The Business of Comics for March 30th, 2026
The Best of Times and the Worst of Times
There were several major stories inside and outside the business of comics this week, starting with the impact of geopolitics on the comic book industry. It appears thatan Iranian missile damaged a cargo ship in the Straight of Hormuz that happened to contain two printing shipments from Fantagraphics.
Many of you might know that a significant percentage of comic book printing for the US market is done outside of the US, because the printing cost per copy for offset printing is much lower than comparable domestic printers, even when you add in the cost of international shipping. Most of the printing I’m familiar with comes from Canada, China, and Korea, but print managers have told me that Turkey and India are also sources of comic book printing, which is why the Fantagraphics ship got caught up in the war.
Because of the way printing timelines work, this order was probably made months before someone decided to start a war of choice to distract the world from his involvement in an international pedophile ring. This means that as a comic creator, sometimes it won’t be possible to account for every possibility in the publishing of your comics. Running a business is inherently risky, especially a creative business in the times that we live in.
Our next story that’s not about comics but will definitely impact comics, concerns AI, because of course it does.OpenAI announced this week that it is shutting down their generative video platform Sora. This affects freelance comic creators because outside of the existential threat AI poses to creativity, Sora recently announced a deal with Disney to allow their IP, including Marvel and Star Wars, to be included in a new user generated video platform. While the death of Sora also means the end of the Disney deal, the House of Mouse said they are still looking for another AI platform to partner with. That might be challenging, since some analysts have been warning of an impending AI bubble, which means Sora might be the first of a string of AI companies to fold. If that happens, Disney will either have to develop their own billion-dollar AI system, or wait to see who survives the AI bloodbath. Either way, freelance creators who have created comics for Marvel can count this as a small but temporary victory.
Unfortunately, we start the comic-specific news with the untimely death of Sam Kieth. Keith was known for his amazing work on Batman and Sandman, but if you grew up in the late 1900s, you remember his seminal work on the Maxx, both for Image Comics and MTV Oddities back when MTV actually mattered. The lesson for comic creators stems from the fact that Keith was only 63 when he passed away. The status of his estate is unclear, but many people, especially comic creators who are focused on fulfilling the next crowdfunding project, applying for the next artist alley table, or rushing to meet the next production deadline, do not have a will set up to handle their affairs.
In the same way people leave their real estate, personal property, and investments to family and friends, a comic creator may have royalty payments, IP ownership, and other assets that can be very valuable now and in the future. If your family is suddenly forced to deal with your loss, it will be easy for them to overlook the potential value of your comic book work, unless you lay that out in a will beforehand. I know that many comic creators are struggling for financial success now, but it is possible that your comics don’t become the next big thing until after you are gone. If you protect your assets before that happens, the people you care about can benefit from all your hard work and creativity.
Now let’s move on to distribution news. ICV2 recently did an interview with the founders of Lunar, who are one of the main replacements for Diamond after their bankruptcy. The company is still experiencing significant growth, and they’re pointing to the banner program as a solution for small to mid-sized publishers. I’ve worked on a few of these banner deals, and the theory behind it is pretty simple. Most independent publishers don’t publish at a frequency or scale to make it viable for Lunar to take them on as individual clients. So some publishers who already have accounts set up with Lunar are taking on smaller publishers under their banner, in exchange for a cut of the revenue from that book. Publishers who do well under this system have a chance to graduate to their own Lunar account at a later date.
This distribution model makes sense in theory, but as with all deals, make sure you understand what rights, revenue, responsibilities, and recovery you are signing up for before you decide to ride under another publisher’s banner. And from a marketing perspective, make sure your comic belongs in comic shops in the first place. If they don’t, then this type of deal might not be for you.
In alternative distribution news, a reading motivation company called Beanstalk has acquired the library digital comics platform Comics Plus to form the Joyful Reading Company. According to the story that will be linked in the comments of the Podcast, the combined entity will reach more than 3,600 library systems, 9,000 school buildings, and 18 million readers.
This is significant for comic creators because there are far more libraries in America than comic shops, digital distribution is cheaper than print, and digital comics are less likely to be subject to tariffs or destroyed by a cruise missile. If your comics might fit into a library catalog, then it pays to consider Joyful as part of your distribution plans.
Sticking with digital distribution, GlobalComix made several moves this month. First, they announced gaining 13 million dollars of additional investor funding. At the same time, they have acquired digital manga platform INKR, which will add more than 200,000 Chinese, Japanese, and Korean titles to their platform. The INKR acquisition also gives them access to technologies designed to improve their distribution and translation efforts worldwide. Finally, the company announced a change to its AI policy. Before, AI-generated comics could be displayed but couldn’t be monetized. Now, prior AI-generated comics will be removed from the platform.
