BEFORE you mention it in Comments, Forbidden Planet, the sci-fi and comic shop on #832 Broadway, is hardly Forgotten as it attracts perhaps a million shoppers and visitors per year. However, it’s a big part of my youth and I feel it’s worth a mention. When I was working nights at Photo-Lettering, NYC’s biggest typesetter, between 1982 and 1988, Fridays once per month was a special day. Before my shift began at 5 or 7 PM, I would hit Manhattan early and make my way to the then-vast Forbidden Planet and then get something to eat.
For me it was a special place, a vast storefront on the corner of Broadway and East 12th directly opposite the Strand bookshop. (The Strand is much beloved by book aficionados, but I never warmed up to it, as I always found it haphazardly arranged.) However, Forbidden Planet, named for the 1953 science fiction film with Leslie Nielsen in his pre-comedy Frank Drebin days, also had a vast collection of sci-fi books, memorabilia and collectibles. Not only did I pick up the latest DC titles from the week (I was not a big Marvel man, sorry Jack Kirby and Stan Lee) but my favorite sci-fi writers such as Harlan Ellison and Ray Bradbury were having new reprints released and I collected all of them. I was also a big sci-fi review and analysis fan, so not only did I get fiction by Brian Aldiss and Stephen King, I also bought their nonfiction review volumes such as King’s Danse Macabre, which I am rereading right now. It was there I purchased The Twilight Zone Companion by Marc Scott Zicree, the cover of which was typeset at Photo-Lettering and I had a hand in its production.
Arkham House was reprinting much of H.P. Lovecraft at the time, with new notes by his greatest critic and analyzer S.T. Joshi; the Planet carried all of them. It also carried the Lovecraft “fanzines” Lovecraft Studies and Crypt of Cthulhu, and I still have them in a closet at Forgotten NY headquarters. I rarely throw out books, so I still own much material purchased at Forbidden Planet all those years ago. I remember the creaky wooden floors and the multiple fans during the summer; it wasn’t air conditioned. Forbidden Planet was the highlight of the month, and I’m glad it’s still around, albeit in a smaller space. Forbidden Planet is also a chain of sci-fi stores in the UK and Ireland, but the New York store is run independently.
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6/28/23
14 comments
I think there was a super small Forbidden Planet at 59th between 3rd and 2nd? It was around in the 80s
Yes, I patronized that one before going to work occasionally.
That’s where I got many books.
Yes, we are in agreement here. I found the Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers reprint books of the original comic strips, the Medvedev Bros Golden Turkeys listing and the complete reprint series of Leiber’s tales of Faf and The Mouser.
I have shared this article with a nearly 100-strong current and ex-Planet staff Facebook page. We’re all delighted that our customers share these fond memories.
I seldom went to this store because they were mostly comics when they first started. Also, they were at a nearby address, moved to the current site many years ago. I’m into science fiction (NOt “sci-fi,” ack!). So I went to Stephen’s Book Service on 3rd Avenue nearby, which was exclusively SF and fantasy, including the British SF magazines and paperbacks. Also patronized The Science Fiction Shop on 8th Avenue. And then, started geting review copies when I published my semi-prozine ALGOL (later STARSHIP) and my newszine SCIENCE FICTION CHRONICLE. Now both long gone. But they served a purpose—just not mine. Sharing the link with file770.com and others in the SF field.
I wanted to mention that I used Photo-Lettering, occasionally, when I worked for Cahners Publishing in the 60-70s. Still have some of the hardcover type catalogs.
In my neck o’ the woods it was Supersnipe comics on 2nd Ave.near 84th.
I buy first 3 ish of Vampirella there(Frazetta cover)plus first Swamp Thing.
But the dude wouldnt sell underground comix to us kids.I dont know why.
Everybody else would.
Stephen’s ,owned by Stephemn Tkacs,was a great little shop.
I got a bunch of Arkham House first editions there back when I was a young kid.
Plenty of other stuff too.
Thanks for bringing up a good memory.
I also went to the Science FictionbShop many years llater.
I too loved the original store on 12th Street. While I’m glad the smaller location is still around, it’s boutique feel isn’t the same as the original with its creaky wooden floors and rows of comic book boxes. I miss that place!
The original shop was a wonderful place! I went there often.
In the 1970s I would go to the Science Fiction Book Shop in the Village, specialized in science fiction (obviously) and fantasy books. Anyone else remember this place?
If it was on 8th and 13th I remember it.
I think the original Forbidden Planet was started by a former English teacher in my high school, Phil Seuling, who got into the comix biz.