Does putting comics into stores matter?

The age old question for comic creators.

Let’s take a minute to talk about the dream—our dream as comic creators. For most of us, the ultimate goal is to see our work on the shelves of comic stores. We imagine walking into our local comic shop (LCS), spotting our book on display, and knowing we’ve made it. It’s more than just validation—it’s about being recognized as a creator and knowing that this path can lead to both credibility and profit.

For the longest time, I believed that getting my book into comic stores was the mark of success. Before that milestone, no matter how many books I released or how much support I had on Kickstarter, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just a hobby. The dream was simple yet profound: to walk into a store on a random Wednesday, see my book on the shelf, and know that I had arrived.

Let’s dive into this and explore whether it truly matters or not. For the record, these are just my opinions, not facts, but I hope they provide some insight for creators like me who are just starting out. My goal is to shed some light on the reality of the impact of having your work in comic book stores. So, let’s break it down and dig into the issue.


What makes you a creator??

Creating a book makes you a creator. Writing a 4-page story for an anthology makes you a creator. Creating a webcomic? That makes you a creator too. This can be a tough pill to swallow—for me and for many others—but it’s the truth. You are just as much a creator as someone working for Marvel or DC. Sure, you might not have their fanbase (yet), but that doesn’t change the fact that you are a creator simply by making something.

So, let’s be real: you don’t need to see your work in a store to validate your creativity. If you’ve made something, you’ve earned the title of creator. Period.

Now, that’s all the warm and fuzzy stuff—and it’s true. But the reality is, if you want to do this as more than just a hobby, there’s more to consider.

You need to achieve some level of success with your project. What “success” looks like can vary widely depending on the type of book you’re creating. An NSFW book, a fantasy book, a Marvel or DC title, or even an Image or BOOM! Studios release—each comes with its own standards and benchmarks for success.


What are benchmarks for success??

There are plenty of benchmarks for success in the comics world, especially in the Kickstarter market, where I’ve found the most success. So, before we dive into the issue of local comic stores, let’s take a moment to go over some of these benchmarks and break them down.

I think to have success in comics/kickstarter you need the following

1) CROWDFUNDING

I believe crowdfunding is a key benchmark—it’s a direct way to show that your comic has an audience and can stand on its own. While you could measure success with views on platforms like Webtoons, for writers, that approach can be costly and less practical.

In my opinion, the benchmark for crowdfunding success goes beyond just hitting your funding goal. It’s about achieving a project with over 200 backers. I know this might sound odd to some, especially since many people equate success with running a $10k campaign. But the truth is, hitting $10k isn’t always a genuine indicator of success—it can be bought.

With the right covers and a built-in fanbase for those covers, you can sell your way to a $10k campaign without necessarily proving the book itself has legs. When that happens, people may question whether it’s the comic that’s successful—or just the cover art.

2) PUBLISHING

The second benchmark is being published by someone other than yourself. This one is tough because it requires you to take a big risk and put yourself out there. It’s a sign that others believe in your work and are willing to take a chance on it.

For many creators, this can be a hard pill to swallow. You might find success on Kickstarter but still struggle to land a publishing deal. Some creators don’t even need a publishing deal because they’ve found success elsewhere. But if your goal is to grow beyond where you are now, that external validation can be crucial.

Getting published by someone else helps get your name out there. The more exposure you have, the more opportunities you’ll have to land additional work. That said, publishing deals often aren’t as glamorous as they seem. Even the best deals come with trade-offs, and there’s always a cost when more people are involved in your project.

Still, having someone beyond your friends and family believe in your dream is a big deal. It shows that your idea has legs—and that belief can take you to the next level.

3) COMPLETE SOMETHING (Trade)

One of the most significant milestones for any comic creator is reaching the point where you have enough material to publish a collected edition or trade paperback. While single issues or short stories are great, a trade adds a level of legitimacy, accessibility, and longevity to your work that individual issues simply can’t match.

Trades have a much longer shelf life than single issues. Single issues come and go quickly in comic shops or crowdfunding campaigns, but a collected edition can remain relevant for years. Libraries, bookstores, and comic shops are more likely to stock a trade, making it easier to reach new audiences long after the initial release.