All of these moves further position GlobalComix as one of the frontrunners in the race to replace Comixology as the primary digital reading platform. Now I have worked with and for GlobalComix for years, so keep that in mind when I say that if you are looking for a digital marketing, and distribution platform that integrates with your crowdfunding and social media efforts, you should investigate GlobalComix and see if it can work for you.
Moving onto publisher news, Penguin Random House has announced a restructuring of Boom Studios, the publisher they acquired two years ago. Some employees are being folded into the parent company, others are being let go. This isn’t an unusual move. When one company acquires another, layoffs are almost inevitable as redundant jobs are eliminated or planned initiatives by the acquired company are eliminated by the new parent.
Comic creators, especially those looking for creator-owned or freelance deals, need to pay attention to this type of restructuring because it can directly impact the opportunities and relationships you have with certain publishers. Because in reality, you don’t have a connection to the publisher itself. In many cases, you are friends with or have worked with a particular editor at the company. When that editor leaves, much of the goodwill you built up with that company may leave with them. You might find your book passed off to another editor who doesn’t have the same enthusiasm for the story, you might find your book is no longer desired by the publisher at all, or the new editor has their own freelancers that they prefer to work with. Conversely, if your editor lands at a new publisher, one that never showed interest in you before, you could find doors opening that were formerly closed. I’m not saying that this is going to happen with creators working with Boom. I am saying that editorial moves can have more impact on your career than you realize.
Finally, we have an editorial from Atom Freeman, publisher of Comics the Magazine, host of Comics Industry Insiders Podcast, and one of my clients. Atom proposes in his post that now is the best time to start a business in comic books because of a core demographic shift that is happening in the market. Gen Z, the people born between 1997 and 2012, grew up on comics with less of a stigma than previous generations. They read Bone, Dogman, Reina Telgemier, and manga of all types. Now they are entering the job market, which means some level of disposable cash, even in this economy. As we have discussed in previous episodes of this show, members of Gen Z are seeking out more real-world experiences, which translates into visiting comic book shops. Finally, they are not just looking for superhero comics. They are open to different formats, different genres, and less mainstream stories than ever before. Publishing comics is still a challenge in 2025, but I tend to agree with Atom’s position. The combination of new readers and technologies that make starting any business easier, means that now is the best time to have a career in comics, as long as you understand how the business works.
If you have a question, comment, criticism, or joke related to The Business of Comics, please leave a comment.
If you are working on a deal for your comic, or if you need ongoing legal support for your comic book business, please contact me for a free consultation.
Until next time, get off the internet and go make some comics.
Gamal
The Business of Comics for March, 13th 2026
Creator Questions:
Our first Creator question comes from LinkedIn, and is in response to a story we covered last month concerning AfterShock’s new show in development at Netflix.
Just as a recap, Aftershock is continuing to develop creator-owned comic book projects in Hollywood, even though they’re still dealing with bankruptcy and outstanding payments to multiple parties.
The question is: “With (AfterShock’s) lack of payment, wouldn’t they be in breach of contract? Would it not be easy to sue over the exploitation and the rights?”
Before I answer, I should clarify that the particular creator of the potential Netflix show might not be owed anything by AfterShock. I was referring to the company’s general financial condition, not the particular circumstances of this creator. In that same vein, there is no way for me to tell if there is a breach of contract without seeing the contract.
But even if the creator of Astronaut Down is owned money from AfterShock and there was a breach of contract, it is normally not easy for comic creators to engage in civil litigation. This isn’t a question of legal rights. This is a question of economic ability. In a lot of cases that I’ve seen representing comic book creators, the cost of filing a lawsuit can start at anywhere from $10,000 to $ $30,000 dollars, depending on the nature of the lawsuit, if you can’t file in small claims court. Because a lot of comic creators don’t have 30K lying around, and because there is no guarantee that you’ll win the lawsuit, and there is no guarantee that you can recover the money you’re owed from a publisher even if you win, going to court isn’t a viable option in a lot of cases. This is why it’s important to negotiate contracts that give you the maximum flexibility to resolve disputes and recover your IP without going to court.
Our next question is what’s the biggest challenge you see when tackling an ongoing superhero universe versus other genres?
When you’re talking about publishing an ongoing superhero series, the specific problem comic creators face that don't apply to other genres is the economic dynamics of the direct market. Keep in that I use the terms direct market and comic book shops interchangeably, and you can too.
The first point is that most single issues sell in the direct market. There are other distribution channels, but comic shops are designed to move floppies.
The second point is that direct market shops buy on a non-returnable basis, which is just what it sounds like. Once the shop buys the book, they can’t send it back. So the comic shop owner has more in common with the person who buys books at a con or in a crowdfunding campaign, than a traditional bookstore, that can return unsold inventory.
