VALDOSTA – Andre Oliver remembers the years toward the end of his time in the United States Air Force — a time he spent going to comic book shops to analyze how they were run and how the owners treated people who walked through the door.

He was looking to start his own comic book shop and wanted to see what worked and what didn’t, eventually opening the doors to Kool Comics in 2002.

Oliver said he remembers feeling a sense of trepidation leaving the military initially to start the shop.

“I didn’t necessarily receive the support from family and friends that I needed to feel as eager as I do now about what I do,” Oliver said.

But by August, Kool Comics will mark 20 years in business: a staple of the community and the longest-running comic book shop in the history of Lowndes County and surrounding areas.

He said he’s proud because everything has panned out. One of the things Oliver remembers really learning from other comic book shop owners is how they treat customers.

What he took from that is a desire to create an atmosphere akin to that of the bar in “Cheers.” For Oliver and his customers, it is a running joke that he is essentially the barkeep and the comics are the drinks people enjoy.

Alongside that is a hub for stories, good company and camaraderie that keeps customers coming back because, to Oliver, Kool Comics is about more than just selling comic books.

“I like to know the people — the customers — as friends (and) advise them on different aspects of their life, of course, if they’re seeking that advice,” Oliver said.

That advice, he’s found, ranges from business ventures to marriage to having kids. It’s a friendly, family environment that is more than just about buying comics.

It is the Kool Comics experience.

This experience also led him to be featured in the “Access Guide to Black Comic Book Community 2020-2021.”

It is a sourcebook for new and veteran comic book readers who want to know more about Black comic book creators, the stories they produce, publishers, stores and conventions “that provide kinship, safe spaces and promote an imaginative variety of experience through comic books,” according to its description.

Oliver is being featured again for the 2022-23 version. He said it was an honor to be a part of the book.

“It’s the first time that I can remember that my photo and a snippet of my story has been told in a book that’s on shelves anywhere you go — in any major bookstore,” he said. “It’s something I was immediately very proud of.”

This wasn’t the only place Oliver was spotlighted for his hard work and leadership abilities. These traits led to a referral to run — and subsequent campaign— for the position of state representative for the 170th District of Georgia in 2020 in the Democrat Party.

Oliver said people in general shouldn’t seek power, but an opportunity sought him out. It wasn’t a moment where he woke up and suddenly decided to run.

He said he often considered finishing his career and part of his life as a politician but it still took a few months prior to qualifying before deciding to forge a campaign trail.

“I just wanted to get out there, represent the community and put my best foot forward,” Oliver said. “Hopefully (I’d) inspire some other people to step up and try to serve their community.”

Oliver said it was hard managing his time between Kool Comics, the campaign and his family all in the midst of a pandemic.

Still, he saw it as the right thing to do. 

Between this, his spotlight in “The Access Guide to Black Comic Book Community” and the lasting impression from his campaign, Oliver finds himself blessed.

Oliver is also involved in the PlayStation 5 trade. He has attained and sold 12 since August.

Not all were sold for profit.

During the 2021 holiday season, he made sure to get PS5s into the hands of his friends and customers who just wanted to put one into the hands of their children for Christmas.

Those PS5s were comped — sold equivalent to or close to the market price he paid for them rather than a “for profit” price.

This wasn’t Oliver’s first venture into the gaming arena — Kool Comics is a comic book, games and collectables store — but he wants to lean more into gaming, specifically video games, in the store’s future.

Oliver wants everyone to know they are welcome inside the store.

“(Kool Comics) isn’t something where you have to necessarily be into (comics),” he said, “Believe me, when you step in those doors, there’s always going to be a book or product that will call out to you or a game that will catch your attention.”