Calum Johnston

Comic book retail organization ComicsPRO welcomes its first-ever Canadian director with a recent change to its board.

Calum Johnston, owner of Strange Adventures in Halifax, Nova Scotia has been selected to fill a board vacancy of the direct-market comic-book retailer trade association.

Chris Powell, general manager of the Lone Star Comics chain in the Dallas metroplex, resigned from the board. Gary Dills, co-owner of The Laughing Ogre, with stores in Virginia and Ohio, has been named vice president of ComicsPRO, taking on the post left vacant with Powell’s departure.

“It’s great to welcome Calum Johnston to our board as the first ComicsPRO director from north of the border, ” said Joe Field, ComicsPRO President and owner of Concord CA’s Flying Colors Comics & Other Cool Stuff, in a release. “I’ve known and admired Calum’s work as a retailer for many years and I’m sure he’ll bring new energy and a fresh perspective to the ComicsPRO board. This should also send a message to comic specialty retailers everywhere that ComicsPRO is serious about about representing the interests of all our retailing brethren.”

Johnston worked as a disc jockey, graphic designer and bartender among other jobs before starting Strange Adventures in 1992.   Johnston received the prestigious Will Eisner “Spirit of Comics” Award for retailing excellence in 2001.

“I’m very honoured to be asked to join the board,” said Johnston. “The aims of the group are to help comic book retailers and I will do my best to help the board and the membership anyway I can.”

Outgoing board member Chris Powell served on the ComicsPRO Board of Directors for the last four years and was recently named President of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. He said in a statement:

“It’s become clear in the weeks since I ran for re-election that the stresses of running seven stores and a mail order business during ‘interesting’ economic times, plus being on the Boards of Directors of two non-profit organizations is just too much for me. I will remain an active member of ComicsPRO, available to help out on the mentoring forum and other projects. I love what this organization has done, and am very optimistic about what it will accomplish in the future.”

For more information about ComicsPRO, visit www.ComicsPRO.org.

– Matt Price

Eric Kirsammer

ComicsPRO has named retailer Eric Kirsammer of Chicago Comics to the open spot on the organization’s board of directors.

Kirsammer has owned Chicago Comics since 1991 and received the Will Eisner “Spirit of Comics” Retailing Award in 1997. Kirsammer purchased Quimby’s bookstore in 1997.

Kirsammer was appointed to fill the board position of Ben Trujillo, of Star Clipper in St. Louis, Mo. Trujillo resigned to focus more fully on his MOBY point-of-sale system for comic retail outlets.

ComicsPRO is a retailer trade organization for comic book specialty stores.  Its 140 member-retailers comprise approximately 180 storefronts.

– Matt Price

WORD BALLOONS

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Flash and Green Lantern will be the “cornerstones” of the DC Universe in the coming year, said writer Geoff Johns, speaking at the ComicsPRO annual members’ meeting last week.

ComicsPRO is a nonprofit organization of direct-market comic store retailers.

Johns is the writer of the upcoming “Flash: Rebirth,” slated for release on April 1, and “Blackest Night,” which kicks off with a free No. 0 issue on May 2, Free Comic Book Day. “Blackest Night” No. 0 is the first original story created by DC for a FCBD giveaway. The first half of the book will be by Johns and Ivan Reis.

“It’s a 12-page story that’s a lead-in to the DC Universe through Hal Jordan (Green Lantern) and Barry Allen (Flash),” Johns said. “I look at Hal and Barry as very different in how they’re coming into the DC Universe.”

The Flash died a hero in “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” saving the world from the Anti-Monitor, before returning in “Final Crisis” last year. Hal Jordan was turned evil by the entity Parallax and destroyed the Green Lantern Corps before dying in the “Final Night” series. In the 2004 series “Green Lantern: Rebirth,” Hal Jordan was purged of the entity and returned as a hero.

“There’s a line in (”Blackest Night” No. 0) where Hal says, ‘You died a saint and I died a sinner,’” Johns said, referring to the different situations in which the two close friends now find themselves.

Barry Allen returning from the dead is “the worst thing that ever happened to him,” Johns said.

“I think a lot of people are wondering why we’re bringing Barry Allen back,” Johns said. “But really ‘Flash: Rebirth’ is knee-deep in doing what we do best.”
“Flash: Rebirth” is from the creative team of “Green Lantern: Rebirth,” Johns and artist Ethan Van Sciver.

DC Executive Editor Dan DiDio announced that, based on pre-orders, “Flash: Rebirth” No. 1 will be DC Comics’ top book for April.

“Blackest Night” No. 1 will launch July 15, written by Johns and drawn by Reis.  It will tie in with “Green Lantern” and “Green Lantern Corps.”

“I’ve been working really hard on Green Lantern for the last few years,” Johns said.  “When we did (the) Sinestro Corps (storyline), it was kind of a surprise for a lot of people,” Johns said.  “But now that we’re headed toward ‘Blackest Night,’ the fact that readers, retailers, DC, everybody’s really excited about it, that gets me excited, because I’ve been wanting to tell this story for a long time.”

By Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

Matt Price interviews Top Cow Publisher Filip Sablik at the ComicsPRO Annual Meeting in Memphis, Tenn.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Norse warriors are loosed on the modern world in “Berserker,” a new Top Cow series spearheaded by actor Milo Ventimiglia.

Top Cow Publisher Filip Sablik said the violent series should appeal to fans of “Wanted.” In the story, the two lead characters discover they have incredible strength when they become filled with rage.

“It’s all about these ordinary people who find out that they’re descended from Norse berserkers, these fierce warriors,” Sablik said at the ComicsPRO annual meeting. “But at this point, it’s so underneath, they have no control over it. It’s an uncontrollable rage, and they basically fly off the handle like we all do, but when they fly off the handle, things and people break.”

A special signed variant-cover edition of “Berserker” No. 1 will be distributed to comic-book retailers who sign up to support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund through Diamond Comics. The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund was is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of First Amendment rights for members of the comics community.

The issue will be signed by Ventimiglia and the writer and artist of the book. Retailers can sign up in the April Previews magazine.

Ventimiglia brought the project to Top Cow; the team creating “Berserker” is made up of writer Rick Loverd (”Friday Night Lights”), artist Jeremy Haun (”Civil War: Iron Man/Captain America”) and cover artist Dale Keown (”PITT”).

“Berserker” started as a screenplay from Loverd, a staff writer on “Friday Night Lights.” Ventimiglia, who portrays the superpowered Peter Petrelli on “Heroes,” and his producing partner Russ Cundiff both loved the script. But they thought the violence could make it a hard sell.

“They found this screenplay. They read it. They loved it; and they said, no one in their right mind is going to make this as a TV show or a movie – we should totally buy this,” Sablik said. “Both Russ and Milo are comics fans, so they said this would be perfect for comics fans.”

The preview issue of “Berserker” is available now; the first issue is set to ship in June.

– Matthew Price
From Wednesday’s The Oklahoman

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — As the third annual ComicsPRO members’ meeting drew to a close, retailers said they felt refreshed and recharged from the three-day conference.

“This experience has refined my understanding of what my job is,” said Atom! Freeman, of Brave New World Comics in Santa Clarita, Calif. “The day to day can really muddy your perceptions … being in a room full of people who know what you’re going through can refine what is you should be doing.”

Several retailers revealed in informal conversation that they believe the ComicsPRO conference to be the most important event on the comics retail calendar; the increasing membership and presence of the largest suppliers, most available to connect with on a one-to-one basis, would seem to bear that out.

While some retailers shared fears with me prior to the meeting, after the meeting, retailers said they felt better prepared to face the challenges of the future.

Some additional notes:

– While I plan much more in-depth coverage on this later, I’ll say now that talking to Geoff Johns about the upcoming “Flash: Rebirth” and “Blackest Night” has me very excited about the DC Universe in 2009.

– Vertigo’s “The Unwritten” (pictured) by Mike Carey and Peter Gross looks to be a must for Harry Potter fans over the age of 17.

– Diamond Comics announced a plan to import magazine/figure combos, similar to the Eaglemoss Marvel and DC magazines, featuring Star Wars characters and vehicles.

– Dark Horse Comics announced their intention to more clearly communicate with retailers about stock levels, when items would be unavailable, and when they might become available again.

– Joe Keatinge of Image received positive feedback to his preview of “Viking,” shipping April 1, by Ivan Brandon and Nic Klein.

– Filip Sablik of Top Cow showed lots of amazing artwork that we hope to have to show at Nerdage later, including art from Marvel Fusion, featuring Cyberforce, Hunter/Killer, Avengers and Thunderbolts.

– Matt Price

The 600,000-square-foot distribution center replaces three such centers previously housed in Memphis. Diamond has two additional distribution centers, in Plattsburgh, N.Y. and in Los Angeles. The Olive Branch facility is now the most technologically advanced of the bunch. The new inventory control system allows workers to pick items via computerized voice commands over a headset, and the quality control system will eventually be able to all but eliminate short-packed boxes with mechanisms that will make sure shipment weights are correct within ounces.

After the tour and a catered barbecue dinner, Diamond representatives answered questions from attendees about the facility and other distribution topics. Retailers said the answers they received, and the tour of the facility itself, helped to calm fears brought on by some shipping issues as the system was being implemented. 

Diamond representatives acknowledged there were still kinks being worked out, but that once the system was fully implemented, it would be more efficient and cost-effective for everyone.

– Matt Price

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The results of the ComicsPRO board member elections were announced at the ComicsPRO annual meeting. Named to the three ComicsPRO director positions up for election were Joe Field, Brian Hibbs and Chris Powell.  The board also announced its officers: Field was re-elected as President; Chris Powell was named President Pro-Tempore; Amanda Emmert was named Corporate Secretary/Treasurer; and Carr D’Angelo was named Recording Secretary.