This makes non-returnable books a gamble for every comic shop owner. If they buy the wrong book or they buy too many copies of the right book, they lose money. If they lose money often enough, they close.
In order to hedge their bets and make the most of their limited shelf space, comic shops are statistically better off betting on a random Marvel reboot instead of a new superhero series, regardless of the artistic quality of either book. They’ve sold Batman and X-Men before. They know there will be more of those books in the future. They know that there are fans of these characters coming to their shops. They don’t know any of that about a new superhero franchise from an unknown publisher. If they have to make a bet on one superhero series, it probably won’t be the unknown quantity.
Now not all shops operate this way. Some of them actively seek out independent books and some of them don’t like just carrying Marvel and DC. Also, keep in mind that if you have other forms of distribution (crowdfunding, DTC, libraries, etc), then its not a problem, You just need to remember that making a new superhero series, even if it is a better one from an artistic standpoint, doesn't change the financial realities of the market.
News:
Japanese eBook distribution company Media Do Holdings has acquired US Manga publisher Seven Seas for $80 million.(Comics Beat)
Webtoon showed an operating loss of $13 million in the 4th quarter of 2025 (ICV2)
A growing audience is buying short-run, independent comics for premium prices and then attempting to flip those books for even higher prices before the books are even published (Comic Book Resources)
If you have a question, comment, criticism, or joke related to The Business of Comics, please leave a comment.
If you are working on a deal for your comic, or if you need ongoing legal support for your comic book business, please contact me for a free consultation.
Until next time, get off the internet and go make some comics.
Gamal
The Business of Comics For March 2nd, 2026
What Does The Paramount Purchase of WB Mean for DC Comics (Comics Beat): The big news in the world of entertainment goes far beyond comics. In the latest development for control of Warner Bros., Netflix has dropped out, and Paramount seems poised to capture the legacy studio, including DC Comics. Comics Beat has some commentary on the long-term political, social, and economic impact of this merger, but I think it will be a while before these seismic events reach the comic book industry. Freelance creators who work for DC might feel the most direct effects, while the creator-owned and independent segments of the business will have to contend with whatever disruption this might have on the direct market. From a big picture perspective, it pays to remember that DC and Warner Bros have been bought and sold several times over the last 30 years. Comics have continued to move on, and so will we…
The Comics Industry Proves Its Resilience in 2025 (Publisher’s Weekly) Last weekend was the Comics Pro convention for publishers and comic shop owners in California, and the news coming out of that show was surprisingly positive, considering the chaos of last year’s Diamond bankruptcy. Direct market revenue for 2025 is estimated to be about 2.2 billion dollars, which represents a 30% increase over 2024. Part of this growth is credited to DC’s Absolute line and the younger generation discovering comic shops in the manner we talked about in the last show. Lunar and Penguin Random House are continuing work to replace Diamond, at least for the large and mid-size publishers. The location for next year’s show hasn’t been announced yet, but creators and publishers who want to get their books into comic book shops (if your comic belongs in comic shops, obviously) might want to add this show to their convention plans.
Kickstarter Introduces a New Partner Program (Kickstarter): In crowdfunding news, Kickstarter has announced a new partner program to help creators find support for their campaigns. Crowdfunding has been a major distribution channel for comics for years, and a considerable cottage industry has developed to support creators with everything from design to marketing to fulfillment. In the past, creators often found specialists through referrals or word of mouth. This new program might create a more formal structure, but keep in mind that no matter where you find partners for your crowdfunding campaign, all of them are going to want to be paid for their work, whether or not your campaign is successful. Before you start working with a new partner, understand the rights, revenue, responsibilities, and recovery for both sides, and get it written down in a signed contract. You also probably want to have a lawyer who specializes in comics write that contract for you, but you already knew that, didn’t you?
Aftershock Announces Astronaut Down at Netflix (Comics Beat) In questionable comic book news, Comics Beat has announced that independent publisher AfterShock has a new project in production at Netflix called Astronaut Down. News of a new Aftershock project at Netflix isn’t remarkable, they’ve had projects in development before, until you realize that AfterShock filed for bankruptcy in 2022, hasn’t had a major comics release in over three years, and may still owe a considerable amount of money to creators and vendors from outstanding debts. This story proves that a creator-owned publisher can try to exploit the rights to your IP long after they stop publishing comics, so it pays to negotiate a way to get your IP back if everything goes sideways.
