ComicsPRO Annual Conference
Each year the ComicsPRO Annual Conference brings the comic industry together for connection, conversation, and planning for the year ahead. Held in the first quarter, it’s the one event built specifically around the relationship between retailers and the publishers, distributors, creators and vendors who supply them.
Glendale, California · hotel block TBD
Annual Conference
Feb 17–20
2027 · Glendale, California
Retailer & vendor registration
“ComicsPRO is the biggest business meeting of the year for comics.”
Heidi MacDonald, The Beat · photo by Luigi Novi, CC BY 3.0
Open to every store-front retailer
The Annual Conference is open to all comic book store-front retailers, member and non-member alike. If you run a comic shop, this event is for you, and we encourage non-members to attend and see what ComicsPRO is about firsthand. Companies that serve the retail comic industry are also welcome to participate as Sponsors.
Where the industry does its real work
Retailers, publishers, and distributors don’t just talk shop, they solve problems together. The Annual Conference is built around four formats designed to make that happen:
Panels
Industry-wide sessions where retailers hear directly from multiple publishers at once on current issues and what’s coming next.
Distributor Sessions
Retailers and publishers work alongside our distribution partners to strengthen how comics actually get to market.
Roundtables
Small-group, vendor-specific conversations where retailers can dig into the issues that matter most to their store.
Retailer Education
Gain retailing insight from industry veterans, thought-leaders, and professionals.
Why retailers come
Because everybody is there. Publishers bring what’s coming. Distributors answer questions in person. And two hundred shop owners compare notes on the things nobody writes down: what’s actually selling, what a change to terms really means for a small store, and how somebody else handled the problem you’re staring at.
It is also where the organization does its formal business: the membership meeting, the Industry Appreciation Award, and the charity auction for Binc.
The four days
Preliminary shape of the 2027 program. Session times are published closer to the meeting.
- Pre-conference activities
- Registration and badge pickup opens
- Opening reception
- Publisher and distributor presentations
- Vendor hall opens
- Retailer classes
- Presentations continue
- Retailer roundtables
- Charity auction benefiting Binc
- Annual membership meeting
- Industry Appreciation Award
- After-conference activity
Who exhibits
Publishers, distributors and service vendors take the hall for the run of the meeting. The 2027 list runs past fifty. Full list TBD
Award and auction
Presented at the conference
Industry Appreciation Award
ComicsPRO’s recognition of people who have shaped comic book specialty retailing. Two categories: active professionals still working in comics, and the Memorial Award for those who left an indelible mark and have since passed.
Members nominate. The board presents the final ballot.
Friday night
The ComicsPRO Annual Auction
Bring something to donate to the Annual Auction and get ready to bid on all kinds of cool stuff! Proceeds benefit BINC (The Book Industry Charitable Foundation) and ComicsPRO.
The ComicsPRO Annual Membership Meeting
During the conference, ComicsPRO members also convene for the Annual Membership Meeting to review the state of the organization and set goals and priorities for the year ahead.
Why retailers keep coming back
Ask around, and you’ll hear the same thing from retailers, publishers, distributors, and vendors alike: the ComicsPRO Annual Conference is the most productive retailer-vendor gathering in the comic industry.
Nowhere else does this much of the industry sit down in one room to move the business forward together.
Registration
Coming soon.
Retailer registration
Ticketing (quantities, per-organization limits, approvals and payment pre-authorization) is coming soon.
Past meetings
Archives of previous meetings will be here soon.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ComicsPRO Annual Conference?
It’s the comic industry’s premier retailer-vendor event, bringing together store-front comic retailers, publishers, distributors, and other pop culture wholesalers for panels, roundtables, and direct conversations aimed at growing the business of comics.
When and where is it held?
The conference generally takes place in the first quarter of each year. The 2027 event will be held February 17–20 in Glendale, CA.
Who can attend?
Any store-front comic book retailer, member or non-member. We actively encourage non-members to attend and see what ComicsPRO is about. Companies that provide products or services to comic retailers are also welcome to attend as Sponsors.
Do I have to be a ComicsPRO member to attend?
No. The conference itself is open to all retailers. Only the Annual Membership Meeting, held during the conference, is limited to ComicsPRO members.
What is the Annual Membership Meeting?
It’s a separate meeting held during the conference where ComicsPRO members review the state of the organization and set goals for the year ahead.
What does the conference actually consist of?
Three main formats:
- Panels — industry-wide sessions where retailers hear from multiple publishers at once on current issues and upcoming plans
- Distributor Sessions — retailers and publishers work directly with distributors on how comics get to market
- Roundtables — small-group, vendor-specific conversations on issues particular to that company
Can I attend as a Sponsor?
Yes. Companies that serve the comic retail industry are invited to participate as Sponsors. Sponsorship tiers and packages are TBD.
Is there a dress code?
Business casual is standard. Comfortable shoes are recommended — there’s a lot of walking and standing between sessions.
Why do retailers say this is worth attending?
Retailers, publishers, distributors, and vendors consistently call it the most productive retailer-vendor gathering in the comic industry — the one place where this much of the industry sits in one room to solve problems together.
Attending? Consider joining.
The conference is open to every store-front retailer. Membership adds the members-only offers publishers bring, the group programs, and a vote at the Annual Membership Meeting held during the conference.