More information from ComicsPRO about the elected directors:

Joe Field has owned and operated Flying Colors Comics & Other Cool Stuff in the suburban city of Concord CA since 1988. He is a recipient of the Will Eisner “Spirit of Comics” Award for retailing excellence. He previously worked in the broadcasting field and has also done freelance public relations. Joe is also the founder of Free Comic Book Day, the industry’s only coordinated outreach effort.

Joe is a founding member of ComicsPRO, having donated his time and energy to the organization in its formative stages. In addition to running board meetings and overseeing the work of ComicsPRO’s Communications Coordinator, Joe also is the Chair of the Public Relations committee and is a member of the Mentoring and Member Benefits committees.

In his duties as ComicsPRO’s president, Field has attended numerous industry events to find new members for ComicsPRO and to increase awareness for the organization. These events include ComicsPRO members meetings in Las Vegas and a member recruitment meeting in Philadelphia, as well as giving his time to attend and run retailer programming at Comic-Con International-San Diego.

Chris Powell is the General Manager of the north Texas-based Lone Star Comics and  mycomicshop.com.
Powell has been with Lone Star since 1989 and has worked at every level of the organization.  He has served on the Board for 3 years and as ComicsPRO’s President Pro Tem for 1.  At the ComicsPRO meeting, Powell was named president of the Board of Directors of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

Brian Hibbs opened Comix Experience in San Francisco at the age of 21, on April Fool’s Day, 1989.  He was a founding member of the ComicsPRO board of directors.

Ben Trujillo, of Star Clipper in St. Louis, Mo., announced his resignation from the board.  He told the assembled membership his retail business and his responsibilities to his software development business, which handles the point-of-sale system MOBY, made it impossible to dedicate the needed time to the board.  Field thanked Trujillo for his time on the board, and the membership applauded Trujillo’s time on the board with a standing ovation.

The remaining board members are Rick Lowell, Phil Boyle and Gary Dills.

– Matt Price

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Joe Havorka, president of ToW Distribution, a distributor specializing in remainder books, talked to assembled retailers at the ComicsPRO annual meeting about sales possibilities in bargain graphic novels.

Havorka said he believes stores who designate a “bargain book” section can see returns on a percentage basis that exceeds that of new merchandise.

ToW Distribution sells graphic novels and related merchandise to retail stores.  Retailers who want to apply for an account can do so at www.towdistribution.com/

– Matt Price

“You still represent the dominant sales force of graphic fiction,” Marvel Publisher Dan Buckley told ComicsPRO attendees as part of his keynote address. Buckley said the most important thing for Marvel to do was to lead new customers into direct-market stores.

DC Comics Executive Editor Dan Didio agreed, in his own presentation to ComicsPRO attendees, saying the biggest part of his job was to drive periodical sales in the direct market. DC Comics sponsored an entire day of programming at the ComicsPRO meeting as part of its commitment to direct-market retailing.

Dirk Wood, director of marketing at Dark Horse Comics, said the ComicsPRO show was the only show that saw an increased budget from Dark Horse in 2009, as Dark Horse aimed to increase its efforts to communicate with direct-market retailers.

While digital comics and the possible threat those posed to the direct market were much discussed prior to the meeting, publishers indicated they did not want digital products to harm direct-market sales, and in fact hoped digital content drove readers to stores.

DC Comics stated again no plans to develop for the Amazon Kindle. Buckley said Marvel doesn’t want to be in the business of consumer sales and customer service. However, they are continuing to look at ways to expand into the digital arena, including the upcoming Spider-Woman motion comic.

In addition to the public presentations, ComicsPRO board members met with publishers privately to share member concerns. ComicsPRO board member Brian Hibbs said these meetings were “incredibly productive.”

“The level of transparency and the level of candor from our suppliers has been very heartening,” Hibbs said, adding that this year’s ComicsPRO annual meeting was, he believed, the most beneficial industry event he had attended in his 20 years in retail.

– Matt Price

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Top Cow Publisher Filip Sablik outlined several of Top Cow’s initiatives at the ComicsPRO annual meeting of direct-market retailers.  First and foremost among Sablik’s points was the company’s promise to hold the price point of its regular books at $2.99 through 2009.

The trade dress of the books has been redesigned to highlight the price.  Sablik said any book at a higher price would have more pages or extras included.

Sablik also reminded retailers of the direct-market exclusive pricing on the first volumes of the Ron Marz “Witchblade” and “Darkness: Accursed,” which retail through comic shops at just $4.99.  These each collect six issues.   Volume 2 of “Darkness: Accursed” is set for April release at $9.99.