Questionable Comic Book Marketing (Book Riot) Our next story comes from Book Riot, and it seems to be a classic example of debatable marketing. It appears that some vampire-related stories are being printed with garlic-infused ink, or with variant covers printed with the blood of the writer. The premise of this story is that because it is difficult to stand out from the crowd, creators need to find unique and inventive ways to grab readers' attention. Marketing comics is difficult, but spending extra money to bleed on your comics is confusing a gimmick with a hook. A gimmick is a trick or device to attract short-term business. Common gimmicks in comics include the death of a character who will obviously come back to life in less than a year, or homage covers riding on the popularity of a famous character or image. Conversely, a hook is an aspect of your story designed to attract and hold the attention of your ideal reader. That could be the character design, your perspective on aspects of your genre, or any component of your story that connects with readers. If potential readers are looking for some of your blood, that’s fine. But most of them will probably be more interested in the quality of your story.
The Argument Against Starting Small (Comics Beat): Our last story is a critique of the conventional wisdom provided at comic con panels. The publisher of an independent company called Summit Comics points out that many panels about breaking into comics offer two common pieces of advice. First, start small, and second, avoid superhero comics. He goes on to relay the story about how the first issue of his company’s long-term superhero connected universe crushed its funding goal on Kickstarter and concludes by encouraging creators to reject conventional wisdom and tell the superhero stories they want to tell.
This story is particularly relevant to me because I’m one of the people on con panels who say start small and avoid superheroes. I’m going to be on a panel at Emerald City next week, and I plan to say the exact same thing. I’m glad Summit Comics is off to a good start. I am also aware that superhero IP like Spawn, Invincible, Terminal, Black, and Watchmen defy the conventional wisdom. I have clients whose main goal is creating a long-term connected superhero universe. But none of that changes the advice.
The reason people like me tell creators to start small is because if you are just starting out in any creative project or business, it is easy to be overwhelmed and discouraged if you get out over your skis. You try to be complicated before you master the fundamentals. You try to make a big splash before you’ve established your unique voice. In the same way you wouldn’t fight Mike Tyson in your first boxing match or try to sell more stuff than Amazon in the first year of your online business, it doesn’t make sense to plan your 100th issue before you write issue 2.
The reason people like me suggest avoiding superheroes isn’t because we don’t like superheroes. It’s because comics are more than superheroes. In the last show we talked about how Seduction of the Innocent erased many popular comic book genres to the point where Americans only associated comics with superheroes. Today, that sentiment is slowly changing. There are more potential readers of comics in dozens of genres outside of superheroes. There is less market saturation in other genres. There is less brand recognition in other genres. If you want your comic to standout without bleeding onto the page, it is simply statistically easier to do that in genres outside comics.
Using a single successful crowdfunding campaign to refute the idea of starting small outside of superheroes is an anecdotal fallacy. Pointing to successful examples only reinforce the rule. McFarlane, Kirkman, and Moore all had success with independent superhero comics after they broke into comics, not before. If you want to break into comics with a ongoing superhero comic, that’s fine. Just understand what you’re getting into and what you’re up against.
If you have a question, comment, criticism, or joke related to The Business of Comics, please leave a comment.
If you are working on a deal for your comic, or if you need ongoing legal support for your comic book business, please contact me for a free consultation.
Until next time, get off the internet and go make some comics.
Gamal
How Do You Publish Creator-Owned Comics?
I’m currently working on the 2nd edition of The Business of Independent Comic Book Publishing. The new version will contain expanded and updated information that comic creators can use to build long-term publishing businesses. This sample introduces the idea of publishing the work of other creators as part of a creator-owned deal.
What is a Creator-Owned Deal?
Creator-owned comics occur when an independent creator produces a comic with the support or assistance of a third-party publisher. In most cases, the creator is responsible for making and promoting the book, and you are responsible for the distribution, advertising, sales, and other business functions. In this scenario, a creator, or a creative team, will have an original idea, but they won’t have the ability to publish the book on their own. That’s where you come in as an independent publisher. Creator-owned deals have existed in comics since Robert Crumb and the underground comix trend of the 1970s, but the modern concept of the creator-owned deal gained prominence in the 1990s with the emergence of Image Comics.
What is the Difference Between a License Deal and a Creator-Owned Deal?
Creator-owned deals are a unique concept in comics, but in the rest of the publishing industry, this is the standard deal. From a legal standpoint, there is no difference in the structure of a creator-owned deal and a publishing license. There are two practical differences when it comes to comics:
A license is often based on an established IP, while creator-owned deals are often for new properties with either known or unknown talent.
A license often comes from an established company that has more resources and leverage relative to a publisher, while a creator-owned deal is considered by some (myself included) to be one of the most dangerous deals in comics for reasons we will discuss later.
Why Do We Have Creator-Owned Deals?
In 2023, there were more than two dozen prominent creator-owned comic book companies in North America or established prose publishing companies with creator-owned imprints. The reasons for the growth in this space can be attributed to several reasons from both the creator and the publisher perspectives.
