By Alayna Patterson
Jeremy Bishop was a librarian when he became a customer at his first comic book shop and hung around long enough until he got the power to run it.
Arkham City Comics is a comic book shop located on Manukau Road in Royal Oak, Auckland. Despite running it since April 1, 2013, Jeremy Bishop, the man behind the counter, has worked in New Zealand’s comic book retail industry for 23 years.
Aside from specialising in back issues in comic retail, Bishop organises Mega Mini Con, an annual mini convention located in Onehunga, Auckland, which ran for its second year this past weekend (October 26).
The Joker’s grin adorns Arkham’s counter, amid a backdrop of green. This is in reference to the name of the store, Arkham City, where Batman’s notorious villain plays the starring role. It’s also a homage to Bishop’s years at Gotham Comics, where he worked prior to opening Arkham City Comics and gained experience alongside working as a librarian. Bishop would work five days at Onehunga library and volunteer at Gotham on Sundays.
Eventually, he took over the shop full time. When Gotham Comics closed its doors, and Arkham City Comics was born, Bishop earned the nickname “Mr. J” – one of Joker’s many names, and the first initial of his own name – in reference.
“I want them to come here to escape the world and give them some away time from reality,” said Bishop.
As a comic book fan, he knows that enthusiasm of comic book fans may be hidden in ordinary life – things as simple as character logos, hidden beneath slacks on socks – but Arkham is a place folks go to be themselves.
Bishop reminisced of a young customer: “She’d come dressed as a little princess, who was Hulk. Bright pink princess dress, massive hulk hands, and a hulk mask. She’d run up to the shop and yell HULK, SMASH!”
This customer, age four, would refer to Arkham City Comics as “her” shop to her family. Bishop said: “Don’t worry, it’s your store. I’m just making it neat and tidy for you.”
Aside from operating as a regular retail store day-to-day, Arkham is host to monthly markets. Stallholders from Arkham’s customer base will spend a couple hours on a weekend selling their comics, trading cards, artwork, toys, or other collectibles.
“Customers are the best salespeople,” Bishop acknowledged.
It’s their passion for these things in their day-to-day lives that brings them back to Arkham City Comics. From sellers clearing out their comic issues for $1 each, to entire collections of vintage Star Wars figures, Bishop has spent his years building a community of artists and collectors, all fans of popular culture.
Increasing demand for the markets spawned Mega Mini Con. Bishop described Mega Mini Con as a fun low-key event, where people can come, spend whatever they want, know they’re going to get good material, and hopefully get a good connection out of it, too.
Pop culture enthusiasts who may be dissatisfied with convention giants such as Armageddon Expo also have an alternative space to operate in.
“Armageddon suddenly became so commercial. You started seeing the same thing at every stall … it got so expensive,” Tiffany Mann, stallholder at Mega Mini Con 2025, said.
“The best thing is that it’s $5 entry, and you get a $5 coupon for the store. Which means Arkham is getting it back.”
Arkham City Comics didn’t set up a stall at Mega Mini Con, even with the venue being down the road. “People know who I am and the store that I am, but I don’t need to take up space,” Bishop said.
Mega Mini Con will hopefully take place again in 2026.
Arkham City Comics is open four days a week, welcoming all princesses with Hulk hands – or Hulks in princess dresses.
Featured Image: Figures, board games, and lunch boxes are among the many pop culture items you can purchase at Arkham City Comics. Picture: A. Patterson