How COVID-19 Has Changed the Comic Book Industry
Comics and COVID-19: How the New Normal is Impacting an Old Art Form
Facebook BusinessThe COVID-19 pandemic has affected small businesses in every industry—including comic books—where small publishers and retailers have adapted by relying on digital sales and holding online conventions instead of in-person events. We wanted to take a deeper look at the changes the industry has faced, so we’re hosting a virtual panel on Nov. 6 from 3 - 4:30PM PT called We’ll hear from writer Alex De Luca, artists Walden Wong and Barbara “Willy” Mendes, co-publisher at Red 5 Comics Joshua Starnes, and owner of retail store Space Cadets Collection Jen King. Join us next week and let us know you’re attending by
To get early insight into some of the changes these industry insiders have experienced, we spoke with Joshua and Jen ahead of the event.
“There is a huge pivot toward online and live social media sales,” says Jen. “Both of these can meet the needs of customers and mitigate their risk. We’ve also seen an increase in comic book back issue and graphic novel sales, as well as board games and sealed card gaming product.”
She adds: “Shops are spending hundreds of man hours listing their products on retail websites so their customers have access to their entire inventory and can have it pulled and shipped to them, delivered to their porch or picked up curbside. I've heard stories of many shops closing their brick-and-mortar locations to just focus on online sales. The retail environment will look very different when this is all resolved.”
Joshua says innovation is key to how small publishers like Red 5 have been able to adapt. “We’re searching for new ways to get books both direct to stores and direct to customers.” For Red 5, part of that included participating in the San Diego Comic-Con@Home virtual convention that replaced the massive in-person event that started in 1970. “It went very well, mostly by recording material ahead of time so that there were fewer tech snafus,” says Joshua. “The downside is: all communication is one way.”
Despite any downsides, Joshua sees importance in continuing to do virtual events. “They keep us directly connected to readers and remind us that we’re all still here,” says Joshua. “That's imperative for not just growing an audience but in times like these keeping them from slipping away.”
He adds: “It's easy to get dislocated sitting in the same room for months on end. It's easy to forget the world and everything you used to do exists. But it does, and this way we can continue to keep some version of that connection going.”
Jen and Joshua will offer more thoughts during the virtual event on Nov. 6 from 3 - 4:30PM PT alongside Alex De Luca, who wrote the Red 5 comic book “Dragon Whisperer,” Marvel and DC artist Walden Wong, and long-time independent cartoonist Barbara “Willy” Mendes, who started in underground “comix,” as they were known, in the 1960s.
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October 29, 2020
Comics and COVID-19: How the New Normal is Impacting an Old Art Form
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected small businesses in every industry—including comic books—where small publishers and retailers have adapted by relying on digital sales and holding online conventions instead of in-person events. We wanted to take a deeper look at the changes the industry has faced, so we’re hosting a virtual panel on Nov. 6 from 3 - 4:30PM PT called “Comics & COVID: How the New Normal is Impacting an Old Art Form.” We’ll hear from writer Alex De Luca, artists Walden Wong and Barbara “Willy” Mendes, co-publisher at Red 5 Comics Joshua Starnes, and owner of retail store Space Cadets Collection Jen King. Join us next week and let us know you’re attending by registering for the event.
To get early insight into some of the changes these industry insiders have experienced, we spoke with Joshua and Jen ahead of the event.
“There is a huge pivot toward online and live social media sales,” says Jen. “Both of these can meet the needs of customers and mitigate their risk. We’ve also seen an increase in comic book back issue and graphic novel sales, as well as board games and sealed card gaming product.”
She adds: “Shops are spending hundreds of man hours listing their products on retail websites so their customers have access to their entire inventory and can have it pulled and shipped to them, delivered to their porch or picked up curbside. I've heard stories of many shops closing their brick-and-mortar locations to just focus on online sales. The retail environment will look very different when this is all resolved.”
Joshua says innovation is key to how small publishers like Red 5 have been able to adapt. “We’re searching for new ways to get books both direct to stores and direct to customers.” For Red 5, part of that included participating in the San Diego Comic-Con@Home virtual convention that replaced the massive in-person event that started in 1970. “It went very well, mostly by recording material ahead of time so that there were fewer tech snafus,” says Joshua. “The downside is: all communication is one way.”
Despite any downsides, Joshua sees importance in continuing to do virtual events. “They keep us directly connected to readers and remind us that we’re all still here,” says Joshua. “That's imperative for not just growing an audience but in times like these keeping them from slipping away.”
He adds: “It's easy to get dislocated sitting in the same room for months on end. It's easy to forget the world and everything you used to do exists. But it does, and this way we can continue to keep some version of that connection going.”
Jen and Joshua will offer more thoughts during the virtual event on Nov. 6 from 3 - 4:30PM PT alongside Alex De Luca, who wrote the Red 5 comic book “Dragon Whisperer,” Marvel and DC artist Walden Wong, and long-time independent cartoonist Barbara “Willy” Mendes, who started in underground “comix,” as they were known, in the 1960s.
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