Tucked away in a warehouse on Holbrook Industrial Estate – just a 15-minute drive from Sheffield city centre – lies one of the most unique comic book collections in the country. World of Superheroes is a family-run business packed with rare comics, original artwork and pop culture memorabilia. It’s a collector’s dream – but most people don’t even know it’s there.
That’s something owner Steve Eyre wants to change. “The problem we’ve got is that not enough people know we’re here,” he says. “But when people do come, they quickly become regular customers. They visit, have a chat and love it.”
Steve has been collecting comics since he was a teenager growing up in Sheffield in the 1970s. Back then, he’d pick up reprinted Marvel titles from local newsagents or swap them at the second-hand bookstall in Castle Market. “I’d buy a batch in the morning, go to my grandma’s in Firth Park, read them all, and take them back in the afternoon for part-exchange!”
A lifelong passion gradually turned into a business. Five years ago, with his children Alex and Holly – both just as mad about comics, superheroes and fantasy films – Steve decided to take the plunge. “We just imagined it being a relatively small family concern,” he says. “But it’s grown big. From a standing start, we now turn over a healthy amount and sell to people all over the world.”
Lockdown was something of a turning point. With shops closed and people stuck at home, Steve and the team used the time to build an online store, uploading thousands of items to the worldofsuperhereos.com and ebay stores. Demand surged – and hasn’t slowed since. In terms of both volume and value, World of Superheroes now ranks as the UK’s biggest seller of original comic book art.
Despite its success online, the real magic of World of Superheroes is in visiting the warehouse itself. From floor to ceiling, the space is filled with vintage comics, signed prints, giant superhero statues, rare curiosities and jaw-dropping artwork.
Some pieces are entirely unique, like the original paintings by Robert Bailey – a former Lucasfilm storyboard artist whose work includes Star Wars, Star Trek and Guardians of the Galaxy. “We’re not allowed to make any prints of them,” Steve says. “They’re one of a kind. And they don’t come up very often – we’re the only ones selling them in this country.”
The collection also includes work by British comic legends like John Higgins (Watchmen, The Dark Knight Returns), and certified collectibles signed by Stan Lee, Siegel and Shuster, and Bob Kane. One framed Amazing Spider-Man No. 1 – professionally graded at 5.5 – carries a price tag of £15,000.
But it’s not all high-end. Customers can walk away with a box of 130 vintage comics for £300, or browse five-quid floppies from the Silver and Bronze Age. “There’s something for all prices,” Steve says. “You can come in and pick something up, whether you’ve got a fiver or a few grand.”
And people do come – from collectors to casual fans, and even those looking to sell wares. “We get a lot of people wanting to trade or value their collection. If you go through auction, you lose around 30% in fees. We can offer a better deal – we’re honest with our prices and the way we deal with people. It’s a family-run business and we want to do things properly. Reputation matters to us.”
The business has grown in other directions, too. World of Superheroes now runs an events company, Heroes United, which rents out life-size superhero statues to shopping centres and exhibitions. As proud Sheffielders, they’re also keen to champion local artists – particularly painter Joe Scarborough, whose final collection be exhibited this summer at the Workstation.
Despite their success, the team stays hands-on. Alex manages online sales and sourcing, Holly runs the socials and Steve still gets stuck in with buying collections and chatting to visitors. “It’s not like coming to work. We love it. It’s good fun. We have a lot of banter and enjoy meeting new people.”
The warehouse is open to visitors by appointment, and walk-ins are welcome during the week. “If people want a tour, we’ll show them around. And they nearly always buy something,” Steve says. “Or they might trade something. Or both.”
For fans of comics, art and pop culture, World of Superheroes is more than just a shop. It’s part gallery, part museum – and run with friendly Sheffield hospitality. “Particularly since the Marvel films, this sort of thing doesn’t have the tag of being nerdy anymore,” Steve says. “It’s a cool pastime. It’s like vinyl records coming back – there’s that respect for the art of a previous generation.”
As digital art increasingly becomes the norm in comic publishing, the physical pages and hand-painted pieces at World of Superheroes become even more rare and valuable. “There’s only one of each,” Steve says proudly, holding up another original inked page. “You just can’t reprint that. It’s timeless.”
FIND US
worldofsuperheroes.com
@worldofsuperheroes
facebook.com weloveworldofsuperheroes
Unit C23
23 Longacre Cl
Holbrook Industrial Estate
S20 3FR
