Inside one of the most well-known comic-book stores in Australia
In high school, George Vlastaras started a mail-order business trading comic books as a way to make extra pocket money to buy more comics.
The then-15-year-old’s side hustle was the start of a bright career, and the beginning of Kings Comics, one of the most well-known comic book stores in Australia.
“He started reading comics when he was a child,” says his wife, Christine. “He grew up in the small country town of Scone and the only place he could buy comics was a newsagent. He absolutely loved Batman, Donald Duck, Scrooge.
“He is actually a civil engineer but he wanted to sell comics.”
Vlastaras opened his first comic-book store on Elizabeth Street in Sydney in 1986. It was underground and out of the way. “If you didn’t know we were there, you wouldn’t see us,” Christine says. But it was a success, winning over the hearts of comic collectors.
Kings Comics went on to open stores on Pitt Street, George Street and in the former Fox Studios before it opened its current premises on Clarence Street, opposite Town Hall station.
The Clarence Street shop covers two levels. An impending life-size Hulk greets visitors at the door, towering over a staircase that splits the two-level premises. The top floor houses new releases while the lower level showcases collectors’ items in eight custom-made glass counters.
“The bottom level we made a vintage feel. It’s more of an area where you’ll find high-end collectibles, like a coin worth $20,000.”
Or perhaps a mint-condition Incredible Hulk No. 181 comic, in which Wolverine makes his first appearance, retailing for a cool $50,000.
During the 37 years of the business, the comic-book industry has undergone enormous transformation and evolution, with the shop’s offerings growing to encompass toys, coins and merchandise.
“It’s evolved a thousand-fold,” Christine says. “During the ’90s, we had the trade card boom. We were probably credited for bringing basketball cards to Australia.”
Films, in particular the Marvel movies, have had a huge influence on the sector in recent years, and thrust comic characters into the mainstream, she says.
“There’s a lot more readers coming into the store rather than just the collector market.”
There’s been a noticeable shift in demographic too. “It used to be mostly male; now it’s probably 50/50.”
And there have been countless lessons throughout the decades of leasing commercial properties in central Sydney locations.
Kings Comics had secured a high-profile shop with impressive foot traffic. “But we found that we’re a destination store. That store was chock-a-block all day every day but everyone was browsing, not buying.”
The effects of the pandemic continue to impact the business, with fewer people working in the CBD.
“Ever since COVID, store traffic has decreased significantly.”
Retailers in Australia’s CBDs have felt the loss of browsing lunch-time office workers. However, the weekends remain busy, with tourists, first-time visitors, families and collectors spilling into the store.
CBRE national director of retail leasing Leif Olson says foot traffic has been “steadily improving” but is not yet back to pre-pandemic levels.
Olson says the way people are utilising the Sydney CBD has changed.
“If you look back 10 years, CBD shops replicated those found in local shopping centres,” he says. “Fast forward to 2023, we have seen true global flagship stores opening, from luxury brands to car showrooms to world-class [food and beverage].
“That’s what sets the CBD apart and why it will continue to thrive offering consumers a very different offering.
“Brands are also looking to cement their presence in the city with flagship locations, offering a full range of product often over a much larger footprint that a standard store.”
