Secret Headquarters

Cool store. Chris behind the counter was really nice and easy to talk to. Small but respectable collection of new titles with a great selection of graphic novels.

Cute little independent bookstore. Interesting selection. I wish they had more diy zines, but did get 1 comic zine from a local artist and 1 beautiful comic zine with silver ink on black paper made by a Japanese noise core artist so I am a happy clam

Mid sized shop with a great selection of new comics and classics. The staff was quite friendly and had nothing but positive vibes. My girlfriend found a witty comic called “I Moved to Los Angeles to Work in Animation”, which looked to be an animators illustrated journey from her hometown of Portland to LA to make it in the animation industry. I scooped that and the latest volume of Paper Girls. When I went to make my purchase the girl at the register offered a bag which I almost passed on. She tempted me with the promise of it being a pretty cool one so I said “okay I will take the bag please!” She even threw in some custom SHQ coasters and the bag did indeed have a cool cartoon graphic on the front. Overall I was happy with my experience and purchases. 4 days later I’m home putting my recently purchased comics away and I just realized that the printed graphic has caricatures of the shop owners printed on the bag! How cool is that!

Great comic shop, what it lacks in size it makes up for in quality. Friendly staff, quite knowledgeable on their selection. Selection is decidedly towards the indie and vintage, some mainstream books are available.

This place is great. The staff is very friendly and are always willing to make a recommendation if you're just looking around. If there's something they don't have in stock you can always order it through them and it comes pretty quick and they send you an email when it's ready to pickup. I don't track release dates too closely or in one case, I was unaware that a book I like was actually cancelled. The guys at SHQ told me I could get the rest of story by getting the trade paperback. I would've never known that existed without them. If your name is Dave they will ask you to sign the "Dave book". This always makes me chuckle every time I go there. They don't just sell comic books and graphic novels - they also have a great zine section and have some cool merch. I still get compliments on the mask that I bought there at the beginning of the pandemic (pictured).

new favorite place✨ lovely chat with patrick behind the counter! many local artists featured in the shop :)

Fantastic layout. Comics have their own cubbies, clean and easy to browse. Lots of titles available, tons of indie and small publisher options.

Sucks. Years ago when this store was in silver lake they had it all now they only have a few selections not even the main stories or side stories just sucks. Never again

This little comics and zine store is packed with goodies and extremely well-organized. Near a variety of gift shops, restaurants and media marts, Secret Headquarters is a cool little den of comics fun. Their selection is very comprehensive: ranging from Western superhero comics, to alt comics to manga horror. The store is very clearly divided, so the monthly comics are stored on one wall and the trade paperbacks and hardcover editions in the rest. I really enjoyed the minimalistic design: the white walls emphasize the colorful volumes much like a gallery space would its artwork. The clerk on duty was pleasant and helpful as several people came and went in the short time I was there. Comics are typically priced by publisher, so it's unlikely you would be surprised by the price of any of the inventory. Will definitely return.

The selection of comics here leaves a lot to be desired. Overall, it is not an inviting environment and I won't be shopping there in the future.

A very well curated selection of comic books and manga. Very sharp and smart inventory. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly. Always a joy to visit.

Gem of a comic store. Love the selection of zines and independent comics. Staff are great and their recommendations are always winners.

I used to be a client of The Secret Headquarters comic shop, every time I went there I noticed how I was never greeted by anybody working there but they did greet all the white clients, their Yelp was full of reviews of Hispanic people stating the same thing, there's still some reviews left of non-whites saying the same thing but they did delete the majority of them. I kept going to support the comics, one day when I finally printed my first book I went there and showed a copy to the owner Dave (WS haircut guy), he asked to bring some copies over, said he would put them in the shelves, so I went and dropped off five copies, next thing you know, everyday after I dropped those copies I went there to take pictures of the comix in the shelves and they were still at Dave's desk, they never put them on the shelves. A couple of weeks went by and they were still at the same spot on the desk. After the second week I got an email from Dave telling me that the comics never sold, he lied and said they had put them on the shelves (but they never did) & told me to go pick them up. Look, I read their Yelp reviews a million times, got treated like dirt as a client a lot, but to get that treatment as a long time client+local comic book creator? I'm sorry but I can't help but think these people are white supremacists. They're not interested in lifting Latino voices or even hiring anyone who isn't white, in a city where Hispanics are the majority. If you care about real diversity don't give these white supremacists any money. I included pictures of reviews of other "unwelcomed" people plus a screenshot of a quick Google search that shows how they deleted the other reviews of mostly Hispanic people from the old neighborhood.

