Comic book enthusiasts in Eagle Rock say one of the neighborhood’s best-kept secrets is Comic VS Toys.

The small shop is just blocks from Eagle Rock city hall. For nearly two decades, the store has been giving customers not just comic books, but also a place where people — including a growing number of female customers — can simply can geek out and talk about their favorite superheroes.

Comics VS Toys employee Luis Lemus said comic book readers seem to be getting more diverse. “It’s great that there’s a diverse group of people who are interested in comic books. We have even little girls who come in the shop and buy comics,” he said.

About 81 percent of girls ages 12 to 17 read comics books and about 28 percent of women between ages 18 to 30 read comic books, according to an article by the Atlantic.

The owner Ace Aguilera, described how his Eagle Rock shop started: “I had heard that Another World comics [which was located next door] was going to close after 20-plus years in business. So I figured that Eagle Rock would need a comic book store to take its place.”

He also said his business has been successful for 14 years because of the customer service and comic book selection. “We try to give the best customer service possible and offer unique, hard-to-find collectibles in our inventory,” he said.

The store’s Ebay site even offers a very rare Marvel comic book, “Ultimate Fallout,” for about $400 dollars. Marvel reports that the book included the first appearance of Miles Morales, a popular version of Spider-Man.

For people who are afraid to admit that they love comics books or consider themselves geeks, Ace has these cryptic words: “I can only say this: You know nothing, Jon Snow.”

Community News reporters are enrolled in JOUR 3910 – University Times. They produce stories about under-covered neighborhoods and small cities on the Eastside and South Los Angeles. Please email feedback, corrections and story tips to [email protected].