Sablik reminded retailers to sign up for Top Cow’s “Let Us Win You Over” campaign, in which selected retailers will receive free books to give away to consumers.  It will feature 25 stores per month, and is a yearlong campaign to attract new readers.   More information is available at www.topcow.com/freecomics.

– Matt Price

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Comic Book Legal Defense Fund executive director announced changes to the board of directors for the Fund while speaking at the ComicsPRO annual meeting.

Chris Staros of Top Shelf is stepping down as president of the board to focus more time on his publishing company, Brownstein said. Larry Marder, creator of Beanworld,” will join the board. Chris Powell of Lone Star Comics was named the new president of the CBLDF board.

Powell, also a member of the board of ComicsPRO, spoke to the assembled retailers.

“We value everybody in this room as one of the groups we’re here to protect,” Powell said. “The Fund is vital, because we don’t just protect you; we protect your customers and we protect your suppliers.”

Powell spoke to ways retailers could continue to support the fund: through memberships that are solicited through Diamond Comics Distributors; through eBay auctions that designate some funds to the CBLDF through MissionFish; through a donation jar on the counter; or through signings and events benefiting the Fund.

“Besides monetarily, one of the things you can do … is to help us continue to get the mission out,” Powell said.

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund was founded in 1986 as a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of First Amendment rights for members of the comics community.

– Matt Price

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Marvel’s most popular mutant is set to become a fund-raising hero.

Steve Borock of the Hero Initiative, speaking at the ComicsPRO annual meeting, said a “Wolverine” project similar to the “Spider-Man” and “Hulk” 100 Covers project is in the works.  About 100 top-level artists will be approached to create Wolverine covers that will be printed in a book to benefit the Hero Initiative.   Borock indicated that creators including Frank Cho were interested in being involved with this project.

Borock also announced “Hero Comics,” a benefit comic book organized by Scott Dunbier, which will include a new “American Flagg!” story by Howard Chaykin.   This 32-page anthology will also feature contributions from Gene Colan and Josh Medors.

The Hero Initiative raises funds for comic-book creators in need.  The Initiative has benefited more than 50 creators, Borock said, with more than $500,000 cumulatively.

The Hero Initiative also provided an informational DVD to the attending retailers with information about the Hero Initiative.  The one-minute version of the video is embedded below.

– Matt Price

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — DC executives attending the annual ComicsPRO meeting were asked about upcoming issues of “Action Comics” and “Detective Comics” that wouldn’t star traditional heroes Superman and Batman.  Will the lack of those heroes cause sales to drop?

Detective Comics will feature Batwoman as the lead character, written by Greg Rucka and drawn by J.H. Williams.  Rucka is the writer on Action Comics, starring characters Flamebird and Nightwing. Issue #875, drawn by Eddy Barrows, is on sale now.  Didio said the art for Detective Comics is phenomenal, and will draw new readers to the series.

“I can’t wait to see this stuff because it’s just so cool-looking,” Didio said. “(Williams’) Batwoman stuff is just dynamite.”

Didio also reiterated the strong ties between Action Comics and the rest of the Superman world.

“Those characters (Flamebird and Nightwing) originated in Action Comics,” Didio said.  “(And) Superman’s not gone — he’s just not the star of the book right now.   If somebody is a Superman fan, they should feel engaged by this storyline and excited by it.”

DC’s vice president of sales Bob Wayne indicated that numbers on “Action Comics” ordered so far under Greg Rucka’s run are nearly the same as previous numbers under Geoff Johns.

– Matt Price

Several high-profile projects from WildStorm that have gone missing in action are still being worked on, said Hank Kanalz of WildStorm at the ComicsPRO Annual Meeting.

The Grant Morrison-Jim Lee “Wildcats” series will be completed as a graphic novel, and will be solicited when it’s complete, Kanalz said.

The Morrison “Authority” also won’t be permanently abandoned.

“The Grant Morrison ‘Authority’ will be finished by Keith Giffen and a variety of artists,” Kanalz told retailers. “When you see the solicitation, you know it’s done.”

Also, answering what he said was the most popular question he’s been asked, “Planetary” #27 by Warren Ellis and John Cassaday should ship in 2009.   That book also won’t be solicited until it’s done, Kanalz said.

– Matt Price

MEMPHIS, Tenn.  — WildStorm announced the development of an aggressive creator-driven line at the 2009 ComicsPRO Annual Meeting.

Several new comic-book series will be joining the WildStorm line, announced Hank Kanalz of WildStorm.  The titles include:

- “North 40,” by Aaron Williams (”PS238″) and Fiona Staples (”Secret History of the Authority”).

This is a miniseries about a Midwestern American town that holds a secret in its library — a book that brings dreams and nightmares to life.  It launches in June.

- “Red Herring,” by Dave Tischman and Philip Bond.
This six-issue miniseries launching in June was described by Kanalz as “The Daily Show meets the X-Files.”  It’s designed to be a series of miniseries, Kanalz said.