Wonderful selection of rad zines, comics, t-shirts, manga, and random trinkets. Don't listen to the Lame-O who is lying about this place being racist he's just a bitter person who couldn't sell his art. Prices were great and the staff was friendly. I'll definitely come back here again. All I needed was a coffee.

Really excellent comic book store. Not sure there's a better one in the LA area. Nice selection, helpful and friendly employees, and honest answers about content. You cannot go wrong with this place. The decor is impeccable and they may have the best hand painted sign in Los Angeles. I certainly haven't seen a better one! I also love their sense of humor. Poking fun at the parking?!? Priceless!

I've been going to Secret Headquarters since I moved to LA in 2015. One of the best comic book shops I've been to they have a great selection and anything not on the shelves can be ordered. The staff is incredibly helpful and kind and make you feel valued. I love this place.

My son was in heaven! Such a classy and well put together comic book store. I don't know much about comic book stores but my son was mesmerized. The guys were super friendly and my son keeps asking when we can go back. It's just a few hours away from us so we might have to go back soon.

Awesome comic book store and excellent addition to the Atwater community. They have an excellent selection and the people who work here aren't just knowledgeable, but clearly passionate about comic books.

Selection leaves a bit to be desired as the store is very small. Don't know if they're planning on getting a bigger sign for their Atwater shop as the storefront is extremely subtle in how it fits in so it is rather easy to miss. But it a pretty cool atmosphere regardless of their limited selection.

Pretty cool little spot! They have a small but great selection of finds. The staff is pretty chill and they recommend some pretty good stuff. Extra points for having all the Doctor Doom inspired merch at checkout.

Cool fun nerd shop for this proud nerd. Lots of cool comic books and collectibles. Very knowledgeable and friendly staff. Makes a great place to peruse and bring back memories of being a kid dreaming of superheroes. Good stuff for the neighborhood.

"I'm so tired of the Black Eyed Peas. It's rock and roll for people who don't like rock and roll. It's rap for people who don't like rap. It's pop for people who don't like pop." - Robert California I kept circling back to this quote from The Office when trying to sum up my feelings on The Secret Headquarters. They bill themselves as a comic shop and an apparel shop but their comic selection leaves much to be desired and almost zero selection of back issues and their clothing is... maybe 5 graphic tees? Remember graphic tees?? The one edge that TSH has is on the zine shelf. Zines are an important cultural touchstone and it's refreshing to see a shop committed to putting zines on shelves and getting them out into a community. Fortunately, there are other shops in the area that stock indie zines and so I can't really recommend this place just for the zines, alone. TLDR: nobody should be bored in a comic book shop so do yourself a favor and find another one.

This comic shop has books I haven't been able to find at most other shops, and they have several zines as well! It's not the biggest collection, but it's one of good taste.

I loved this place so much! It was literally a DREAM to get a chance to visit. Everyone on the staff was extremely friendly and helpful, can't wait to go back with my husband! 33.806843, -117.917823

Secret Headquarters is a fun, old comic store with some great finds. They sell all the comic classics and then some. Highlights were the comic zines in the front for just a few bucks. They sell a basketball zine that is hilarious!

I'm a voice actress and part of my homework was to find comic books with a hero, villain, & a monster. Simple enough, right? I'm more of an online manga girl than a comic person, and i also didn't want to spend too much money. The staff were very friendly and welcoming. I let them know what i needed, and lucky me! They had a sale where you get 10 random comic books in a package for $4!! Perfect for me! They had a good selection from DC to Marvel and more...they even had manga! I was able to get what i need from here and i hope you do too!

Not a very big place but the selection was ok. The way they have their boxes of comics positioned in tight aisles was not convenient to look at. Lastly, the employees seemed non existent and not willing to ask if I need assistance as I continued to struggle to look at comics inconveniently. Increase space in a new location and train the employees on customer service is recommended. Unfortunately, I will not return.

