The Comic Book Shopping Experience, a new platform offering another way to shop for comics and merchandise, and to promote Local Comic Shops, debuts this weekend.
Launching with a virtual convention, The_EXP, this weekend, Hollywood Reporter notes the Comic Book Shopping Experience will feature online programming created by retailers available across multiple platforms — Facebook, YouTube, and its own website — with the intent of not only selling comic books and related merchandise, but increasing the profile of comic book retailers as a whole.
Programming will include creator appearances and virtual signings, with an opening line up that includes Mark Bagley, Alison Sampson, Jim Starlin and many others.
Following this weekend’s virtual convention from Saturday to Monday, the channel will offer four hours of programming from 19th January. The team behind the project are led by Nick Barrucci, Managing Director and Publisher of Dynamite Entertainment, Jen King, owner of the comic book store Collection Space Cadets Collection in Oak Ridge North, Texas, and and Jesse James of Jesse James Comics in Glendale, Arizona.
The aim is to deliver 24 hours of programming a day by the end of the year. Content will be available on Youtube after it is broadcast live.
It’s not clear at this stage if the project will promote only US comic and stores, but Jen King told comic retailer site ICV2 it was his “sincere and fervent desire is to have The Comic Book Shopping Experience point directly back to Local Comic Shops, and give viewers the excitement and information they need when they arrive there, and to grow the market by reaching out to folks that have not yet been exposed to the awesome creativity that comics represent and what they have inspired in the entertainment industry.”
While comic book characters are in the spotlight in film, TV, video games and all manner of merchandise, Nick Barrucci has said there isn’t much emphasis on the comics. or local stores. One of the tools that the new platform will promote is the Comic Shop Locator, which includes UK stores.
King wrote in an email that the platform would allow us to elevate each other, whether supporting other retailers or bringing new shows. Pieces and parts of this idea (like having a central place to find all the comic book news every day, for example) have been discussed in the industry and maybe even tried out individually, she wrote. . But overall, a professionally run comic book and collectibles entertainment network was never fully realized.
• The Comic Shop Experience is online at comicshoppingexperience.com | YouTube | Twitter | Instagram | Twitch
The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
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