- “Sparta,” written by David Lapham

A sleepy American town built around its football team has a magical undertone.

- “Garrison,” written by Jeff Mariotte

“Garrison” is an FBI procedural miniseries in which agents are tracking down a serial killer.

Kanalz said WildStorm is committed to shipping these series on time.

“We’re sticking to our promise that when we solicit, that means we’re ready to go,” Kanalz said.

– Matt Price

“It’s an experience now,” Didio said. “The art is larger.  There’s a lot of story on each page.”

These will be 16 pages featuring fifteen original one-page features.  Mark Chiarello championed the project, Didio said.

Creators involved with the project include Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso, the “100 Bullets” team, will create a Batman tale for the project.  Neil Gaiman and Michael Allred will be involved with a Metamorpho project.  Other creators named were Paul Pope, Walt Simonson and Dave Gibbons.

Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner will be involved with a “Supergirl” serial, and Joe Kubert will be returning to Sgt. Rock.

“I love the excitement, I love the energy that a weekly comic brings,” Didio said. “We’re anxious to stay in that business.”

– Matt Price

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The sales of “Watchmen” collected editions have topped 1 million units since the trailer was released with the “Dark Knight” film in July 2008, DC Vice President of Sales Bob Wayne announced at the ComicsPRO Annual Meeting.

In addition, DC Comics offered a fourth consignment program for retailers to help keep “Watchmen” stocked deeply on store shelves.

“We think there will still be people coming in looking for this book,” Wayne said, citing anticipated continued demand projected by DC Comics.

– Matt Price

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — “Flash Chronicles,” reprinting the original adventures of the Barry Allen Flash, is among the highlights of DC Comics’ collected editions discussed at the ComicsPRO Annual Meeting.

Barry Allen’s first appearance in “Showcase” #4 kicked off what’s considered the Silver Age of Comics, and Flash joins Superman, Batman and Green Lantern in the “Chronicles” line.  The first volume is scheduled to ship in September.

Other highlights from the Collected Editions presentation:

- A one-volume collection of “Batman: Hush” by Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee in August

- The first Zuda collection, “High Moon” vol. 1, written by former University of Oklahoma student David Gallaher, is scheduled for October.

- The all-ages “Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the Eighth Grade,” is scheduled for December.

DC’s black-and-white “Showcase” collections are going to move toward one release per month rather than two per month.   The volumes scheduled through the rest of the year are Bat Lash in July; Eclipso in August; Warlord in September; House of Secrets vol 2 in October; DC Comics Presents Superman Team Ups in November; and Wonder Woman vol 3 in December.

The panel also offered sneak peeks into 2010, including an “Adam Hughes Cover to Cover” art book; “Absolute Green Lantern Rebirth;” and new editions of “Sandman” implementing the recoloring done for the Absolute editions of the series.

– Matt Price

Superhero Tom Strong, created by Alan Moore, will return to the WildStorm imprint in 2009 in a miniseries by Peter Hogan and Chris Sprouse.

Hank Kanalz, general manager of WildStorm Productions, said the new series will be called “Tom Strong and the Robots of Doom.”

“With Chris on ‘Tom Strong,’ this will make a terrific miniseries, and it will come out on time,” Kanalz said.

Tom Strong was created by Moore and Sprouse and first appeared in “Tom Strong” #1 from America’s Best Comics, an imprint of WildStorm, in 1999.

-  Matt Price

MEMPHIS, Tenn.  -  DC Comics’ mature-readers line, Vertigo, will launch three new ongoing series in 2009, it was announced at the annual ComicsPRO meeting of comic-book retailers.

Vertigo’s new series in 2009 are “The Unwritten,” “Greek Street” and “Sweet Tooth.”

“The Unwritten,” set for a May release, is by the “Lucifer” creative team of Mike Carey and Peter Gross.  Vertigo Executive Editor Karen Berger said “The Unwritten” was along the lines of a “classic” Vertigo series like “Sandman” and “Books of Magic.”

“It really blends the best of reality with fantasy,” Berger said.

The  second series, “Greek Street,” is written by Peter Milligan (”Shade the Changing Man”).

“It does for Greek mythology what ‘Fables’ has done for fairy tales,” Berger said, referencing Bill Willingham’s series about fable characters in the real world. “It’s taking themes you find in Greek classics and reinventing them in modern times.”

The third series, announced for the first time at ComicsPRO, is “Sweet Tooth.”  This series is written and drawn by Jeff Lemire (”Essex County”).

“Sweet Tooth” features a young man, born with antlers after a nuclear apocalypse, finding his way through his post-apocalyptic world after the death of his father.

Berger said the book had lots of Western elements and an indie flavor.

“We try to support new visions,” Berger said. “This is a book you can give to people who don’t read comics.”

– Matt Price

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Discussions were primarily optimistic at the informal meet and greet kicking off the annual ComicsPRO meeting of comic-book retailers.   Distributors, publishers and others will discuss their plans for the upcoming year over the next three days with some of the nation’s top comic-book sellers.

