At 50, Vernon man turns passion for comics into profession

Vernon resident Joel Carney says he’s been into comics since he could read.

Now, at age 50, the avid comic collector is turning his lifelong passion into a full-time job and opened Joel’s Comic Corner and Collectables in downtown Vernon, June 1.

“It feels great,” Carney says of opening his business. “I know I’ll have my ups and downs, but the ups will be worth it more than the downs.”

Carney said he’s thought about opening a comic book store his entire life, and when the tendonitis in his hand was causing issues he quit his dishwashing job, which he’d had for almost a decade, and took a leap of faith.

Surrounded by thousands of comics, Carney talks passionately about his hobby that was once frowned upon.

“Spiderman has been one of my favourite heroes just because he was bullied as a kid. I know what that’s like,” he said. “So a lot of us relate to Peter Parker.”

People might think they are just comic books, but to Carney, they mean a whole lot more.

“I love the titles. I love the characters. I love the cool covers for comics,” he said.

And readers relate to the characters.

“I was always fascinated with Fantastic Four, the family dynamics, the adventures,” he said.

Over the years, the stigma about comics faded. Carney puts it down in part to the highly successful superhero movies put out by Hollywood that helped change people’s perspectives.

Some of the stereotypes still exist, though. The vast majority of his customers are male, and many are middle-aged.

However, like similar revivals in physical media, there’s a decent number of teenagers who are into collecting comics.

Price-wise, it’s a far cheaper hobby than getting into collecting vinyl or snapping photos with a film camera.

He estimates he has between 5,000 and 10,000 comics in the store, and prices start at $2 and cap out at $35. While a 1937 Superman comic might sell at auction for $1-million, most of Carney’s collection hovers at around $10 each.

But why set up a bricks-and-mortar business when everything can be bought online?

The cost of shipping is one issue, but the condition and grade of the comic are key.

A comic’s value differs tremendously depending on the condition it’s in. Carney said collectors want to see and feel the comic, rather than take an online seller’s word that it’s in “mint” condition.

“A lot of people are saying they only buy online if it’s a last option,” Carney said.

It’s also the “thrill of the hunt.”

While Carney is new to business, he’s been marketing Joel’s Comic Corner on YouTube for the last four years. In that time, he’s put out more than 1,000 videos and amassed as many subscribers.

In 2024, he began selling comics at the Rutland Flea Market and has been prolific on social media. His wife has been helping him out with the administration side of the business and he has a clear business strategy. The owners of Kelowna Okanagan Sportscards and Comics have been mentoring him in running the store.

As the name would suggest, Joel’s Comic Corner and Collectables sells more than comics, and the store has a small selection of Hot Wheels cars, sports cards, action figures, and other bits and bobs.

But comics are clearly his main passion, and after 50 years, he decided to make it his profession.

Joel’s Comic Corner and Collectables is located at 3202 32 Avenue, Vernon. For more information, go here.