Gon is a tiny dinosaur who has survived the extinction of his species and transgresses the world in a perpetual adventure-like state. It is no surprise that a little comic bookstore in Galatasaray carries his name, considering that the profound interest and consequent collection of that hand drawn imagination, action figure, paper-based wonder world allows for adventure in a perpetual state of monotony.

The difference is that comic book nerds, as they like to call themselves, are not extinct but have an avid following in Istanbul and the door of the Gon comic bookstore swings open to reveal people of all ages coming in to browse the wide selection. Whether it’s shy girls in the last stages of pubescence-induced awkwardness, or grown men in button down shirts, Gon has something for everyone. As the only provider of the monthly American comic, the store has more than 160 subscribers who come in to get the latest of their favorites upon release. The rest of the collection is most similar to a color explosion mural, everything from Manga, Star Wars reference books, art books, to independent graphic novels such as David Shrigley’s Red Book or The Rime of the Modern Mariner by Nick Hayes are on display for purchase.

The store, which is an extension of the Robinson Crusoe bookstore, opened upon demand for a wider selection of the illustrated rather than written, and all items in the store can also be found online. Next time you walk down Galatasaray, slow down your pace a little and take a look around, and Gon will definitely make itself apparent, and if you get lost in an issue of Tintin that you read when you were eight, you will be grateful that it did. Yeni Çarşı Caddesi 34A, Galatasaray; P: (0212) 245 9820