Great spot! I didn't go in looking for anything in particular, just wanted to stop buy a comic shop and was not disappointed. The staff is super friendly. I love their collection of indie books and their pins and patches are great! Walked out with a few things I didn't know I needed to add to my collection. Will be going back!

Just a truly special place. The team at SHQ has curated not just an incredible variety of books, but a spot where anyone can walk in and feel a unique sense of welcome. I'm a weekly subscriber and my trip to pick up my new books from the shop is definitely the highlight of my week! Some of the best comics I'm reading are recommendations from Julie!

Cozy comic shop. Loved the display that leaned indie. And not just established indie publishers, but literally independent creators whose comic is the only one under their personally owned publishing. (Support starving artists! Especially if you love this medium.) They of course have a full wall of current, so don't think it's too tight a niche. Really helpful employees. It's a great shop.

Really cool comic shop. Really friendly staff. They have a unique selection of comics I can't find elsewhere in their back corner.

What can I say about this place? It's wonderful! I walked in on a whim and left with a new comic that I'd been on the fence about. The 2 staff members who helped me were enthusiastic about helping to find something new to read. They helped me narrow down my pick and also let me know when some other interesting titles would be back in stock. The store is clean, well organized, and a great locally owned store (they've been around since 1982) and I can't wait to go back and check out some new finds.

Ok I had the BEST experience here. I went in and had to bring my girlfriend here. There was a younger person with pinkish hair that helped us find a super cute and gay comic book called On a Sunbeam. We can't wait to read it! It was very refreshing to have a friendly queer interaction!

Great name as far as names for comic book shops go. It was rather small but fairly organized. The service was meh. One young woman was kind but the older man, who I can only assume to be the owner, was a bit rude. Talked with me but barely acknowledged me. I walked a few blocks and found a nice coffee spot to sit down at after but other than that, there doesn't seem to be much else in the area, so if you're looking for a regular spot to go to... I'd suggest checking out others that are friendlier and even bigger.

Great pins, comics I haven't seen before, signed zines and very friendly and seemingly Mind-reading staff. Great experience.

I don't know much about comic books or any of that but I came in here with my boyfriend on a Saturday afternoon and the guy (wish I remembered his name) working had exceptional customer service and was really knowledgeable about comics and recommended a few issues. The place itself is small but with a large selection. You can also ask if they have anything else in the back that's different than what's out on the floor and they'll gladly look. Parking is not good. But I don't blame them for that because LA parking is never good in general.

Love this spot! They give the best recommendations. Cool looking gift cards too! A great selection of indie comics and zines in addition to the more standard comics.

A great little gem in the middle of silverlake. Love this place. Great vibe and staff. One of my favorite places for graphic novels. Highly recommended.

I'm a very very casual comic book reader, but having worked in a store that sold comics for 8 years, I know a good place when I see it. Secret Headquarters is one of those, with a great mix of major and indie publishers. One of my biggest impressions came from the look of the store. Someone who works here has a really good eye for organization. The fixtures on the right wall (for new release comics) look so sharp and keep the comics perfectly straight and neat. Then the tables in the center of the store help highlight a lot of the indie comics that might otherwise fall under the radar. If you're looking for a comic shop in this part of the city, definitely check out Secret Headquarters.

DISCLAIMER: I know very little about comics. I was here at the launch party for my buddy's new book. I had heard about how this place was like a godsend for comics-lovers and even when I was living in Silver Lake, I shamefully never ventured south of the gelato place when I was on this block (in fact, I almost never ventured past Rincon Salvadoreno... which is apparently gone now and replaced by something called berlincurrywurst). Walking to the party tonight, I pictured a sort of brightly-lit mini-Best Buy but filled with comics instead of manhandled electronics and guys with blue polo shirts and too much hair gel. Well... that is not what Secret Headquarters is like. It's like this: you ever seen "You've Got Mail" with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks? Remember the bookstore Meg Ryan owned (I think)? Remember thinking, lolz look how gorgeous that place is. No such bookstore exists IRL!! NO IT EXISTS. Except that instead of kid's books (or whatever that fictional bookstore was stuffed with) it's stocked with a beautiful collection of comic books, all carefully set about the small but artful and wonderfully lit space and organized in dark wood shelves and tables, some by author, some by release date, some because they're being featured or whatever. And instead of Meg Ryan, there's a cool girl with glasses who will drop all sorts of comics-related knowledge on you (she didn't do it to me, cause I didn't have enough comics knowledge to say anything to her except "yes, I'd like a receipt please"... but I overheard her). The reason I am giving this place five stars even though I'm not a comics guy is NOT simply because my friend was having his launch party here and I bought his book. It's because the sheer love, pride and care that exudes from these shelves hit me in the damn face the moment I walked in here and didn't stop hitting me until they closed and I had to leave. This is how cool Secret Headquarters is: I almost wanted to get into comics just so there could be a place like this for me.

