Forbidden Planet

I love this shop being one for gaming and super heroes.
i would have a lot of figures if i had the space but my
tomb raider collection as taken over the only space i have.
popped in here to see if i could order the lastest lara croft
pre order statue but was told its only avaliable from their site
so will order from there as they have a huge
selection on the web but limited in the shop,
also went for a thor mug as i had seen it on the web
but wasnot in the shop which was dissappointing
as it should of been avaliable unless they sold out.
They didnot have what i wanted but enjoyed looking at the figures
and books and will pop in again to see if stock as changed
but it looks like most of there items are only avaliable from
there web site which i suppose is ok but some times you
would like to see before you buy especially if its going
to cost a arm and a leg like mine is.

Comic books, graphic novels, action figures, posters, t-​shirts, caps, accessories, calendars… Basically everything, if you are in Manchester you HAVE to visit this shop. Everything is superhero related, or game related or TV show related, like I said everything, if you walk into this shop you will definitely buy something. BEST SHOP IN MANCHESTER

I wish I was a gazillionaire. I’d most likely have an entire wing of my sprawling mansion dedicated to geekery.
Alas, that’s never going to happen, so instead I’m happy to slowly peruse the shelves upon shelves of graphic novels, books, manga, action figures, toys, merchandise, t-​shirts and accessories — on two floors! I didn’t realise there was a basement level until I was almost about to leave.
The stock appears to be organised by genre rather than type, so for example all the action figures aren’t together as you might expect. Once you’ve circumnavigated the entire shop though you’ll quickly get your bearings.
They had an aisle almost entirely devoted to Funko ‘Pop!’ — those cute, big-​headed figures of everyone and everything from Batman to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to Walter White.
This place is most definitely worth a visit, but be mindful that the prices could well be at a premium — I was intending to add to my collection of The Walking Dead graphic novels but was disappointed to find them at 2.5x the price online. I’d love to buy from here but I just couldn’t justify the overspend. I also thought they were an independent but it seems they have numerous shops across the country, so their economies of scale would be larger (and therefore prices could be more reasonable).

If you like Comics, this place is a pure heaven for you: upstairs are a variety of figurines and goodies of your favourite cartoons, you’ll want to buy everything. Downstairs are a huge amount of comics (I dare you to leave the place without buying anything) including weekly one. You’ ll also find some classic mangas and cloths. It is possible to stay there the whole afternoon just dreaming about avengers and the X men. It you’ve never tried comics, go for it, let’s give it a try!

Why has it taken me so long to step foot into this dreamworld?
On the quest for something a bit different for upcoming Christmas and birthday celebrations, I’ve started doing my research into what’s out there; and, as Forbidden Planet show, there’s a whole flipping lot.
It feels a touch like organised chaos — walk further than the door and you’ll quickly get your bearings, with items upstairs (time restrictions meant I didn’t explore the basement area) organised by type and source. My favourite area was seeing all the different versions of board games that have been produced; Desolation of Smaug Risk? Yes please!
Although I didn’t buy anything on this occasion, I’ll be back… and this time, I’ll try not to get overwhelmed by all the ‘things’ I want and try to concentrate on present buying.

The 10 year old me would have killed for 2 mins in Forbidden Planet, the 20 year old me would drag my long suffering girlfriend around Forbidden Planet for hours on end, where as the 30 year old me likes the occasional wander around it. But as with all aspects of my shopping, food and drink over the years I have become overly pretentious (to the point of personal disdain) in seeking out independent and unique shops as opposed to getting my buzz from the mainstream offerings.
I have to say that Forbidden Planet is cool; with it stocking a great selection of action figures upstairs, a huge basement with more on offer plus all the latest release comic books and graphic novels. But everything is for the now with very few back issues kept, classic action figures such as Marvel Legends not to be seen and everything about the here and now.
They do what they do well, but give me an independent comic book store any day of the week for a bit of nostalgia flicking through the back issue covers, the possibility of picking up that rare TMNT/​Star Trek crossover action figure and even listening to some great indie tunes while I’m at it. Mariah Carey was playing yesterday — WTF?

