ComicsPRO held its Comic Industry Conference in Glendale, California from February 20-22. It was the most heavily attended in-person conference that ComicsPRO has run. Over 300+ comic store retailers, publishers, distributors, and other vendors participated.
“It was probably the most enthusiastic and positive conference that I’ve been a part of”, said Marco Davanzo, Executive Director of ComicsPRO. “I was suprised by the positivity in the room. Even thought there are strong headwinds, people were engaged, positive, and looking for ways to improve their businesses.”
A new Board was announced: Joe Murray of Captain Blue Hen Comics is continuing as President of the Board. Shannon Live of Bat City Comic Professionals will be the Vice-President of the Board and Director of Education (replacing long-time Board Member Jenn Haines of the Dragon, who retired from the Board this year). Moryha Banks of Samurai Comics will be Treasurer and Director of Membership. Newly elected Kate deNeveu of Hello Comics will be Director of Operations. Other Directors include Marc Bowker of Alter Ego Comics (Director of Outreach), Katie Pryde of Books With Pictures (Director of Special Projects), and Eitan Manhoff of Cape and Cowl Comics (Director of Publicity).
Vendors who participated in the conference included: 1First Comics, 247 Comics, A Wave Blue World, AHOY Comics, American Retail Supply, Amp Comics, Anomaly, Archie, Ata-Boy, Inc, Aubrey Sitterson, Avery Hill Publishers, Bad Egg Publishing, Bad Idea, Battle Quest Comics, BCW Supplies, BINC, BOOM! Studios, CBLDF, Chip Zdarksy, Comic Shop Assistant, ComicBooks For Kids!, Dark Horse, DC , Drawn and Quarterly, Dren Productions, DSTLRY, Dynamite Entertainment, Fantagraphics, First Second Books, GalaxyCon, Games and Comics for Ukraine, Ghost Machine, HarperCollins, HM Smallwares, ICV2, IDW Publishing, Ignition Press, Image Comics, Invader Comics, Kodansha USA Publishing, Lunar Distribution, Mad Cave Studios and Papercutz, Manage Comics, Marvel, Oni Press, Panick Entertainment, PRH Distribution, Reedpop, Rekcah Publishing, Rocketship Entertainment, Rosarium Publishing, Scholastic, Shp Comics, Silver Sprocket, Simon and Schuster, Skybound Entertainment, Square Enix, Squishable, Storm King, Street Noise, The Difference Engine, The Lab Press, Tiny Onion, Tony Fleecs, Topps/Fanatics, UDON Entertainment, Universal, Upper Deck, VIZ Media, Wattpad Webtoon Studios, Yen Press, Z2 Comics