Some creators have the skill and talent to create narrative art, but they can’t or don’t want to manage the publishing aspect of the business. They are often willing to give up rights and revenue in exchange for someone else taking on that responsibility.
The growth of graphic novel sales in bookstores and libraries made the investment in creator-owned projects viable for prose publishers.
Many publishers initially create a publishing business for their own ideas and then decide to leverage that business process to support diverse voices beyond their own.
Since the rise of sophisticated computer graphics and the MCU, some entrepreneurs decided that becoming a graphic novel publisher was a fast track to Hollywood fortune. Because they had no real interest in comics as a medium and no stories of their own, they decided to brand these IP farms as creator-owned publishers to use the ideas of others as their main product.
Your reason for engaging in creator-owned deals may include some or all of the reasons above, but your motivation for setting up a creator-owned deal will manifest itself in the type of deal that you set up.
How Do You Acquire Rights to a Creator-Owned IP?
The process for setting up a creator-owned deal is similar to securing a license. The main difference will be where and how you find potential creators to work with.
The first step is determining what kind of books you want to publish. This will be a variation of the ideas you pursue and collect on your own, except that your love for any particular creator-owned idea has to be weighed against the potential profit you think the title can generate. After that, the next step is to find a source of creator-owned material.
You can accept submissions directly from your website, as long as you have clear submission guidelines that protect you legally and capture the information you need to make an informed decision.
You can reach out to literary agents who work in the comic book and graphic novel space, but keep in mind these agents are often looking for larger publishers who can pay significant advances to justify their fees.
You can reach out to creators who have successful crowdfunding campaigns and work with the ones who don’t have post-campaign distribution set up for their comics.
After you find the right creators, you can then proceed to the deal memo and contract negotiation stage, just like a standard license.
How Do You Develop a Creator-Owned IP?
As the publisher, it is up to you to determine how involved you want to be in the development of the comic book pages. Some publishers prefer to be involved from the concept stage, working with the creators on the character designs, script, art, lettering and coloring. Other publishers are comfortable approving the creative materials at each stage, and then collecting the final pages at a pre-approved date. There are some publishers who only work with creators who have a finished project ready to print, without offering any creative input.
The method you prefer will depend on the sophistication of the creators you are working with, the time and resources you have to devote to each project, and the source of your creator-owned material. Whichever method you choose, the process should be defined in the deal memo and the contract, so everyone is aware of what the process is and who is responsible for production of the final pages and other elements of the project.
If you have a question, comment, criticism, or joke related to The Business of Comics, please leave a comment.
If you are working on a deal for your comic, or if you need ongoing legal support for your comic book business, please contact me for a free consultation.
Have fun with your comics.
Gamal
The Business of Comics Podcast for February 6, 2026
Publishers are continuing to re-position themselves in the wake of the Diamond Bankruptcy. This week the Business of Comics looks at the direct and indirect impact of this fall out and what it means for independent publishers in 2026.
Reader Question
Is there any other system that is replacing Diamond, or for the moment is there no option in sight?
There are a number of different options available for an independent publisher now, and we’ll go over a few specific options in a minute, but the overall decision tree when it comes to distribution looks something like this;
Make sure your comics belong in the direct market in the first place. I’ve said this several times over the years: not every comic belongs in a comic book shop. Your book belongs in the places where your potential readers buy things. If you identify your ideal reader and your competition, you might find that your potential readers back crowdfunding campaigns, buy books online, or at conventions, in bookstores, or someplace completely different. If that’s the case, then you don’t have to worry about a Diamond replacement, because you didn’t need Diamond in the first place.
Now, if you realize that your potential readers are in the direct market, there are several options you can choose from.
You can reach out to local shops in your area and try to sell your books directly on consignment, assuming that they carry independent publishers.
You can try working with another publisher who already has direct market distribution.
You can try to get an account with a newer distributor.
You can try to get an account with one of the major distributors like Lunar, Penguin, or Universal.
Whichever option you choose, make sure that you understand your rights, revenue, responsibilities, and recovery before you sign the contract. Also, make sure you understand not only how much you make per book, but when you’ll actually get paid and how many books you need to sell to make a profit.
News
Dynamite and Coffin Agree to Crowdfunding and Distribution (Comics Beat) Coffin is one of the small publishers battened about by the Diamond bankruptcy. Now, Dynamite and Coffin have come to an agreement to publish limited-time reprint collections and merchandise, starting with a Kickstarter campaign showcasing Evil Ernie.
