemen a good day, I thought 'what a shame, I suppose they don't want my type or our money here'. In the interest of balance, I should repeat that this is a lovely little bookshop, and a Bristol classic. Perfect for those who have a soft spot for out-of-date and unloved items

Whenever I go to a second hand book shop, I am reminded of Helen Hanff's philosophy in 84 Charing…read moreCross Road. She believed it was selfish to keep hold of books that you'd read and were unlikely to read again. You were better to pass them on to friends or give them to shops like Beware of the Leopard. So whenever I look through the crates and crates of books I think how fantastic it is people have paid their books forward. It's worth taking your time to search every nook and cranny of this shop to find the hidden gems. Because there's a complete mix of genres in Beware of the Leopard, I love going iin with an open mind and coming out with something completely unexpected. Beware of the Leopard is spread over two sheltered units so don't miss out by forgetting to pop across the walkway.

Topping & Co is pretty much the ideal bookshop for this new frame of mind. Set in a beautiful…read moreformer Quaker meeting house, just round the corner from Bath Abbey. it is literally the stuff of book-lovers' dreams. Gorgeous shelf ladders, carefully curated displays, and a really friendly atmosphere, coupled with a quirky building and fabulous views. There's a wonderful gallery/walkway and a huge basement, so the whole place is surprisingly big. We visited just after Christmas, which only added to its charm. Topping and Company Booksellers, in the beautiful and quintessentially English city of Bath, have many different incarnations. We bought one book, had a cup of coffee, did chit chat with the owner/staff, and then proceeded to the other stop

The most adorable bookstore. I wish I had more time to browse before returning to my tour bus. Only…read moredownside is that it is a little bit cramped at times.