While the box office for “Watchmen” might have not been all that Warner Bros. had hoped for, it certainly worked as far as motivating sales of the book.   Anecdotal evidence pointed to huge sales of the graphic novel leading up to the movie’s opening.

Anticipation was high for the “Wolverine” movie, with retailers reporting increased interest in Wolverine and Deadpool merchandise as the movie nears.

Free Comic Book Day, coming up on May 2, was also mentioned by retailers, with at least one retailer expecting it to be his most successful Free Comic Book Day ever.

This year’s Free Comic Book Day will feature a Wolverine tie-in comic as well as the launch of DC’s “Blackest Night” event, written by Geoff Johns.

Also on the horizon are opportunities to tie in with the “Jonah Hex” and “Green Lantern” films, slated for 2010.

Not all was rosy, however.  The overall economic slump had affected some locations.  Furthermore, logistic problems with a large supplier have become more pronounced in recent weeks.   And, something on many stores’ minds is the question of how digital content will impact the comic book industry.

Still, the dozens of retailers who met and talked late into the night about trends and ideas for comic-book retail continue to have a passion for their line of work, and optimism about the future.

– Matt Price

ComicsPRO, the largest professional organization of direct-market comic-book retailers, is moving its annual meeting to Memphis this year. 

DC Comics has stepped up to provide additional programming for the retail group.  The keynote address will be provided by Marvel Comics president Dan Buckley.   A tour of Diamond Comics’ new distribution facility in Olive Branch, Miss., is also on the schedule.

The ComicsPRO meeting, now in its third year, has always been a great place to find ideas, passion and news about the industry, and I’m expecting no less this year.  Click past the break for the full release and schedule.

– Matt Price

ComicsPRO Annual Meeting Moves to Memphis
Retailers Rise to the Challenge of Changing Market Dynamics

ComicsPRO, the Comics Professional Retail Organization, moves to Memphis TN for its third annual meeting at the Memphis Hilton March 19-21, 2009. The shift to Memphis makes the meeting more accessible to retailers and includes a packed schedule of events.

“This meeting is an absolute must for every professional comic specialty retailer,” said ComicsPRO President Joe Field (Flying Colors Comics, Concord CA). “We’re at a critical stage of the comics specialty sales channel in an uncertain economic climate while we’re surrounded by competition all around us. Our Memphis meeting will key in on finding ways for specialty retailers to prosper in the months and years ahead and rise to challenges we all face.”

Programming highlights include a full day of DC sponsored programming on March 19 and a tour of Diamond’s new distribution facility in Olive Branch MS on March 21. In addition to DC Comics and Diamond Comic Distributors, event sponsors include Marvel Comics, Top Cow Productions, and Tales of Wonder Distribution.

Meeting Overview
Wednesday March 18 — The meeting will unofficially open with an evening “Meet and Greet” at the Memphis Hilton for early-arriving attendees.

Thursday March 19 — DC Comics sponsors a full day of programming, allowing attending retailers to interact with key DC executives from publishing, marketing, sales and editorial divisions. Outside DC’s own RRP events, there is no better opportunity to hear about DC’s upcoming plans and to provide feedback on past and future projects. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are hosted by DC Comics.

Friday March 20th — Marvel Publisher Dan Buckley delivers the keynote address at a dinner sponsored by Marvel Comics.

Saturday March 21 — Tour of Diamond’s Olive Branch MS distribution facility with a catered dinner at the warehouse sponsored by Diamond Comic Distributors. This is a unique chance to visit the new warehouse and see how Diamond’s inventory and shipping systems work together to process shipments to their retailer customers.

Friday and Saturday programming will also include demonstrations of POS systems and discussions of products and services with attending retailers. In addition, there will be meetings among the membership with discussions of association projects and priorities going forward, including the election of three open director positions for the ComicsPRO Board of Directors. Sponsors are donating materials for gift bags for attending retailers.

Chris Powell, ComicsPRO board member (Lone Star Comics, Dallas TX) added “Everything is being done to ensure that this meeting will be of great value to all who attend. Information will be shared, feedback will be listened to, and positive actions will be taken.”

The special room rate for the ComicsPRO Annual Meeting at the Memphis Hilton is $129 per night. This rate is good for reservations made through the end of January, while rooms are available. Make your reservations by visiting http://www.comicspro.org/meetingreservations. The Memphis Hilton address is 939 Ridge Lake Boulevard, Memphis, TN 38120.

Attendance fee for full ComicsPRO Members are $50 for the first attendee, with additional attendees at $100 each. Associate ComicsPRO Members are $100 for the first attendee with additional attendees at $125 each. Retailers who are not yet ComicsPRO members are admitted to the meeting for $199 each. Non-members are encouraged to join ComicsPRO to realize the member meeting discount prices.