This is tough because many once they found out how easy things are they want to get all the ideas out. 6 ISSUE 1 and NO ISSUE 2’s. If you want to be a legit comic creator. You need to make the trade. FINISH YOUR STORY (Cody Rhodes knows whats up)

4) COMIC STORE/ BOOK STORE RELEASE

Comic stores remain one of the main hubs for comic book culture. When your work is on the shelves, it signals to readers, retailers, and industry professionals that you’ve arrived as a creator. It’s a form of validation that can set you apart from creators who are still working solely on crowdfunding platforms or self-publishing.

Being in stores also puts your work in front of readers who may not be familiar with you or your projects. Unlike crowdfunding, where readers actively seek you out, comic stores allow for organic discovery as fans browse the shelves. People go to crowdfunding for all kinds of things but they go to comic stores for comics. (Or maybe Magic cards or Pop figures)

We have to accept the reality that not everyone engages with crowdfunding, digital comics, or conventions. Many readers still rely on their Local Comic Shop (LCS) to discover and purchase new books. Being in stores lets you reach this dedicated audience, many of whom are loyal to their shops and trust the recommendations of their local retailers.

This is even more so in the bookstore market. I still marvel at books like DOG MAN or BAD GUYS which are basically comic books and OUTSELL anything in the “mainstream” . I think that being in comic stores are important regardless of the financial gain. (More on that below)

The reality is this

Books that perform well in stores can lead to bigger opportunities, such as:

• Publishers investing in more of your projects.

• Media interest, like adaptations for film, TV, or games.

• Opportunities to sell your book at conventions with the credibility of being "in stores."

• Greater chances to work with high-profile collaborators.

5) ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The more people acknowledge your work, the more credibility and visibility you gain in the industry.Acknowledgment provides a much-needed boost of confidence. For many creators, it serves as a reminder to keep going during moments of doubt. Hearing from fans or seeing your work featured can reignite your passion and encourage you to push forward with your next project.

Acknowledgment helps you feel connected to the larger comic community. Whether it’s fellow creators cheering you on or readers who love your work, it bridges the gap between the solitary act of creation and the shared experience of storytelling. These award may seem small but the more you are on TOP 100 list or TOP 10 list the more reach you and your product has.

So, now that we've discussed my thoughts on achieving success in comics, I need to address a key question: Does being in comic stores matter? As I mentioned earlier, comic stores and book stores are a level up, but does it really make a difference? Does it truly matter if you're in these stores? The answer largely depends on your long-term goals. Let’s take a moment to explore this.

For the sake of argument, let’s assume you’re able to get into stores because you've signed with a publisher. That's a great start, but it's important to remember that not all publishers are created equal. In the U.S., comics are distributed by a few major players: Diamond, Lunar, and Penguin Random House. Your publisher may have a deal with one of these distributors—or, if you're very fortunate, they might have a deal with all three.

More often than not, it will be just one distributor. The issue is that comic stores must meet minimum order requirements for each of these distributors, which means they’re likely to prioritize Marvel, DC, Boom, and Image—the big players—over smaller publishers. Even if they do order your book, they might order fewer copies than they'd like because they need to stock books from everyone on their subscription and pull lists.

Now, you can push against this. I have about 10 stores that sell my book very well and get excited when a new issue drops. This success comes from building personal relationships with each store, but it still only results in around 100 copies sold. That’s because, without me doing a signing, they typically won’t need more than 10 copies per store.

To make a real profit, though, you’d need to sell around 2,000 copies. I do pretty well with my books and come close to that, but the reality is that most indie publishers in today’s market sell between 300 and 1,500 copies at best. You can try to offset this by offering variant covers or raising the price of the book, but the truth is, as the creator, you won’t see much profit after the printer, publisher, and distributor take their cuts. What’s left over is what you’ll get.

The benefits I mentioned earlier are still valid, but they’re rare, and you really need a book with some buzz to access them. However, there’s something that comic stores can offer that Kickstarter can’t: the chance to get into conventions. If your book gains some traction, you might be able to attend smaller conventions for free. This can help you sell some copies and get your name out there on websites as a creator, but it won’t significantly impact your bottom line.

So, with everything above considered, is being in comic stores worth it? The answer depends on your goal.

• If your goal is to make money for your current or next project, the answer is no.

• If your goal is to get your name out there, the answer is yes, but it’s just a small piece of the larger puzzle.

I hope this helps fellow creators. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment.

Travis Gibb
Orange Cone Productions