Who We Are:

The Black Market started as a vendor and online shop focused on kaiju and tokusatsu, and has since grown into a hub for special events, pop up shopping & film screenings

About Us

The Black Market was started December 2020 by Alex Zandevakili. At first the shop was started as a way to sell items Alex had found while dumpster diving but evolved to something much bigger. After being a vendor at Collect A Con Dallas and Houston 2021, the store's niche was clear as day: Kaiju, tokusatsu, and horror — three things Alex was already a fan of.

From 2022–2023, The Black Market was present every month at the North Dallas Toy Show and Dusty Attic Toy Show, becoming a regular spot for kaiju fans to meet, talk, and buy collectibles — something rarely seen at toy shows at the time.

With no dedicated kaiju events in Dallas, Alex (just 25 at the time) started DAMCON (Destroy All Monsters), a kaiju-themed convention. The first event, held November 4, 2023, was pulled off on a slim $400 budget at Four Corners Brewery in Dallas, Texas.

Following that success, DAMCON 2 launched on February 1, 2025, and featured its first convention guest appearances: Ryuhei Kitamura, Brad Hawkins, and other fan-favorite actors.

Expanding into event hosting, The Black Market introduced Whitewright Cult Nights, a unique screening series at the Odeum Theater. With more events on the horizon, The Black Market is growing fast and will continue hosting expos, screenings, and conventions year-round.