The world of comic books and the world of cinema are not that far apart - superheroes have been leaping out of pages on to the silver screen for decades.

And now, in Oxford, the superheroes of page and screen will be side by side at a Cowley Road shop.

Cult video and DVD rental store Videosyncratic is branching out to sell comic books and graphic novels.

The shop is selling off all its video stock and transforming half the shop into a new 'pop culture' shop, called Biff Bang Kapow!

Owner Jon Spira said: "People have stopped renting videos so we figured we could do something else with the space.

"Oxford doesn't have a proper comic shop and it is one of the only towns in the UK without one since Comic Showcase in St Clements closed earlier this year."

But he said the shop would be more than just a comic store.

He said "We are calling it a pop culture shop, we have got comics, graphic novels, film posters, collectables, trading cards, T-shirts and all that kind of thing.

"There has definitely been a gap in the market. We haven't even had enough time to put a new sign up, but we have already had a strong response. People really seem to like it."

He said the two sides of the shop would complement each other well - and said he had already had people coming in to buy comics deciding to sign up for film rentals and vice versa.

He said the shop would also act as an outlet for local comic artists, with plans to launch an independent section featuring works by Oxford comic book artists.

He said: "There is a lot of really interesting independent stuff, much more personal and diverse."

Mr Spira, who has hired a former employee of Comic Showcase, Cody James, said he had been surprised by the range of customers.

He said: "I have been completely surprised because I always thought it was quite a male thing. But we have had girls coming in every day. There is also definitely a kitsch element which is what we have always done with Videosyncratic."

But Mr Spira stressed that film rentals would stay a main focus of the shop.