I'm all for supporting local comic shops, but unfortunately in my area there's one comic store that bought out almost every other comic store in the area and closed those other shops. They are now pretty much a monopoly in my area and are major jerks. They have a nice store, offer 10% discounts to subscribers, and have a nice selection of toys and comics. The problem I have with them is this: The guys that run the place hit EVERY ToysRUs, Walmart, and Target and buy out every rare toy, chase figure, etc, and then sell them in their store for majorly jacked-up prices! That pisses me off to no end! I refuse to do business with that store.
I now order my comics through scifigenre.com online. I get a 30% disount on all comics, plus they are bagged and boarded for free. I get them shipped once a month and shipping is very reasonable. I'll never deal with the local comic shop again. As for toys, I eventually find most of what I'm looking for on store shelves, or I order from reputable sites online.
Rick