The comics and graphic arts community in St. John's is mourning the loss of a longtime business owner in the city, and remembering Jason Conway as a fixture of the province's comic scene for decades.

Conway died suddenly Wednesday at the age of 50. He owned and operated Downtown Comics for nearly 25 years, a quaint shop on Duckworth Street that offers a slice of life for comic collectors and fans. 

"We lost one of the big giants in comic books this week," close friend and graphic artist Wallace Ryan told CBC Radio's On The Go.  

"His love for comics was unparalleled. He did everything he could to help the local comic arts community. He was always willing to do a signing, he let us come into the store to sit there and draw our comics in the store at the time."

Conway's death prompted an outpouring of support for his family in the days that followed, with comments flooding into the Downtown Comics Facebook page from those who knew him well over the years, sharing memories, stories and original works of art to pay homage to his life. 

"He was a guy with a big, big heart, and I will sorely miss him. He was a good friend," said Ryan.

Historian and writer Mike Heffernan was also a close friend of Conway's. 

He calls Conway's shop a "cultural institution," somewhere he worked while studying as an undergraduate, and again, periodically, until a few years ago.

"That store gave me so much of my life at the time, and I'm devastated that he's gone," Heffernan said, his voice breaking.. 

To Conway, the shop was more than just a shop, with a job that wasn't just a job, Heffernan said — it was his life.