This is an example of working with a publisher who already has direct market distribution. The difference here is that they are combining crowdfunding and direct market sales, which can ultimately increase revenue for both companies. Since crowdfunding is an established release window for independent comics, it makes sense for every independent publisher to consider Kickstarter as the first step in their distribution plans, no matter what they decide to do afterwards.
IPG Guns for Graphic Novel Publishers in the Post Diamond Collapse (Publisher’s Weekly): IPG has quickly signed a slew of new partnerships with small graphic novel publishers who were cut out of the Lunar deal or otherwise lost in the fray.
This is an example of the new distributor option. IPG has a significant history in the book market, but quite a few comic book shops and independent publishers see them as a viable alternative to both Diamond and the larger players like PRH and Lunar who don’t have the capacity or the interest in smaller publishers.
Zenescope Inks Distribution Deal with Universal (ICV2). Having a strong distributor delivering our comics and graphic novels into the U.S. market again is a major step forward for us and creates new opportunities for both Zenescope and comic retailers nationwide.
Oni Press Signs with Penguin Random House (ICV2) PRHPS will replace Oni’s current distributors, Lunar Distribution for the direct market and Simon & Schuster for the book channel.
These two deals represent the major distributor option, which is a viable choice for mid level publishers who didn’t jump ship from Diamond early enough or need more support than the newer distributors can give them. Smaller independents might not have this option available to them right now, but moves are still being made, so it pay attention to what opportunities might arise in the future.
DSTLRY Hits the Pause Button (Comics Beat) The statement notes that the titles are paused not cancelled, with the break giving them time to “regroup, reset, and return with a more stable, consistent publishing rhythm.”
This is an option I didn’t mention in the beginning, but a publisher hit with the financial realities of distribution might pause or cease operations completely. This move highlights the fact that independents looking for a creator-owned deal in 2026 need to consider distribution as part of the calculation when going with a particular publisher. If you sign with a publisher who doesn’t have solid distribution for your target market, or they don’t have a clear distribution path at all, you could be signing a deal with a company that can’t release your book.
Amazon May Have Laid Off the Remainder of Comixology (Comics Beat) The tech giant announced 16,000 layoffs yesterday, and we’re hearing that most of the remaining Comixology staff may have been among them. Amazon also announced that the layoffs were made possible by the use of AI
As if the world of comic book distribution wasn’t chaotic enough, Amazon might have put the last nail in the coffin on one of the major digital distributors in North America, and to make matters worse, they might have used AI to do it. While several new digital players have entered into the market over the past five years, and especially in the past nine months, digital distribution is currently just as fractured as the print side of the business, so it requires just as much analysis and flexibility from independent publishers.
Trends in Comic Book Censorship (Book Riot) Comics are thriving as a format, and they are continuing to grow in numbers, as well as in accolades. That puts them in the target of those eager to revoke the rights of their fellow Americans–and especially young people–to read what they want to read and to hinder access to a wide array of materials in public and public school libraries.
Comic book censorship is related to the broader topic of distribution because it directly impacts libraries, which have been a growing distribution channel for comics over the past ten years. The reality is that there are more libraries in American than comic book shops and the profit margins on library comics can be higher than direct market sales. But libraries are also ground zero for the political and social conflicts being played out in our culture. Independent publishers, especially ones telling stories about marginalized groups, can find a home for their comics in libraries, but you’re going to have to be willing to fight for that spot.
Side note: I run a program supporting comics that are fighting against censorship, so if you have questions about that, please check out the Comic Book Advocate.
Jim Lee Manga Comments (Comic Book Resources) [In Japan] the medium is a core part of mass market literature, and there's quite literally something for everyone.
Finally, let’s unpack a comparison the legendary Jim Lee made comparing the current state of manga compared to comics being published by DC, Marvel, and many other American publishers. The major critique of Western comics is the overemphasis on superheroes to the exclusion of other story genres. By contrast, manga, and to a certain extent BD comics in Europe, are far more diverse in genre and demographic range.
The article points out that this wasn’t always the case, since American comics up until the 1950’s also focused on dozens of genres, and superhero comics were only a small part of that.
What the article doesn’t point out is why. American comic book publishers didn’t just wake up one day and become addicted to superhero comics. This was a period of intense censorship in the wake of McCarthy’s 2nd Red Scare, when books like Seduction of the Innocent painted all comics as subversive and dangerous to the American public. This was the genesis of the Comics Code and the false narrative that only children could read comics. That’s where the overemphasis on superhero comics came from. It is a stigma that has lasted for more than 70 years, and it’s still something that comic book creators in America have to deal with, in ways that French and Japanese publishers never had to.
Independent comic book creators need to keep in mind that their story isn’t just competing for attention from social media, streaming television, and video games. It is pushing back against ingrained hypocritical narratives that have plagued the industry for decades. That doesn’t mean you can’t have a successful independent comic. It means that publishing comics is a hard business that has nothing to do with the quality of your comic.