The largest comic book shop I have been into in the north west. It is always full of customers and the staff are extremely friendly and helpful to your needs.
Upstairs is all merchandise ranging from sci fi and series books, such as Star Wars and star trek red, to action figures from Star Wars to predator and everything else in between. Whereas downstairs is where you will find all your comic book needs as well as graphic novels and manga.
I have always had an exceptional shopping experience in this store and go every 2 weeks for my comic books. I could get them online and delivered but I love the service and the geeking out experience that I travel to this store at least every 2 weeks.
I highly recommend this store to anybody needing comic books or manga or any her collectables in sci fi and he comic book universes.

For a film geek like myself this place is awesome not just for buying figures, books and toys for your favourite films and TV shows but just looking at them gets you excited! Honestly I could spend a fortune in here and not feel bad about it the staff are friendly and helpful too. There’s so much in here too much to list but if your interested in anything film, TV or comic related you won’t be dissapointed in this place. One minor gripe I have is the heat if it’s summer or an unusual warm winter day this place gets so hot inside like a furnace! Do not know why but it does. I hope it forever remains a staple in Manchester so will continue to support it.

It’s Mrs Zombi’s Birthday later this month, so whilst there is money in the bank I figured a trip into the Centre was on the cards this morning.
My first port of call was Forbidden Planet because it was there, and because I haven’t been in for quite a while.
I’m not a Comic reader, although i did go through a phase of buying Hellblazer in the early to mid 90’s, and i’m not sure why. I started buying it for no reason, and stopped for no reason… odd.
I do however have a few friends who are avid comic collectors. Two in particulal, one who is a self confessed Geek/​Nerd and is proud to classed as such, and the other who would hit you with his Star Wars 1977 Light Sabre (still boxed) if you mention the N or G word to describe him.
I however am a proud NerdyGeeky Boy when it comes to Action figures, in fact as i sit here in Zombi Towers typing this into my phone, all i need do is lift my eyes and i can spy four different Jason Voorheese figures and eight Zombie figures spread out along the fire place and bookcase. Also dotted around the place are a lot of Todd Mcfarlane Movie Maniac figures from the 90’s.
It is all thanks to Forbidden Planet that i have such cool/​odd/​weird ornaments around the place. The weird thing is i haven’t been downstairs in there for ages! Who knows what i might be missing out on?
I think that if you are in the vicinity you should pop in, even if you’re not a fanboy/​girl, you never know you just may become one… JOIN US!!!
Oh, and i also got a pressie for Mrs Z whilst i was in there too! And like all good pressie buyers i made sure that it would look great on the fireplace :)

Let me make one thing clear before I even start bleating on with my thoughts about this shop: I don’t buy comics or graphic novels.
Feel free to ignore me now (despite the fact that this will be a positive review).
Everyone will have no doubted pointed out that this place is frequented by geeks or whatever, which is kinda true… but really, its just a shop full of stuff that is bought by people who aren’t deemed very cool by the kind of idiot who sneers at anyone who reads absolutely anything in print.
Anyway, away from all that, what is Forbidden Planet like? Well, it is filled with comic books and graphic novel (as mentioned) as well as all the paraphernalia you could ever hope for.
Even if you’re no expert in the differences between DC, Marvel and Manga, there’s still loads of cool figures, toys and figurines to gawp at ranging from ace Spiderman stuff, insane WWE tat, Doctor Who bits and a whole lot more.
While upstairs is a pop culture vulture’s wet-​dream, downstairs is where you’ll find the more hardcore fans of sci-​fi and fantasy.
This is a great shop for picking up a quirky little gift for a birthday… and that’s me speaking as someone who is completely baffled by the world in which a lot of the regulars inhabit.
A fine shop.

Forbidden Planet is the dream of any lover of Fantasy films, Science Fiction films or, to a certain extent, any films. If you want to buy a bust of Freddy Krueger — here is where you will get it, folks!
The shop sells merchandise and books related to every imaginable film franchise, from Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings, right the way through to the legendary Alien Quadrilogy and John Carpenter’s Halloween. Admittedly, what the shop sells is not exactly essentials for life, but, for those who passionately love film, it might just sell what they have been looking for for years.
It is appropriate that Forbidden Planet is on Oldham Street, in the middle of the Northern Quarter, as it fits nicely in Manchester’s answer to ‘alternative’ shopping. The shop itself is very spacious and bright, and is a pleasure to walk around, hassle free and welcome to browse. As the shop is quite specialist, you might well find the shop empty, so you can have it all to yourself, which — if you are not a great shopper, is a godsend after a busy day in town.