Manufacturers, services vendors, publishers, and product distributors are encouraged to inquire about available sponsorship opportunities. For more information, contact Chris Powell at genmgr@lonestarcomics.com or Amanda Emmert at info@comicspro.org.

ComicsPRO has lined up BAWLS energy drinks as a sponsor for 24-Hour Comic Book Day.  If your location is near a BAWLS distribution point, the store can pick up free BAWLS Guarana Energy Drinks. Seems like a good idea to me. If you’re drawing a comic book for 24 hours, you’re going to want to be able to stay awake for a good portion of it.

 – Matt Price 

Press release: 

ComicsPRO is pleased to announce BAWLS Guarana as the Exclusive Energy Drink Sponsor of 24 Hour Comics Day.

24-Hour Comics Day hosts near a BAWLS distribution point will be able to pick up BAWLS energy drinks (www.bawls.com) to keep their cartoonists’ minds humming and hands drawing through their 24 hours of comic-book creating.

“As the drink of choice for comic book fans, gamers and geeks alike, BAWLS Guarana is thrilled to be fueling 24 Hour Comics Day!” said Marie Navarro, Marketing Manager. “Our refreshing taste and caffeinated kick is just what these comic fiends need to keep working through the wee hours.”

Registered 24HCD venues will be emailed details about picking up their free drinks.

24 Hour Comics Day is an annual challenge for cartoonists to produce a 24-page comic book written, drawn, and completed in 24 consecutive hours.

ComicsPRO, the comic book specialty retailer trade organization, recently assumed the organizational reins for 24HCD with the enthusiastic endorsement of the event’s founder, Nat Gertler, publisher of About Comics.

Register to host a 24 Hour Comics Day event at http://www.24hourcomicsday.com/registration.html

ComicsPRO will continue to add resources to the 24 Hour Comics Day website. Participating artists, host sites, and all other interested parties are asked to bookmark the site and check it regularly!

For more information, please continue to check http://www.24hourcomicsday.com. For further inquiries and to inquire about how your company can sponsor this worldwide creative event please contact ComicsPRO’s Communications Coordinator Amanda Emmert at 24hcd@comicspro.org.

A new blog has been launched for this year’s 24 Hour Comics Day at http://24hcd.blogspot.com/

ComicsPRO will begin signing up host sites in May.

– Matt Price

L. Neil Smith (left) and Scott Bieser (right) at Majesticon in Denver.  

ComicsPRO staffer Amanda Fisher attended Majesticon in Denver on Sunday, where she met with area retailers about the direct-market retailing association. Guests at the show included comic-book creators Mike Baron, Scott Bieser and Chachi and Gabe Hernandez, along with area dealers.   

“ComicsPRO is in the process of expanding its retail base, and I’m always looking for opportunities to talk with members and prospective members about ComicsPRO’s goals,” Fisher said. For more information about Majesticon, is available here. For more information about ComicsPRO, visit www.ComicsPRO.org

More photos after the break.

Gabe Hernandez (left) and other creators at Majesticon.

ComicsPRO member Wayne Winsett of Time Warp in Boulder, Colo.

Lee Oaks, creator of Thunder Monkey!

Booths at Majesticon

“Star Wars” toys and more.

Photos by Amanda Fisher

By Matthew Price

Assistant Features Editor

WORD BALLOONS
LAS VEGAS — Comics publishers gathered at the 2008 ComicsPRO annual meeting to share information about upcoming plans with comic-book retailers.DC Comics’ vice president of sales Bob Wayne talked about DC’s upcoming crossover “Final Crisis,” and the prelude to the series, “DC Universe Zero.”“DC Universe Zero” is a 50-cent comic set for May release that is written by Geoff Johns and Grant Morrison, with art by George Perez, Tony Daniel and J.G. Jones.“When you finish reading ‘DC Universe Zero,’ you’re going to say, ‘Wow, I really wish I had ordered more copies of this,’”
Wayne said. “It does set up some of the things that appear in ‘Final Crisis,’”
Wayne said.“Final Crisis” is a seven-issue miniseries, with issue No. 1 set for a May release.
Wayne said “Final Crisis” is “Grant Morrison telling stories the way Grant does.”“It starts with Anthro and goes to Kamandi. From the first boy on earth to the last boy on earth, and everything in between,”
Wayne said.In addition,
Wayne announced a sequel to “Plain Janes,” the best-selling title in their “Minx” line of young adult graphic novels for girls.
“Plain Janes: Janes in Love,” from Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg, is shipping in September.“The comic shop market has surpassed all of our expectations at DC on how many copies you would be able to sell of these titles,”
Wayne said.
Wayne talked about DC’s newest weekly comic book, “Trinity,” following in the footsteps of “52” and “Countdown.” The lead story of the book each week will be written by Kurt Busiek and drawn by Mark Bagley.“Mark Bagley has shown he’s a guy who has consistently been able to produce a high number of pages,”
Wayne said, “and we feel very comfortable that Mark can continue to do this on this particular project.”
The first issue of “Trinity” is 40 pages for $2.99. Back-up stories for “Trinity” will be written by Busiek and Fabian Nicieza, with rotating artists.
ComicsPRO is the largest organization of comic-book retailers in the world, with more than 100 members. Other representatives at the conference included Marvel Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Cartoon Books, Top Cow, the Hero Initiative, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, and Graphitti Designs.