I love coming here. It may not have a large selection of comics as other stores, but I find it charming. I did find it funny on one occasion that one of the cashiers asked me if I wanted a receipt with my purchase. I was taken back by his question that I simply looked at him and replied, "Of course!" I found it amusing since I thought providing a receipt for purchases is a standard business practice. However, he thought I was rude. I quickly apologized for my remark after realizing that I offended him. I guess it was a lessen for both of us that day. But needless to say, I do like coming here. Rock on Secret Headquarters.

Super friendly and attentive, but I'm a novice and feel as though I got taken advantage of. I was looking for a gift and asked for some recommendations based on what I knew the giftee already had in his collection. They recommended a book that I later found out was nothing at all like the books I had presented to them. It turns out that the book they suggested was written by someone who worked at the store(and this was not disclosed to me). I'm happy to support local writers, but not like this. I (and my collector) won't be back.

Looking for your indie fix? Check out Secret Headquarters. A small but cosy store on the boulevard of Sunset. A shop that looks and feels more like a living room. I a good way. This one is a pure comic/graphic novel shop. Of course you can find the Marvel, DC, Image etc stuff, but that's not why you visit the Headquarters. You'll pop in because of the large selection of indies, books that even a die-hard comic book fan has not seen before. The service is fine. Nothing special, but good anyway.

My family LOVES this place. It has an amazing selection of comics, extremely knowledgeable & helpful staff (hi Julie!), a great owner (hi Dave!) and wonderful events where we get to meet the writers/artists in person! Seriously, this store is a huge reason why Silverlake is so magical. We also love that they're longtime supporters of our local public elementary school, Micheltorena. We're fans for life!

This store is incredible, my daughter was more excited to go here than she was to Disneyland, not exaggerating! There's a wide variety of indie comics, and on our last visit I got to introduce her to zines. I wish there was a Secret Headquarters in our town!

I came to write my appreciation to the delightful & welcoming girl at the store on last Saturday afternoon. It was my first time visiting comic book store, buying gift for my friend's son, the girl in the store seemed to know inside & out, and recommended the perfect copies. He flipping loved them (even his dad). I now know where to go for guys gift buying.

Was really excited about one of their art shows, but found out the owners cherry picked the two best pieces before they were offered for sale -- and then they lied about it saying they had commissioned the pieces, but I contacted the artist and he said he only found out they had been sold when he showed up to the opening. So if you're a collector, don't line up -- and why support them at all? Go to Meltdown instead. [re: owner response:] No confusion David, I'm talking about SH.

This spot is excellent. I've found such great gifts for my comic-lovin' husband and my toddler, too. Staff is engaged and helpful, product is well-merchandised and easy to sift through, and the surrounding area has great stores if you want to make a shopping day of it!

I can't say enough good things about this neighborhood purveyor of the finest graphic literature. The small shop's selection of comic books, art books and graphic novels may not be the largest, but it is carefully edited with a keen eye, offering all the most notable titles, alongside some small independent press gems and even hard to find European titles in their original languages. There always seems to be "just one more thing" I want to pick up while there and the shop has become the nexus point for many of the local illustrators and artists living around the area. The owners are always helpful with offering insight and selections, without any of the geek cred attitude, whether you're a seasoned comic book collector or a newbie just looking for something new. It's the epitome of a great neighborhood shop. Oh, and I nearly forgot...the shop sells the best self-made t-shirts. Nerdtastically collectible.

