COMICSPRO MEETING REPORT

[MattBrady]

Press Release

Comic book retailers got a sneak peek at coming events and banded together to find solutions to industry problems at the first-ever ComicsPRO (Comics Professional Retail Organization) trade event April 12-13.

While comics sales are surging and media interests are high, the retailers that form ComicsPRO are proactively looking for ways to improve their business, boost industry awareness and increase the number of direct market outlets. More than 60 retailers representing 45 companies gathered for the event, making it one of the most highly attended independent summits of comic book retailers ever.

Among the news officially announced at the meeting was the addition of writer Gail Simone to "Wonder Woman." DC Comics also distributed previews of "Green Arrow: Year One." In addition, IDW Publishing released a variant edition of "Star Trek: Klingons: Blood Will Tell"
exclusively to members of ComicsPRO.

Newly elected members to the ComicsPRO board of directors:

* Ben Trujillo from Star Clipper in St. Louis, who said, "Our Las Vegas meeting proved that the purpose of our organization -- to promote the progress and development of comic book retailers and to improve the condition of our industry -- is profoundly felt by each member of ComicsPRO. There has never been a better time or opportunity for retailers to join together and positively affect the modality of the current retailing environment."

* Rick Lowell from Casablanca Comics, with stores in Portland and Windham, Maine, added, "In my 20 years of comics retailing I have never come away from an event more positive and energized about the comics industry as I am after the ComicsPro meeting in Las Vegas. Attending suppliers that met with us listened and responded in meaningful ways."

* Carr D_Angelo of Earth-2 in Sherman Oaks, Calif., said, "The meeting set an agenda for the immediate issues ComicsPRO will address. The members were energetic, and the participating vendors all brought open ears and unique points of view. It was a giant first step toward a bold new future for comics retailers."

ComicsPRO President Joe Field, owner of Flying Colors Comics in Concord, Calif. agreed. "By all measures, this trade event was a resounding success. All attending retailers and suppliers came away from Vegas knowing this organization is on the right track to becoming the unified voice of direct market retailers. With the attention of our suppliers and the financial benefits for members that in most cases more than cover the membership fees, now is the time to join ComicsPRO and take a giant leap forward for your business."

ComicsPRO board members Chris Powell of Lone Star Comics (Dallas) and Amanda Fisher (Muse Comics, Missoula, Mont.) were the primary organizers of the trade event. "This actually felt like a turning point for direct market retailers. I hope to find I'm right about that down the road," Powell said. "I'm really proud of what we all accomplished, and I’m glad I was able to be a part of it."

The ComicsPRO Las Vegas event was sponsored in part by attending suppliers DC Comics, Diamond Comics Distributors and Alliance Game Distributors, WizKids Games, Virgin Comics, and IDW Publishing. Image Comics also contributed to sponsoring the event. Suppliers providing material support include Dark Horse, Dynamite Entertainment and Marvel Comics.

"Having been a part of previous efforts to build a retailer trade group, I can safely say that ComicsPRO members, along with some key suppliers, have embraced a spirit of cooperation and respect that can only be good for the entire business of retailing comic books," Field said.

Membership applications and more information about ComicsPRO and its member benefits can be found at www.ComicsPRO.org.

ComicsPRO is a Section 501(c) non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the progress and development of comic book specialty retailers, to help develop better marketing and daily business practices for comic book retailers, and to expand the comics - specialty market by educating the public about comic books in general.

[khuxford]

Glad to see this was successful. Happy to see retailers successfully working together on this stuff.