Best Place to Find an Intergalactic Police Force

Here, superheroes, villains, and monsters are revered as art and stored behind glass -- everything from Ultraman to Hanuman to Optimus Prime to Frankenstein (if you don't see it at the shop, or on the Web site, it probably doesn't exist anymore). But while collecting models and action figures is a very serious hobby, there's no way to deny that the store itself is just a very well-organized toy box. Thankfully, the shop's mirthful proprietor will encourage your vision of a grand battle between the foot-tall Kekko Kamen and Davy, Micky, and Mike of the Monkees; he'll indulge your death match between George Lucas and San Francisco Police Chief Fred Lau; and cheer you on as the Green Berets bring an Osama bin Laden action figure to its knees. For the more serious-minded enthusiast, of course, the Heroes Club Workshop will assemble, paint, or build from scratch any model or action figure you can imagine. And this is one of the few stores in the Bay Area that will appraise vintage Japanese toys and collectibles.