More notes from the ComicsPRO conference:

* Top Cow outlined plans for their “Witchblade” property, including keeping the creative team of writer Ron Marz and artist Stjepan Sejic on the book for 34 issues.
“This creative team is going to be on the book until issue 150,” Top Cow’s Filip Sablik said. “We’ve heard that you want consistent shipping, you want a creative team you can rely on, you want a book that can turn and make money for you month in and month out. We’re going to do that for you with ‘Witchblade.’”

* The nonprofit organization, the Hero Initiative, which helps comic-book creators in need, will collect the “Stan’s Soapbox” columns from Marvel Comics as a fund-raiser.

* The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is planning a retailer resource guide, to help comic-book retailers to be aware of good retailing and legal practices.

* In May, “Stupid Stupid Rat Tales” and “Rose” will come back into print from Cartoon Books.

LAS VEGAS — “Witchblade is obviously our flagship title,” Top Cow’s Filip Sablik, vice president of marketing and sales for the publisher, told the assembled retailers at the annual ComicsPRO meeting.   “We’ve got two things that we’ve done recently that we think have panned out pretty well for you guys, and they’ve done very well for us.”

The first is the recent $4.99 collection of the first Ron Marz arc in “Witchblade” was exclusively for direct-market comic-book retailers, and had been selling very well.   It collects six issues at the same quality level of all Top Cow collections.

The second is a promotion for comic stores to increase their orders on the recently shipped issue No. 116 of “Witchblade.”  That issue introduces a new artist, Stjepan Sejic.  He and Marz have signed onto “Witchblade” for the long haul, Sablik said.  

“This creative team is going to be on the book until issue 150,” Sablik said. “We’ve heard that you want consistent shipping, you want a creative team you can rely on, you want a book that can turn, and make money for you month in and month out.  We’re going to do that for you with ‘Witchblade.’”

In issue 116, Sara Pezzini and Dani Baptiste begin a new chapter as joint bearers of the Witchblade.  “Witchblade” mixes police action and fantasy adventure. The Witchblade is an ancient mystical weapon of great power. 

Sablik lined out four goals for the company across the board in 2008:
1. Timely shipping of product
2. Comic Shop Locator information in all trade paperbacks and hardcovers
3. Labeling variants in ordering material consistent with the ComicsPRO position paper on variant covers
4. Providing a trailer loop of professional trailers to retail stores promoting Top Cow products

– Matt Price

LAS VEGAS — Joe Rybandt of Dynamite said the long-awaited “American Flagg” reprint project will finally come out in July.  Howard Chaykin’s influential 1980s science fiction tale had some problems in production, but the remastered book with the first 14 issues as well as some new material is now set for a hardcover release.

Rybandt talked about several of Dynamite’s projects to the retailers assembled for the ComicsPRO annual meeting in Las Vegas.   “The Boys” vol. 1, from Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, is now in its third printing.  Volume 2 is now in stock, and volume 3 will follow this year. 

Rybandt reiterated the involvement by painter Alex Ross in “Project Superpowers,” from Dynamite, and “Avengers/Invaders” from Marvel, being packaged by Dynamite. 

“Each issue (of Project: Superpowers) has the character work that Alex has done for the series in the background of the issues,” Rybandt said.  “Alex is as involved in every aspect of both (”Project: Superpowers”) and ”Avengers-Invaders” as anyone could possibly be. From plot to script to reviewing the pencils to providing art to reviewing the colors, the whole nine yards.”

Rybandt showed an Alex Ross cover for “Red Sonja” No. 30.  He said issues 30-34 would be “done in one” stories by rotating creative teams.   Issue No. 34 would be a one-issue story by writer Brian Reed and artist Mel Rubi, who become the regular creative team with issue No. 35. 

“Lone Ranger” will be back from Dynamite soon; issue No. 11 was resolicited for April.   Paul Pope and Sergio Cariello provide the art.   Issues 12-15 are scripted, and Dynamite is working on getting back to a monthly release schedule.   The other Lone Ranger book from Dynamite, “Lone Ranger and Tonto,” is slated to come out quarterly.

“The Man with No Name” No. 1 ships from Dynamite in May.   The series will have a 1-in-10 Arthur Sudyam variant cover.  The book is based on the Clint Eastwood films starring the Man with No Name.  The writer is Christos Gage, and the artist is Wellington Dias.  Richard Isanove provides the cover to No. 1.

– Matt Price