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COLUMBIA -- One Midlands business is taking today’s unsteady economy and turning it into an opportunity to grow.

Heroes and Dragons, a comic book store located off of Broad River Road, is home to thousands of alternative stories for a large variety of readers.

“The industry has expanded to provide pretty much any type of comic book that a person would like,” said Brian Eison. “It’s a really easy, open medium.”

Eison said the target demographic has changed significantly for the comic book industry.

“Ten to twenty years ago, you’d have a very specific group of readers wanting to read about super heroes, guys fighting in tights,” he said.  “Now you’ve got crime comics, romance comics, comics for kids.”

Eison said the comic book genre gives reader an escape without breaking the bank.

Local comic book artist, Johnny Timmons, agreed. 

“They are crazy just aliens and gods and dimensions,” he said.  “It’s just completely different from the ways we live our lives.”

The 25-year-old said that while some perceive comic books as “corney”, he said that behind the fantasy lies real life truths.  

“They do commentary on the American Health Care system using Thore and Captain America fighting on a floating island as a way to address these things but not get mired down in the negative aspects of it.”

Both Timmons and Eison said that they hope people continue to use their product as a healthy escape.