Showcase Comics and Games

Showcase Comics and Games is a comics and tabletop gaming shop at 631 S Chester Rd in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, with a second shop in Bryn Mawr. The Swarthmore store leans toward miniature wargaming, modeling and painting supplies, and it keeps a full week of table play on the calendar. It suits wargamers and Magic: The Gathering players first, and comic readers second, though the shelves cover both.

What's on the shelves

The store carries a large wall of new comics, back issue bins, a big selection of graphic novels, art books, board games, collectible card games and collector supplies. Magic: The Gathering is the card game on the calendar.

Miniatures are the Swarthmore specialty. The store stocks full lines of Warhammer, Flames of War, Warmachine, Malifaux and Avatars of War, along with many other miniature games. For building and finishing armies, it carries tools from GF9, five paint racks, Army Painter sprays, MicroArtStudio bases, sculpting tools, foam cutters and custom carrying cases from BattleFoam, Sabol and Games Workshop.

Weekly play

Plenty of tables inside the shop are given over to gaming, and the Magic schedule is the backbone of the week.

The $3 Modern entry goes toward pack prize support, and Wednesday's $15 can run higher when the draft is a more expensive special set.

The rest of the week

Beyond Magic, the weekly rhythm is built around tables. Monday is usually quiet, with tables open for casual play. Tuesday is Table Top Tuesday, when groups play Warmachine and Hordes, Star Wars: X-Wing, Armada and Guild Ball, and newcomers can ask for a demo game to learn the rules.

Wednesday also brings a D&D 5e Adventure League night, running from about 6 PM to about 9 PM. Room is usually available, though seats can tighten when several Dungeon Masters are running games. Thursday evening is board game night, free and starting at 6:30 PM, alongside historical wargaming that ranges from Napoleon at Waterloo to Bolt Action and Team Yankee.

Friday ends with open gaming, with plenty of tables and scenery for any game system, or just a spot to work on models. The store stays open until about midnight. Saturdays and Sundays the tables are open for play except when a special event or tournament takes them over.

Events and special releases

The shop has run Magic prerelease events with a capped field. For the Modern Horizons 2 prerelease in June 2021, play was limited to 16 players per day, registration opened at 11 AM, play began at noon, and prizes were packs based on record. Preregistering in person saved $5 off the day-of entry. The shop has also taken preorders for Magic mystery boxes at $125 plus tax, with pickup at either location.

Hours and getting there

The store is at 631 S Chester Rd, Swarthmore, PA 19081.

Friday's late close is what makes the night gaming possible.

Two shops

The business runs two stores, and the owners treat them as different shops. The Bryn Mawr location, at 1015 West Lancaster Ave., has the larger space and specializes in back issues: bins of comics upstairs, collectibles along the walls and a basement warehouse holding thousands of books. It also carries a big selection of manga, role-playing games and board games, and has several gaming tables plus a back room for play. Swarthmore is the one to pick for miniatures, paints and table time.

The local scene

Comic Universe in Folsom is the closest other store, about 1.5 miles away. Game N DVD Exchange in Media is about 2.6 miles out, J & J Collectables in Norwood and a Hobby Town in Springfield are each about 2.8 miles away, and Hobby Town USA in Secane is about 3.4 miles away.

For shows, Philadelphia TCG Con, about 9.1 miles away, next starts on December 12, 2026. Chester County Card Show, about 13.6 miles away, next starts on November 1, 2026, and Elite TCG Card Show, about 25.5 miles away, on November 5, 2026. Elks Lodge, about 38.4 miles away, has shows starting November 8 and November 22, 2026.