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.