If you have a question, comment, criticism, or joke related to The Business of Comics, please leave a comment.
If you are working on a deal for your comic, or if you need ongoing legal support for your comic book business, please contact me for a free consultation.
Until next time, get off the internet and go make some comics.
Gamal
PLEASE NOTE: THIS BLOG POST IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR LEGAL ADVICE. IF YOU HAVE A CONTENT, LICENSING OR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ISSUE, DISCUSS IT WITH YOUR LEGAL ADVISOR OR CONTACT C3 FOR A FREE CONSULTATION.
The Business of Comics for January 26th, 2026
AI Comics…Again. (ICV2) Comics-related AI tools are still being marketed at events like the Consumer Electronics Show, in spite of the pushback by creators, publishers, and consumers. This disconnect suggests that if AI-generated comics become a market, it may be separate from the human-generated comics market in the same way organic food is separate from McDonalds.
Anthropic Settlement Claim Site One AI infringement case has entered into the settlement phase, and creators who had their work scraped by the Anthropic systems may be eligible for a settlement payment of $3,000. I’m following this case closer than most because one of my novels was caught up in that system, and sadly, this settlement will be more than I made on the book sales so far.
Inky Pen Declares Bankruptcy (Bleeding Cool) Back in November, we talked about several digital comics platforms popping up to establish themselves in this distribution channel. I commented that it would be interesting to see how many of them would be able to sustain operations over the next two years. It appears that the first company of 2026 has already fallen, because InkyPen, the Steam-based comics platform, went bankrupt a couple of weeks ago, shortly after I mentioned them on the show. This reinforces the idea that the digital distribution space is always changing and publishers need to pay attention to both where their books go and if those apps are still around from one month to the next.
Classic Comics Enter into the Public Domain (Comics Beat). The copyright term has ended for classic IPs, including Betty Boop, Blondie, and Nancy Drew, which means the original versions of these characters are entering the public domain. While this means that there will inevitably be slasher horror movies of these characters in the spirit of Winnie the Pooh, independent creators need to remember that when an IP enters the public domain, that status only applies to the versions released in a particular year. It doesn’t apply to the entire history of the characters, and the IP might still have trademark protection. Before you decide to make your Betty Boop horror comic, check your script with an IP attorney to make sure you're not exposing yourself to a lawsuit.
Why Reliability is an Underrated Skill (Mike Gagon) Post reiterates a theme that has been persistent in comics since the comic strip era; good and on time will always be superior to great and late because the production cycle of comics is a continuous chain. A break in the production cycle undermines printing, shipping, and on-sale dates, which can reduce retailer confidence and consumer interest. If you’re going to be in freelance comics for any length of time, you have to commit to your deadlines.
How Creator-Owned Comics Are Luring Readers Away from Marvel and DC (Bleeding Fool). This final story is a commentary on an opinion piece that criticizes the current practices of crossovers, reboots, and retcons, and compares them to the more streamlined narratives of crowdfunded and independent comics. While the piece does express valid concerns about issues that have plagued single-issue superhero comics for decades, I still maintain that single-issue comics for vertically integrated companies like Disney and Warner Bros. serve more as R&D exercises than core profit centers.
When you look at the revenue streams for apparel, merchandise, film, television, games for superhero properties and compare it to the revenue potential for comics, it quickly becomes apparent that comics are the lowest source of revenue for these companies. For them, it is the difference between earning hundreds of thousands more dollars in comics and billions more dollars in games. In those other markets, variety sells, not continuity.
Independent comics are easier to get into, but they need to make themselves more attractive in the comic book market because they don’t have the established fan base, and they don’t have the revenue from other media markets. Independent comics may share shelf space with DC and Marvel, but they are not in the same business, so their business practices can’t be the same.
Have fun with your comics.
Gamal
PLEASE NOTE: THIS BLOG POST IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR LEGAL ADVICE. IF YOU HAVE A CONTENT, LICENSING, OR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ISSUE, DISCUSS IT WITH YOUR LEGAL ADVISOR OR CONTACT C3 FOR A FREE CONSULTATION.
The Comics Business Starts 2026 with Seismic Shifts Across the Industry
The Business of Comics Podcast is back from vacation, where nothing happened except a major shift across the comic book industry. If you’d like to see the full podcast, you can find the link here.
Not So Good News
What Does Netflix Buying Warner Bros. Mean for DC Comics? (Comics Beat) “As long as movies, series, and animation based on DC Comics characters make money, DC Comics, the idea factory, will have a place doing something somewhere.”
