Captain Nemo Games & Comics

I have a love/​hate relationship with this place. I’m local. I grew up going here when it was Cheap Thrills at this location, and Capn Nemos was elsewhere, and the Sub was still on Marsh.
Then they combined.
As a kid, I loved looked through all the cds and records and the games. But then as I got older, I kept noticing that every single time I went in to look at games, the workers were practically harrassing me about needing help, and if I had a question, were condescending.
The kicker was when I won a tshirt off of a facebook contest, picked it up, and was excited, only to have the owner basically act like he didn’t want to give me the shirt because I was not a «regular» in his eyes. Despite me growing up here.
I just constantly get the feeling that because I’m female, I have to «prove» that I know what I am looking for all the time when I go in here and it’s very annoying. Especially because I’ve literally been going into this place for like, 25 years now, it’s not like it’s a new store.
The prices are expensive, which is kind of understandable because they are a small store.
But they seem to almost over estimate what their stock is worth, and there’s no reason that I would want to pay those prices.
I feel bad because they are a cool store, it’s just always kind of a hassle to try to buy anything in there.

I’m not one to write bad review, but my experience here warrants it. They are condescending and rude — and I am exactly sure why, you work you work at a comic store (?) It’s a shame because I usually love to try to shop at small business before I go to a Walmart or buy off of amazon: but when I’m treated like dirt I stop wanting to try. At least at Walmart I’m treated like a human being.
Do not ever shop here if you can; you can probably find whatever you need at Walmart and Amazon — for a better price.
DO NOT GIVE THESE PEOPLE YOUR BUSINESS.

Decent selection if you are looking for something particular.
I never shop here though.
On multiple occasions I have felt demeaned and uncomfortable. Most of the staff members exude a air of superiority. I’ve only ever spoken to one staff member that I liked, they rest are arrogant. I have been treated as if I was stupid, for asking simple questions. Many of my friends also have told me that they refuse to go here, after dealing with the staff.
One of my good friends wives came in and tried to find a comic by a certain artist. They were condescending when she couldnt remember the name of artist. She ended up going to Dr. Cain’s (which in my personal opinion is much better, even though it is significantly smaller). She found the comic and loved Dr. Cain’s.
The trade in prices are ridiculous as well.
Second hand items are far too much and half the time dont even work properly.
All in all I always point friends and tourists away from this shop as much as possible. Buy comics online or go somewhere else. It’s not worth walking into that hellish environment (hellish in multiple ways since it has NO AC and during hot days is sweltering hot.)

I gave it a second star because the best thing to do here is loiter and browse. You might find something interesting that you can purchase elsewhere at a reasonable price.
The staff are arrogant and elitist, though I can’t fathom what imbues them with such a feeling of superiority based on their disheveled appearance and their lack of social skills. Maybe there’s an exceptional employee somewhere among the bunch, but I’ve yet to come across them.
The prices are absolutely astronomical. 6 year old used games selling for new, retail, release date prices. Cords that have visible wear on them that cost more than the same cord brand new. The place is a comics shop, but their prices seem to take forever to come down on the new comics.
Go to the other comic shop in town, Dr. Cain’s. The selection is smaller, but if it’s newer you’ll find it, and the employees are actually personable and willing to talk comics with you, not look down their nose at you. And I can’t believe I’m saying this, but go to gamestop if you’re looking for games. That place is notoriously a rip-​off, but it’s still significantly cheaper.
The music selection seems pretty excellent, but I’ve only ever browsed the shop on Monterey, so I can’t comment on that.
It was 95 degrees yesterday and they wouldn’t let me bring a drink into the store. That would be fine if they had air conditioning, but they don’t (which FYI is horrible for your comics… they’re depreciating before you even buy them at this place). What a stupid rule. If I spill it, then charge me for what I ruin, but I’m pretty sure I haven’t spilled a drink in over a decade.

This place is pretty awesome. It’s huge and houses most of your geeky desires.
It’s basically two stores. One being comics and nerdy shit… the other being vintage music, video game platforms and accessories + games, and more nerdy shit.
A really cool store that I didn’t ever expect to find in SLO.

Don’t bother trading stuff here, you won’t get much for them. That doesn’t equate to savings when buying used items either. You’re lucky to get a couple bucks for something you paid $ 40-​$ 60 for, and you’ll generally find it on the shelf at near new prices.
Everything here is generally priced at MSRP. The best thing they have going for them is the game room in the outside building. It’s a good place to go, until the D&D guys show up and then having a conversation is near impossible.
I think I’m about done with this place.

A real oldschool Simpsons Comic Book Guy retail experience which nerds of a certain stripe will be very comfortable with, but which other demographics may find overbearing, condescending and insulting in various measures.
They pay a miserable pittance for used stock, be it music, comics or games (electronic and otherwise), savings which are not passed on in the form of reasonable prices on the shelf.
I have fond memories of the owner peering through the front windows of Games People Play, trying to see which of his customers were «cheating» at the ‘other’ comic store in town, then trying to hide behind a bench when he was spotted.
The location may have changed, but not much else.

