Finding Their Niche: Heroes and Villains Comics and Games celebrates 20 years in business

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — Heroes and Villains is a comic book and gaming store that opened on Jan. 18, 2004, by three friends.

The store offers many events and activities, including roleplaying, card games, tabletop games and board games. 

The store celebrated its anniversary in January, and its staff organized a gathering to celebrate the milestone.

The store has always been on Russell Parkway but outgrew its previous location. They have now been at their current location for 14 years.

In 2004, the store was opened by current Owner Mike McDaniel, Jesse Stephens and co-founder and Director of the Comics Appreciation Project Jason Kelley. The three friends met in a comic book store called Komix Castle of Warner Robins, owned and operated by McDaniel from 1993 to 1997. 

The friends then decided to open another comic book store in the area, eventually leading to Heroes and Villains Comics and Games.

“I was the comic guy, Mike was the games and cards guy and then Jesse was more of the roleplaying enthusiast. We’ve all been friends for years. We all have that similar overlap, that geekdom, that kind of brought us together and we opened up a store and we used all of our strength to support another store,” Kelley said.

Kelley shared that the store has grown due to its location in an Air Force Base town. Although the friends decided the store needed one owner, and Kelley sold his share when he went to college, he is still rooting for the store’s success in the distance.

Kelley shared that the market for comic books has fluctuated greatly over the years due to the economy. He said that collector markets tend to be the precursors, and if the economy dips, collector comics tend to suffer. 

However, this has not affected the store since one of its supporters is Robins Air Force Base, which attracts many comic and gaming lovers. 

Kelley mentioned that the store has recently undergone upgrades, including new fixtures, tables, and chairs. Its distributors also certified it as a premium gaming location. Kelley said he was impressed when he saw the upgrades. 

He said the comic book market did well during the pandemic but dipped last year. The slump compressed the market, but the store was not affected due to its customer base, and Kelley said they did well.

“The market compressed almost 20%, which is huge. But, like I said, we’re insulated with the base and our patrons and so we didn’t experience the same loss that the market did but then also we’ve diversified where we have a huge amount of gaming patrons that come in and they play various tabletop games and card games and roleplaying games and actually our market is more games than comics,” Kelley said.

Kelley said that over the years, comic shops have opened in the area, but they have not had the same longevity and stem power as Heroes and Villains. 

“They really managed to find their niche and their clientele and endure. Mike deserves a lot of credit for making that dream a reality. We started pretty humbly,” said Kelley.

He said Heroes and Villains is a family-friendly store where kids can learn about gaming and experience old and new games.

“You can take your kids there to come and learn how to play either already existing games that they already know of, like Pokémon, to Magic the Gathering to other types of tabletop games. I think he really created a good family environment there,” Kelley said. 

He shares the store has been McDaniel’s labor of love since its grand opening. 

Kelley said he is still a huge supporter of the store, but since its opening, he has ventured off to open a nonprofit dedicated to youth literacy based on comics. He teaches a comic book creator class at Northside Elementary School and gives away books to displaced children. 

He said he has always been a comic enthusiast and shares that passion with his sons and other children. 

“Comics has been my passion since I was nine years old and there’s still amazing projects and creators right now,” Kelley said.

As someone who struggled with reading as a child, comic books helped him become an avid reader.

He shared the comic book market is still alive and well, and there is something for everyone.

Kelley is currently on his way to getting a Ph.D. in youth literacy from the University of Georgia this fall.

“My entire focus is trying to shed this stigma of comic books being a lesser medium and a lesser form and then recognizing that that is a legitimate path to not just for the struggling and reluctant reader but to instilling a lifelong joy of reading. Graphic novels, comics, sequential art can really do that,” said Kelley.

Kelley said the store’s 20th anniversary is not a small accomplishment, especially as a small business.

“It’s a really rare feat and as a small business owner especially in this medium it’s getting to be really difficult. The margins can be really tough and to not just survive but thrive for 20 years it’s a feat worthy of recognition,” said Kelley.

Kelley believes McDaniel deserves all the credit for the store’s success, and when the store approached its milestone, he was happy for his friend.

“He deserved it. His staff actually put together an anniversary event and it was really sweet. I was really proud for my friend. I’ve been friends with Mike since I was 15 and we’ve been friends for 31 years. I was happy to be able to share that experience with him,” Kelley said. 

Heroes and Villains is located at 117 Russell Parkway, Suite F and G. The store is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday through Monday from noon to 6 p.m. To find out more about upcoming events, visit their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/HeroesandVillainsInc/. 

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