I will never, ever, ever understand a place like Forbidden Planet. I know everyone has hobbies and stuff, but why would you buy a doll or figurine that you never take out of the box and will rarely look at?
But I know some people really do enjoy this, and that’s fair enough. It’s just not for me.
Forbidden Planet has a really incredible range of figurines and stuff. Also, there are more Star Wars items here than I ever thought could exist, be that books, films, comics, figurines. It goes on.
I don’t really get it and probably never will, but as a shop for all things fantasy and sci-​fi, this place is clearly amazing.

The ultimate preserve of the geek inside us all. Forbidden planet trades in those exclusive collectables that few own. Inside is a huge range from all things sci fi and fantasy with a big selection of specialist toys and bits from the latest films or all time classics such as star wars and lord of the rings.
Forbidden planet is first and foremost fun, a hidden sanctam where all things nerdish that you wouldn’t really share with friends can be explored. I remember looking through and being enthralled after I found series after series that I remembered from my childhood and those blessed items that I read about such as Spartan action figures from the halo stories. You can honestly waste pure hours in here relieving your childhood. It’s fun.

The only thing that edges Travelling Man over Forbidden Planet for me, is that Travelling Man is slightly more personal. Forbidden Planet is very big, spread over two floors, and gives off a sort of geek department store feel. Although that is also admittedly very, very cool.
If you are a geek or nerd of any description, then the chances are you’ll already know about it, as it’s pretty much the flagship shop for us in Manchester. If you’ve not been yet then you need to put down that partially painted Chaos Knight, carefully lay him on the tissue paper to dry, and head down now for a look.
Comics, figurines, TCGs, RPGs, board games… everything you could want, and more besides. I’d love to have the money to walk in here and buy most of the stock, but that would probably require you to be some sort of millionaire as a few of the items can get very pricey.

When I lived on Oldham Street many moons ago, I used to pop into Forbidden Planet on a weekly basis to pick up new copies of The Sandman, The Invisibles and other cool comics. These days, I only venture in now and again for something specific, like Reinhard Kleist’s awesome graphic novel based on the life of Johnny Cash — I See A Darkness.
For me, the layout and interior of Forbidden Planet lacks the ambience and wow factor of somewhere like Dave’s Comics in Brighton but their range of comics, manga and graphic novels is faultless. For true fantatics and collectors, they also stock a massive range of cartoon, comic and pop culture memorabilia including tee-​shirts, games, videos and toys. Personally, I have my eye on one of Frank Kozak’s toy smoking rabbits complete with eye patch.

Emma-​Lou: (Coughs nervously, enters room.) Er, hello everybody.
Man with duct tape on glasses: It’s okay, don’t be scared. You’re among friends here. You truly can’t say anything that would shock us.
Emma-​Lou: Do I really have to say it? Like they do on the movies and soap operas and everything?
MWDTOG: We find it helps. It’s cathartic. Everybody has to do it.
Emma-​Lou: Okay then. (Clears throat.) Well, my name’s Emma, and I’m a geek.
Group: (In unison) Hi Emma.
Geeks Anonymous might or might not exist, but rather than go there, bring your Buddy Holly glasses-​wearing, band T-​shirt-​sporting, vast trivia knowledge-​packing self over to Forbidden Planet for a far, far better experience. And while you might feel a bit conspicuous and half expect to see portly Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons (
) in here, it’s great fun. I’m not quite far gone enough to want a vast collection of dolls and sculptures à la Steve Carrell in The 40 Year Old Virgin, but I love comics, I heart quirkiness, I adore retro and I like things that are that little bit different.
The reason this place gets five stars from me is that I’ve found so many gems here. When I was little I discovered some of my brother’s old Star Wars figures and ditched my Barbies in favour of them, but his collection was incomplete. Forbidden Planet had more than enough for me to add to it. Years later when my Offspring fandom hit its peak, there in this shop was a little bunch of models of the band themselves, complete with instruments. It just always seemed to have that one silly little thing I wanted at the time. I returned when I was trying to find interesting Christmas presents for my housemates at university. One of them, a huge Pulp Fiction fan, was overawed when I presented her with a box containing a Lego Uma Thurman, John Travolta, Eric Stolz and Rosanna Arquette… yup, the overdose scene in Lego form, Uma’s bleeding nose looked slightly inappropriate on a child’s toy I must say, but come on, it’s genius.
My obsession with controversial contemporary American novels also led a friend to purchase for me a large Patrick Bateman dolly, axe in one hand, briefcase in the other, a button on his back which when pressed spewed out lines from the film. I do keep that one in a cupboard though, as hearing Christian Bale, miniature and mean-​looking, ask me if I like Huey Lewis and the News just strikes a little too much fear in my heart.
There are vast collections of comics available, from the usual action and superhero fare to more obscure offerings like Ghost World, and the DVD and poster collections are excellent too. Downstairs books take a strange little route towards the erotic, but… you know, where there’s geeks, there’s hentai. Besides, cartoon boobs have always been funny. And haven’t we all had a crush on Jessica Rabbit at some point? Hmm? Hmmmm?!?
There’s a nerd in all of us, some control theirs well, some have been overtaken to the point of demonic possession, mine lives just below the surface and pops out a little too regularly, but I’m good friends with it all the same. Therefore I think we can all find something in here that we’d like. My only issue is I’ve got to wait until all this Twilight horror blows over to pop into Forbidden Planet again, because if I see another Team Jacob or Team Edward T-​shirt I promise I will start breaking things. (Come on, all the cool people know that it’s really about Team Sam or Team Bill.)