I'm very, very jealous of those who get to call Secret HQ their personal comic HQ...and I really shouldn't complain, since I live in indy comic land. But this store is hot, baby. Hot layout/decor. Hot inventory. Hot tips from the enthusiastic, helpful staff. The best indy bookstores and comic shops are like museums in that they must "curate" their offerings - they are looking for quality and aren't trying to offer only the most popular titles out there to make a buck. You get a sense of the owner and staff from the body of work they cultivate. To that end, Secret Headquarters will hep even the most neophyte comic reader to the best comics have to offer, whether indy or major imprint. If you are into comics or like quirky indy bookstores, you will find this spot worth your while. Definitely worth seeking out! 8/30

Coming from a long line of comic book writers/publishers, I've been to my fair share of comic book stores. Secret Headquarters not only takes the cake for having the coolest, most nerdgasmic name, but gives comic books a surprising touch of class. Beautifully decorated with nice, light wood flooring and the big windows in front flood the store with great, natural reading light. I love the leather reading chairs. The staff is super friendly too. I've never really seen a comic store like it. There's no sense of claustrophobia. It's just clean. Don't get me wrong, I'll always have a place in my heart for comic stores underneath dusty churches with veritable towers of disorganized graphic delights. However, it's sort of refreshing when you request a title and they can walk you directly to it. 2 of the biggest stand outs: A proud display of EC Comic reprints and A FANTASTIC selection of indie comics. Definitely worth a look-see.

I've been coming here every day for the last month and discretely pulling one hardcover off their book case in hopes that a secret passage opened up. I even tried to see if there was a button in the lamp on the desk. No luck. Don't worry Secret Headquarters, I'll find out your inner workings and get to the hall of nerdom you must be hiding! The term Graphic Novel was coined because it was tough to sell anyone over 30 on reading a comic book. Who takes this form seriously? Other than those dorky nerds who typically live in the basement of their parents, wear one too many green lantern shirts, know too much about Batman's shameful secrets and have more issues than any long box can hold. So how could you bring in new readers to a medium that was for so long type casted as something only for kids and losers? Call it Graphic Novels. This comic shop is the graphic novel of comic shops. You're not going to feel like a nerd coming in here. Hell, you'd bust out a cigar if you had one and light it up as you sit in the easy chair and relax if it didn't ruin the condition of all those lovely comics. This is the perfect comic shop for all of you who are afraid to be seen in a comic shop. You know who you are. You're wearing a hat and trench coat trying to hide yourself from the world as if you're stepping into a sex shop for your latest fix of Iron Man. Don't be afraid, my man. Comics are the latest hipness. Geek is the new chic. Show the world you're man enough to enjoy the latest adventures of whatever you're reading. Or be totally pretentious (You are in silver lake, aren't you?) and pick up the latest independent titles. Their selection of the smaller print, non mainstream comics is pretty vast and will be able to fill your long after sought title needs. Their selection of hardcovers and trade paper backs is huge. It's organized in the best method I have seen any comic shop do it, by company, by popular writer/artist and they have had everything I've ever looked for. And if you're keeping up with your funny books on a weekly or monthly basis, new titles are organized on the wall nice looking wood cubbies. So it doesn't look completely out of place and you can get yourself some issues of the week. My only grip is that it seems that most Hardcover books are out of their shrink wrap on the book shelf. It's great for those who aren't familiar with the book and want to flip through a couple of pages to see if they want to buy it. But for someone who knows what they want, I'd rather have my copy of JMS' Thor not thumbed through as if this was a library, thank you kindly. That and the new wooden shelf they have near the register. I did like the roomy space they had before they added that to the place. So come here and slowly embrace your inner nerd. Soon you'll be wearing comic shirts and talking about who can beat up who if they were to fight. I mean, you're already reading this on the internet, I am but a shadowy reflection of you. It would take only a nudge to make you like me.. that nudge is Secret Headquarters.

