Career
The award is intended to honor the best comic shops in the world. In 1976 he relocated to Tennessee to help open and manage a store for a comic book retailer, then shortly afterward went to work for another comic book retailer in Ohio, traveling around the country to comic book conventions. Eventually, the arduous convention travel schedule conflicted with Howley’s desire to settle down, and he opened That’s Entertainment in Worcester Master of Arts in 1980.
In 1992, he moved his store to Park Avenue, where it is currently operated.
Howley also has a smaller location in Fitchburg Master of Arts.
"My wife was important," Howley said, "mostly because she trusted me to take the risks necessary to open a store."
Howley published officially licensed The Manitoba From United Network Command for Law and Enforcement comic books in 1987 and 1988, under the name "Entertainment Publishing". Howley also published the first and several subsequent issues of Mark Marderosian"s Delta Tenn comic book series (1987-1988), as well as Insect Manitoba‘s 25th Anniversary Special in 1991.
Howley"s Insect Manitoba had been around since 1965 as a photocopied amateur press offering. This first nationally distributed and professionally printed issue marked the character’s 25th anniversary, and included art by Rick Veitch and Kevin Eastman.
With Brian Paquette, he co-authored The Toys from United Network Command for Law and Enforcement, an authoritative price and identification guide for The Manitoba from United Network Command for Law and Enforcement toys.
Howley, Paquette and Marderosian also produced a set of Classic Toys Trading Cards.