Chad Burdette
In light of the situation, the comics industry finds itself in due to the Corona Virus pandemic, Comics Experience, the premier online school for comics creators, is excited to announce its “Retailer Relief” program which aims to help comics fans and students empowered to support their local stores.
Releasing new content on a weekly basis, the program will allow comics customers to purchase original content generated by some of the industry’s top comics creators and educators, with 80% of the purchase price directly benefit participating comic shops. The available content will include videos, audio files, PDFs, and more, featuring creators and educators discussing the craft and life of comics in an educational and entertaining manner.
All brick and mortar comics retailers are invited to participate in the program, which will allow customers to support their local comic shops and gain exclusive content from the comfort of home. ComicsPRO, the only trade organization for direct market comic book retailers, is working with Comics Experience to help get the word out to its members in order to financially benefit as many retailers as possible.
For over a decade, Comics Experience has led the way for online comic book education with their commitment to high-quality content through their long list of alumni who work with every publisher in North America and many in Europe; including several creators currently under exclusive contracts at Marvel and DC Comics.
Andy Schmidt, President/Founder of Comics Experience and former Marvel Comics and IDW Publishing editor said in a press release,
“As soon as I realized how quickly store fronts would be closing, I immediately tasked our whole team with developing an online and educational component that could directly benefit retailers–the backbone of the industry that’s been so good to me. We’re all hurting, but my feeling is we can do some good for retailers, their customers and without exploiting the same products they’ll be selling when their doors reopen.”
“We’ve developed literally hundreds of comics education videos over the years. Though this wasn’t ever the intended purpose, they can do some good to help budding creators and retailers alike. It just seems like the right thing to do. But you won’t see every video up there on week 1. This program will release new content every week.”
Joining Andy Schmidt in developing the program are Bon Alimagno, Comics Experience’s Creators Workshop Director and former Marvel Comics Talent Manager, Anne Randulic Director of Marketing at Comics Experience and Atom! Freeman of Prana Direct Market Solutions.
Comics Experience is inviting creators to donate videos and other comics educational content to the program with proceeds going to retailers. Retailers will send out a link to the product page and any customer that uses that link, will benefit that specific shop . So as a customer, you know exactly where your money is going.
Retailers are encouraged to email info@ComicsExperience.com for easy to follow directions on how to sign up and use the tools. Creators seeking to donate videos or educational PDFs are also encouraged to email info@ComicsExperience.com for more information on how to help.
Retailer Sign Up Form Link: https://bit.ly/Retail-relief-sign-up
Retailer Landing Page Link: https://www.comicsexperience.com/retailer-relief/
Retailer Relief Creative Assets Link: https://bit.ly/Retailer-relief-assets
Comics Experience hope is that we can bring our expertise to the retailers’ customers without digging into their regular business. We’re not trying to sell items that they normally sell; we’re offering up items to give them a boost. We will be releasing new content every Wednesday for as long as this crisis lasts.
Comics Experience also thanked retailers for their devotion to the industry, the creator community for any help they can offer and our fans for supporting an industry we all love.
