By Joe Hadsall

jhadsall@joplingloe.com

Jason and Nathan Hurley have discovered that achieving a lifelong dream doesn’t mean that work is finished. Now that they have something they have always wanted, they are working harder than ever.

But don’t feel too badly for them. They love every minute of operating their new comic book store, Hurley’s Heroes.

“This is something I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid,” Jason said. “In seventh grade, I wrote a report on how to open a comic book store. I’ve been dreaming how to do this for the last 15 years, and my brother and I have worked hard at it for the last five.

“If I have to work at another job until this takes off, I’m going to do it.”

Jason, 28, also works at the Joplin Regional Airport as a security officer and maintenance worker. Nathan, 24, works customer service at Mid-Missouri Bank.

From those two 40-hour weekly shifts, the brothers crafted a set of operation hours for the new comic book store.

“It’s a little bit nerve-racking, but it’s the greatest thing we could ever do,” Nathan said. “We’re working harder than we ever have before, and there’s a lot more overhead now. But we’re having more fun than we ever had.”

From convention to conventional store

The path to opening a store presented itself to the brothers about five years ago, when each one got chances to work for other comic book stores. They were able to get a starting stock of comics, sold on eBay and hit conventions like crazy.

The two spent more than their share of early mornings at Walmart, when employees would stock all the newest, coolest action figures.

“It became an obsessive hobby,” Nathan said. “We decided that we wanted to go all out and open up a brick-and-mortar store.”

After building up, working for other stores and making connections, the brothers started a comic book convention in Joplin. Hurley Con gave the brothers the opportunity to make their dream a reality.