Gave it the fair shake, but outside of independent zines -- we're talking handmade photocopied ones with covers made from cereal box cardboard and held together with masking tape for $5 (the one I had in mind was called "Judas Don't Play That") -- there's nothing remarkably special. Sure, the ambiance is the antithesis of your standard comic shop -- wood floors and shelves, turn-of-the-century-looking fixtures and labels, taxidermied animals, natural light -- but it also has no back issues, no bins, boxes, bags, boards, or vintage comics. No toys, no statues, no posters, no cards, nothing your run-of-the-mill geek might be in the market for. It looks like Villains Tavern opened a comic book reading room, which is pretty much what it was for all the hipster clientele. In the 15 minutes I spent walking around, checking out the product, multiple sets of people came in, unacknowledged by the two kids behind the register, flipped through a few comics, set them down, and left. Other than the zines mentioned above, Secret Headquarters deals almost exclusively in new graphic novels and new comic releases. Granted, it seems like they pride themselves on carrying indie comics, but you could get this stuff at Meltdown (further down Sunset) or just about any other shop. On top of that nothing is marked down; you're paying full retail price. I just don't see a real benefit in coming here for anything unless this is your local source for the latest issue of an X-Men spin-off.

I loved the trendy boutique look of this small comic book store but the two ladies who work here were not friendly at all. Being Silver Lake, it had a cool vibe to it and the best looking comic book store space I've seen. I loved the indie music they were playing at the time of visit which made for a pleasurable comic book browsing experience. There was a section of indie comics and graphic novels which was interesting. It's a trendy small comic book store that is neat and well organized. I didn't like the lousy hipsters who work here who need to lose the "I'm cooler than you" attitude. Minus one star for the people who work here. Five stars for the shop and selection itself.

The first time I entered the Secret Headquarters I felt a bit nervous. I am not a comic book guy, never was. I didn't grow up reading Spiderman. I didn't grasp the significance of "Superman dying". The X-Men was a cartoon that was on after school, nothing more. (Remember that cartoon? Man, was it excellent.) So, what was I to do here? I'm not a comic book man, and here I am, a man who erroneously strolled into a store I have no comprehension of. Well, it may look like the review would end there, one star, "ambiance was nice", but no sir. Five stars, all the way. All because I reached out and picked up a book by Jeffrey Brown, a comic about cats entitled "Cat Getting Out of a Bag". Now, one could argue that that isn't a fair review, "because you liked a book, you gave the establishment a good review, lol??" , and this could be a good argument, but the fact of the matter is I am not a comic book guy, but this place intrigued me enough to walk in and pick up a book. There is really something to say about this store. It is like no other. At first, as mentioned, I felt a bit uncomfortable, but soon you feel right at home - which is fully intentional, what with the leather chair in the front of the store and the overall 'home feel" it has - and the awkwardness dissipates. Then you pick up a book. Then you find out what you missed when you were a youth. May I recommend something? Anything Jeffery Brown (see above cat comic and Clumsy) and Julia Wertz (Fart Party - I'd marry her if I had a chance). Funny, original, personal, beautiful. But I know, this is NOT about the books... Anyway, the owner is super nice. The space is located conveniently (where else) on the Sunset Junction strip of Silver Lake, so if you are in the neighborhood, come on by and check it out. You may just become like me: wasting his Sundays reading graphic novels. And Saturdays. And sneaking the books at work. Oh man, what have I become...

For a place that specializes in $3.00-$20.00 merchandise, SHQ has probably the best customer service in LA. The co-owner with the entertaining facial hair will ask you what you're into, what you're looking for, and pick out about 5 different things for you to look at, which is a great way to find new comics/artists/writers and blow a lot of money (those $5 increments add up). Everyone else I've met who works there has been slightly less helpful, but no less nice. Ask about the pull service if you're a big serials junkie or need to have every Acme Novelty Library product the day it comes out. They also have frequent art openings, which are a nice/dorky way to start a Friday night. Incidentally the decor of this place is great, very league of extraordinary gentlemen/Edwardian Reading Room. They won't let you light a pipe in the store, but they may let you sit in one of the armchairs with a brandy snifter if you ask.

I ventured away from my local comic book shop to experience the "AMAZING" Secret Headquarters. Well, I walk in and my initial impression was that it was a "cute and cozy" place but the selection was HORRIBLE! I came in with a list of 6 or 7 books that I wanted and they didn't have a single one. The sole employee was nice for the most part, except that he wasn't very engaging. When they had nothing on my wishlist, I asked for recommendations and he didn't help me out at all. The customers were horrible too! Snobby little Hipsters who sucked any life out of the place. Bottom Line: If you don't like the exclusivity of Hipster hangouts.....AVOID THIS PLACE!! But if you want to crank your "Freelance Whales" or your "Bon Iver" to full volume while rocking your ironic mustache....then this is your place!