If Netflix was a potential destination for comic book-related media (and that perception was questionable as the maybe movie model), the likelihood that they will be looking for comics related material after they own some of the biggest properties in the history of comics is unlikely.
The key for independents is to look to emerging forms of media exploitation and away from streamers like Netflix.
Diamond Moves to Chapter 7 Liquidation (Comics Beat) This may be the final nail in the coffin of Diamond, but another strange twist in the story wouldn’t be surprising after everything that happened in 2025.
Independents should have already pivoted away from Diamond and consider alternative distribution in 2026 and beyond.
Disney Closes a Licensing Deal with OpenAI (CNN) Disney might not consider an AI licensing deal a threat to creators, but Disney has never been a champion of creator-ownership, so this isn’t a shocking revelation.
It is a reminder that if you work for Marvel as a freelance creator, assume your work will become part of Open AI and don’t expect any compensation unless it is specifically stated in your agreement.
Page Rates Continue to Stagnate (Comics Beat) I broke down in earlier videos how making a living purely off of page rates alone isn’t financially viable. There are ways to generate additional money that didn’t exist twenty years ago, but they require more business hustle than creative skill.
Derivative Characters Fail to Generate Any Royalties (Comics Beat) One of my more popular videos from last year made the point that Marvel doesn’t need your original characters. This story reinforces that point. Marvel and DC don’t offer fame and fortune. You can get fame (comic book famous), and you’ll get the rate they offer you, but your fortune will have to come from somewhere else.
Good News
Webtoon Expands the Creator Programs (Financial Post) We’ll have to see what the new features of WT are and how they compare to the current deal, but in the wake of Diamond’s demise, it makes sense for independents to at least consider this distribution channel, if only as a marketing tool for their crowdfunding and print distribution.
Comic Industry Jobs Available in January (Popverse) As with any job you consider, both inside and outside of comics, pay attention to the IP clause in the potential employment agreement because some employers try to claim ownership of any IP that you develop while you’re working for the company, regardless if it is related to their business or if you do it on your own time.
Sony Buys Majority Stake in Charlie Brown Franchise (Comics Beat) This is a clear example of how a legacy IP like Charlie Brown can generate significant income long after the creator is dead.
As an independent, it helps to have a will or trust created and to consider including your IP and any ongoing royalties you get from your comics in your estate, even if it’s not making any money right now.
Younger Generations Embracing Comics (BBC) This suggests the analog trend being reported among Gen Z and Gen Alpha is impacting comics as well. This is good news if you want to get into print, but remember that print distribution has several challenges involved in it, especially when you consider the death of Diamond and the hoops you have to jump through to reach the younger demographics of readers.
Comics Industry Forecasts for 2026 (ICV2) I do agree there are going to be opportunities in tapping into social media influencer licensing, live selling on TikTok, print on demand for crowdfunding and niche titles, but each of these moves comes with their own legal and business risks, so independents are going to have to figure out what makes sense for their comics and what contract terms they can live with, all while making great comics.
PLEASE NOTE: THIS BLOG POST IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR LEGAL ADVICE. IF YOU HAVE A CONTENT, LICENSING OR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ISSUE, DISCUSS IT WITH YOUR LEGAL ADVISOR OR CONTACT C3 FOR A FREE CONSULTATION.
My Top 10 Books for 2025
An ongoing conversation about the business and legal aspects of the comic book industry, with an emphasis on the independent creator and publisher.
I read ninety books this year in a variety of formats, genres, and from different time periods.
These are the ten best in order of preference.
What was your favorite book of the year?
10. Understanding Superhero Comics by Alex Grand (2023 print)
9. Comic Art, Creativity, and the Law by Marc Greenberg (2014 print)
8. The Soul of Man Under Socialism by Oscar Wilde (2004 audio)
7. Create Dangerously by Albert Camus (2018 print)
6. Medium Raw by Anthony Bourdain (2010 audio)
5. Storm Vol. 1 by Murewa Ayodele and Lucas Wereck (2024 digital)
4. Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari (2014 audio)
3. Something is Killing the Children Vol. 1 by James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera (2020 print)
2. Blade Runner 2019 Omnibus by Michael Green and Mike Johnson (2025 print)
1. A Little History of Psychology by Nicky Hayes (2024 audio)
Have fun with your comic and enjoy 2026.
Gamal
If you would like to protect the legal rights to your comic or your professional comic book career, my firm is currently accepting both short-term and long-term clients. Please contact me to schedule a free consultation.
PLEASE NOTE: THIS BLOG POST IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR LEGAL ADVICE. IF YOU HAVE A CONTENT, LICENSING, OR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ISSUE, DISCUSS IT WITH YOUR LEGAL ADVISOR OR CONTACT C3 FOR A FREE CONSULTATION.