Forbidden Planet– home of the super nerd. Merchandise for every type of comic, movie and fantasy fiction novel. Whether you need a miniature replica of Captain Kirk’s chair or a Mighty Thor mini bust for your lobby at home, this store will probably be able to help you.
The book section was particularly appealing to me. Where else can you buy a Batman Encyclopedia or a book dedicated to the regalia of Star Wars?
Forbidden planet is a veritable panoply of treasures for the modern geek. You’ll find the best of them in here taking a break from drawing maps of a nonexistent places and building their own lightsabers.

Talk about geek chic.
Forbidden Planet on Oldham Street is for lovers of not just sci-​fi, but most forms of fantasy fiction regardless of the medium. If your face gets pale from nights poring over graphic novels and manga or you can’t open your bedroom door for all the Joss Whedon box sets then you’ll be the proverbial fat kid in a candy store here.
The regulars here go for the collectables, the memorabilia, the games. They also do books, clothing and crazy toys. Remember Andy’s house (Steve Carell) in The 40 Year Old Virgin? You too could end up with a house like this if you take your Forbidden Planet shopping seriously.
A really great niche complement to the rest of Manchester’s independent shops, and with the rise of the graphic novel (Neil Gaiman, Watchmen) it could soon be overrun.

Having just written a scathing review of Afflecks palace as a haven for emo kids and goths, it is perhaps silly of me to rave about the hangout of geeks and nerds. However Forbidden Planet is much more my style and the store has never been anything but enjoyable for me.
The layout of the store allows you to easily browse without getting in peoples way, and it seems to have a good selection of comics and action figures. Wheelchair access may be a bit difficult for those looking to buy comics as they are down a set of stairs, and Ive never seen a lift within there.
Prices are reasonable, which suprises me as much of the stock can often be found at overinflated prices on ebay. They also tend to often have special or one off goods, that are usually exclusive giveaways at a reasonable price. They also now sell video games, but these seem to be priced a little too high whenever I go there.
Staff are also great at offering advice on which graphic novel (or comic!) I should pick up. Its difficult to say anything negative about such a good store.

A shop for nerds and geeks everywhere, Forbidden Planet has everything you’ll ever need.
Downstairs you will find is mostly the Graphic Novel section, where you should be able to find any genre you desire from Manga, DC, Marvel etc, and if you can’t find what you want then they will order it in for you.
Upstairs is more of an assortment of memorabilia from film & TV, offering toys, posters, games etc. It also caters widely for your Role Playing gamers, selling everything you need for a solid game of Dungeons and Dragons or Warhammer (not that i play them or anything. I’m 25). The DVDs on sale are of a wide variety, but you can find them a hell of a lot cheaper in HMV or online.
A word of caution — don’t hang around browsing in the shop too long or the owner may get testy and exclaim loudly, This is not a library! even if you’re just looking at models and stuff.