This book store/comic shop/seat of local counterculture heralds itself as "A radical shop supporting pictorial revolution since 1996." These days, the slogan gives way to the best underground magazines, comics, graphic novels and edgy, beat authors north of Quimby's. The magazines range from the borderline mainstream, such as "The Believer" and "The Baffler," to the basement-published leaflets that always seem vaguely leftist in their ideology. The shelves are stocked with the novels of counterculture stalwarts like Charles Bukowski and Jack Kerouac, as well as contemporary authors like Dave Eggers and David Sedaris. Comix Revolution is also well positioned to take advantage of the growing popularity of graphic novels. The notoriety and controversy surrounding authors like Art Spiegelman and Aaron McGruder, not to mention the Harvey Pekar biopic "American Splendor," has put the industry on the map, and Comix Revolution is among the best locations around to find these authors' latest.

The store itself is as colorful as one the comic books you can buy there, with bright posters, books and T-shirts displayed splashed across every surface. The material on the shelves is a slightly darker, but no less worth owning.

Centerstage Reviewer: Patrick Corcoran