Happy Harbor Comics

Happy Harbor Comics owner and operator Jay Bardyla notices the chair he is sitting on is a little wobbly. He pulls out an electric drill and flips the chair over and starts tightening the screws. “Always multitasking,” he says.

He goes on to explain that he’s prepping the store, and himself, for the 24-hour Comic Book Challenge, a charity event where local comic artists each create their own 24-page comic book in 24 hours, with all proceeds going to Literacy Alberta and Boys Girls Club/Big Brothers Big Sisters Edmonton. Between the daily operations of the store, prepping for the event, and his own participation, Jay will be awake and working for around 36 hours straight.

For Jay, the multiple charity events that Happy Harbor Comics takes part in throughout the year are completely worth the lack of sleep. “It just makes sense,” he explains. “All I do is sell stuff. It’s not food or shelter or anything necessary, and I’ve made a comfortable living off of it. I’m lucky and this very well could end at any time, so I might as well do something good with it.”

The market crash of 2008 did almost see an end for Happy Harbor Comics. Jay’s first Happy Harbor Comic store was in Jasper, AB., before moving to Edmonton in 2005. By 2008, Happy Harbor Comics had five locations (four in Edmonton, one in Lloydminster). By 2012, there was only one.

“I had a lot of sleepless nights,” says Jay. “But in the end, I had to keep going.”