Today we’d like to introduce you to Enrique Munoz.
Hi Enrique, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Spanish was my first language growing up. As a kid, I had a teacher who said I wouldn’t amount to anything if I couldn’t understand the English language. I came across comic books at a 7-11 around 1988 and saw books containing characters that I saw on TV. Spider-Man and Batman were featured on the covers. I bought my first comic book, and there was something about the pictures and the words that worked for me. By the end of my second grade year, I was reading at a 4th grade level. Later, after I graduated from high school, I got a job working at a comic book store. The job took me around the country working at comic conventions. It was at one of these conventions that I earned around $15k for my boss. I thought to myself, why am I working so hard for someone else when I could sell comics for myself and keep the earnings? That was the very beginning of what would eventually create Comic Hero University.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Running a comic book store has been a very fulfilling endeavor, but it has not been easy. Along the way, we have had to deal with the pandemic, landlords who forced me to move, I’ve had to move the store 4 times, and the bankruptcy and disappearance of our biggest distributor. These challenges were all very public, and so my customers were always concerned for my business, but we took things one day at a time, faced whatever daily challenge we had to face, and came through on the other side.
We’ve been impressed with Comic Hero University, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Comic Hero University has always strived to be a place that breaks the stereotypes of comic book stores. We want to create a place that is community-first, business second (without sacrificing the business part so we can keep our doors open). We have a large number of products- comics, toys, and collectibles- to entice people to come inside, but the real gem is the people that work here who actively want to create the best <a href="https://comicvibe.com/review-the-story-of-an-f1-legend-through-a-multiplayer-vr-experience-2/” title=”Review: The story of an F1 legend through a multiplayer VR experience”>experience for anyone new to the industry. One thing we did during the pandemic was create a pay-it-forward program where people could donate money to the business, and we’d use that money to buy comics that we could give away to kids (community first, business second). That program got national press at the time and helped us get through the dark pandemic days. We continue to run our business with the intent to bring new readers and kids who struggle with reading and comprehension, with the hope to build and create lifelong readers and help end the battle against illiteracy.
Here is a link to news report from NBC in regards to our program:
https://www.nbclosangeles.com/video/on-air/pow-shop-owner-gives-out-comic-books-to-fullerton-students/2361577/
How do you think about happiness?
The moment I see a child pick up a comic for the first time and know that we have created a lifelong reader fills me with joy, as it gives what I do direction and purpose. People’s genuine joy and appreciation fill me with pride, knowing that I did a job well done.
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