The Face of Comics Has Changed.

Amid all the fears surrounding the Covid-19 virus pandemic, many businesses are feeling overwhelmed–if they are retailers or food supply chains–or fearful of what will happen to their businesses if they have to close their doors to the public. With 1 in 4 Americans forced to stay home to avoid spreading the Coronavirus, anxiety and fear are the new normal. With families sheltering in place at home, it’s also important to keep all of us occupied, calm and relaxed. In light of all the changes in how we are able to do business and take care of our day to day activities, it is time now to find new ways to work, survive and adapt. On this and other websites in fact, we have had to leverage our affiliate partners in ways we never had to before.

The same goes for independent artists and comics fans. In the midst of lockdowns and unemployment–millions of people across the world sheltering in place during this unprecedented pandemic–we now have more free time to work on our art and creations, even while we try to navigate through all the fear and uncertainty. With countless businesses shut down to enforce social distancing to prevent the spread of Covid-19, even when we get that latest issue finished, we have nowhere to print or distribute at the moment. Comic shops all over America, already closed to protect their customers from the coronavirus, are sadly sharing this announcement from yesterday:

Bleeding Cool has been informed by multiple senior industry figures that Diamond Comic Distributors is requesting that no more product be shipped to any of its warehouses until further notice. Product already in its warehouses will be distributed, such that it can, but after that they will be distributing no more comics, magazine, books, toys, games, or any other product until further notice.”

“Diamond Comic Distributors are the exclusive distributors to the direct market of comic book stores for Marvel, DC, Image, Dark Horse, Dynamite, Boom and man, many more publishers. Without Diamond, that would be it.

“But I have also been told to tell people not to panic. There are plans for digital-first publication being discussed. And I also hear that alternate plans are going into place to ship books to retailers who can still accept them. And that there are smart people working on this with the industry’s best interests in mind. And it shouldn’t affect this week’s comic books – many stores already have them.

“I have also been told that it is advisable that comic retailers and publishers in the US look into the recently announced new forgivable loans for businesses with under 500 people. That it is a first-come-first-served situation…”

“UPDATE: I have been told that an official statement will be forthcoming. You can also keep up with our continuing coverage of the coronavirus impact on the comics industry with this tag.“ –Posted by Rich Johnston on March 23, 2020 | Source: Bleedingcool.com |

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