I’ve been to Captain Nemo’s several times this past year and I must say they really do have a wide variety of comics and games. Anything from simple issues to hardcover omnibuses, card games to full on board games, and a lot of old and new games along with plenty of old accessories to those old game systems. Not to mention their wide selections of DVDs from horror to kids entertainment, even japanese imported animes.
I myself have found several cool games and comics at very decent prices. I even landed a cool Comic Con edition variant cover of a particular comic issue for free with the purchase of that same issue.
My only problem with it is that the trade-​ins prices aren’t great and there’s no AC in the store.
The prices they offer with trade-​ins aren’t any better than GameStop. But unlike GameStop, at least they’d be able to buy the wii console core by itself without the cords or remotes.
And the fact that there’s no AC in the store really make you feel like you’re on a time limit to see if you can buy something before you start overheating. You’d figure a place like Nemo’s would be able to afford a few fans from Walmart or something and have them on to keep the customers cool while looking around at their cool merchandise.
So all in all, it’s a really great shop for locals and tourists alike and I’ll always be happy to stop by and see what they got and what I can get. Just be sure you’re not wearing a thick jacket when going in and especially don’t go on a hot summer day.

Nemo’s is such a swell shop that it’s easy to take them for granted. A shop filled to the brim with new and old comics, music, DVDs, and games is a great concept from the start. I don’t smoke or drink so this is the perfect place to come in and satisfy the habits I do have. The staff knows where most everything is in the store and if they don’t they’ll track it down and find it. If you’ve got a crate of old comics or CDs or games they’ll estimate the batch in a hurry and offer you a cash price, or an amount in trade. The trade price is always much higher and it gives you the perfect opportunity to buy even more stuff. For the sake of honesty there is room for improvement when it comes to temperature control during the dog days of summer. It can get warm in there. The rest of the year the temperature is fine, but I have done some perspiring in the store. As always, bravo Nemos!

This is the best place to get comics on the central coast. Great selection and you can get back issues up stairs. Whats even better is this place is connected to Cheap Thrills. Check this place out if your looking for older video games, comics and all your other nerdy stuff.
Now to throw in my two sense…
Michael J:
How many stores like this have you been in? Apparently not many. All independent stores have a no cash return policy. It is so irritating to see a review of someone complaining because they do not have the common sense to: Ask about the return policy before making a purchase and not noticing the return policy that is posted.
Geerald C:
Most places like this do not pay much. That is why they are still in business. Its a place to go to get quick cash. They have to pay someone to price, transport, and stock your product after you sell. That all costs money. Just think about how much gas money and time spent going to the flea market. What if your stuff doesn’t sell? Think about it Geerald. Any smart shopper knows to check around for prices. Duh.
Stephen M:
Don’t be an Ass Hole. Many many many places like this have policies on bag checks. That is how stores with not many staff hours help to deter theft. Its not singling you out because I’m pretty sure your not that special. Get over yourself and follow the rules like everyone else. Man, yours was the worst review on here.

Big selection, but if you’re looking for a trade-​in, you won’t get very much.
Additionally, I purchased a new (third party) game controller here and it didn’t work properly. They didn’t have any first party controllers, so I wanted to return it for cash and buy one elsewhere. Unfortunately nobody told me they have a strict no return for cash policy, even if you paid cash and have the receipt.
I felt extremely mistreated as a customer. I’m not going back.

Oh, gosh! This place has been a gold mine for me for as long as I can remember! I have been able to find a lot of neat gems from this place. This place seems to satisfy everybody (and I do mean EVERYBODY; nerd or not).
— Looking for old electronics (record player, VCR, etc.)? This place will most likely have it.
— Looking for old video game consoles? This place will most likely have it.
— Looking for new releases of video games? Yup! They’ll most likely have it.
— Variety of movies? Video games? Comics? Board games? Card games? Yup! This place has a lot of it.
This place always seems to surprise me! In my head, I will always think, «Do they? Nah! Probably not!» only to be shocked that they’ll have it! This place is just one of those places where should expect just about anything! For example, I’m a HUGE cartoon animation fan and the very last thing in my mind was to think that this place would have Teddy Ruxpin (the old Nickelodeon cartoon series) only to find that they have not just one but TWO DVD boxsets of the series for sale! Examples like that is why I should never underestimate this store! It’s a surprise every time I walk in and that’s why this place gets its 5 stars!
ANIME FANS: This is one of the VERY FEW PLACES on the Central Coast where you will be able to find a pretty decent selection of animé/​manga!

It’s great that there is still an old fashioned music and game store. Great selection of new and used cds, movies and games. The place to sell your used movies and cds!

Mixed review because they have lots of stock but that means they don’t pay much for trade ins. I brought 9 movies in. 3 still had shrink wrap because I had bought duplicates on sale by accident. Even though some were not high demand I figured maybe 10 to 12 bucks for 9 movies. They offered 6. Next time I go to swap meet I’ll put them out for 3 bucks each. Even if I only sell 2 I can throw away the other 7 and still have just as much money. Want 7 free dvds?
You can find a variety of movies but blu ray selection is weak and dvd selection is what you would expect in a small town store. I have bought a few movies including bargain priced.
I am sure the same is true for the rest of their departments. They also carry a lot of comics cds vinyl albums accessories instruments board games and video games. Many prices are fair but be sure to know prices you should be paying before you go in. I have bought many games at Game Stop and know prices there are fair. Be sure to shop before buying.

It sounds like this is a great store for the educated consumer. For kids trying to negotiate their own trade transactions — parents be open minded. My kid was called a «greedy punk ass kid» for asking for $ 15 for a working X-​Box and a dozen games. It was his deal and I’m staying out of it, but I don’t think they’ll be getting his return business.

I was told I have to leave my bag at the front door. After replying with a «are you kidding me?» I was told that it was their policy. Fine, if you want to treat every customer that walks in the door like they are a thief then you will surely alienate the customers like me that spend the most money. There is nothing about my wife or myself that would even remotely raise suspicion. Enjoy having a store full of kids that accept being treated like that.

Free parking and a solid collection of new & used games both board and video games in a combination/​two-​part store with a used music store on one side and a game store on the other.
I was in town for a geek wedding and of course we all had to go to the local game store for games and more, this place did not disappoint. Loads of games, comics and more, a lot of it discounted and many out of print items still new on the shelf. That was awesome!
The staff over on the Nemo’s side are friendly, although not all of them know everything about all of the niche things they’re selling (understandably). Just gotta look out for the geeky guys who are into whatever you’re into if you’re going to Captain Nemo’s.
We grabbed a selection of games to play and one of the guys even found a hidden gem of an ancient copy of final fantasy he’d been looking for, we were all ecstatic.
Nemo’s was a great experience all around.

These guys have almost everything. Almost. I felt this store was fairly average in selection and price, but impressive in variety. Movies, games, video games and systems, and card game stuff, with memorabilia around everywhere. I didn’t find much, but it was probably a paradise for some other deal seeker!

Well This will be a doozy. I as a self proclaimed dork/​geek find this place admirable (Haha get it Captain Nemo’s, Admirable)
It seems as if the time of day you are going you will get either a well informed staff member who knows his comics, cards, capes, and other nerd paraphernalia or you a lackluster lackey playing register jockey who will take your money and send you on your way.
Nick or Mick or something close to that was a really helpful guy. He knows his cards and can suggest a good starter deck to which you can just pwn your friends. This was great because elsewhere you usually get some hefty guy who will just nod your way and hand a couple packs to you!
They seem to have some bargains and a good going rack of comics but the organization is a tad confusing. I guess that’s the best part of comic hunting, Am I right guys? Another cool thing is the 2^nd hand market for the cards, comics and models. I scored some über retro d and d models. I was informed that they have a couple group meetings for all sort of games. I will admit they at one time had the hugest Warhammer/​40k stock but it seems to have shrunk.
Nemo’s place is cool, and I will come back for a good percentage of geek needs.

I stayed in the Pismo Beach area for vacation with the wife for some sun and relaxation. But before coming up to the central coast from San Diego I did some research on Unilocal on any nearby comic book shops. The only one I found was Captain Nemo in San Luis Obispo about 15 minutes away from where we were staying. So being the nerd I am I had to check it out. The good thing is that my fellow Unilocalers already ranked it pretty high so that made me look forward to going even more.
Parking a few blocks away, I forgot about the free parking near Nemo’s. This is after I fed about two dollars in change in the parking meter that my wife dug out from the bottom of her purse. Thanks babe.
Nemo’s is easy to spot. It’s a huge brick building with murals of dragons and a huge display window with various comic book images of super heroes. Again there is a parking lot with free parking. Doh!
Walking inside you see all kind of records and music paraphernalia. If you are looking for that kind of stuff they definitely have it; also CD’s, DVD’s and old electronics. But of course I came for the comics. Inside another room to the left is wall to wall graphic novels, games, toys and comic books. They have a long aisle with current comic books. One side is Marvel, DC and the other side is the other comic company publishers-​Image, Darkhorse to name a few. Needless to say they have every selection of comic book out right now. It was cool to see a lot of comic books I am not used to seeing in your average comic book store. This is not your average comic book store.
After finding a stack of books that I wanted to buy; I started to look for the back issues with no luck. I asked one of the guys where the back issues were and he replied they are on the third floor. What?! Third floor? There is a third floor? Sweet.
Walking up a small flight of stairs. I reach the second floor. Records, records and more records. I have to tell my brother about this place. He is a big music junkie as well as a part time deejay. He would love this place.
Walking up another flight of stairs. I reach the third floor. Boxes and boxes of back issues. Didn’t see anything I wanted right away. I was kind of pressed for time. I didn’t want to push my luck with my wife but I could of spent a couple of hours up there. If I did I would of definitely found something else to buy.
Nemo’s was definitely a cool place to visit. They have something for everybody here. Old records, games, DVD’s, comic books, toys and other collectibles. Definitely one of the highlights of my vacation. Support your local comic book stores especially if they are good. In the central coast Captain Nemo is one of the best.