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Marvel Comics Underperforming As DC Takes Off, Comic Shop Owner Says

ByCOMICALAXY

May 28, 2026

Comic shop owner Aaron Trites says Marvel Comics is underperforming as DC gains momentum and fans lose excitement for Marvel books.

Comic shop owner Aaron Trites says Marvel Comics is underperforming as DC gains momentum and fans lose excitement for Marvel books. Marvel Comics Underperforming As DC Takes Off, Comic Shop Owner Says Read More

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COMIC SHOP NEWS

Upland comic shop that supports rescue cats broken into for 2nd time
by Jocelyn Fiset on May 25, 2026
A downtown Upland shop that uses proceeds from the sale of comic books and collectibles to support the care of rescue cats says it has been broken into for a second time. Surveillance video posted …
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More than comics: Inside the Chatsworth shop that turned fandom into family
by Contributing Writer on May 8, 2026
“I’ve been buying and selling comics for over 30 years, and I just never thought it’d get to what it is now,” said owner Julio Galvez.
Comic Books are Helping Vancouver Learn how to Connect Again
by Denenae Tingala on May 7, 2026
Comic books are helping Vancouver learn how to connect again #top .av_textblock_section.av-movtppi6-fa1a71f055ea08bc865d377d106dfa5f .avia_textblock{ color:#919191; } As digital life and AI reshape creativity, Vancouver’s comic community is offering something rare, real human connection. #top .flex_column_table.av-equal-height-column-flextable.av-klhobiz-ff0fe6d683c8f5e51438ad9e0b779c75{ margin-top:10px; margin-bottom:10px; } .flex_column.av-klhobiz-ff0fe6d683c8f5e51438ad9e0b779c75{ width:17.6%; margin-left:0; } #top .flex_column_table.av-equal-height-column-flextable.av-klhobiz-ff0fe6d683c8f5e51438ad9e0b779c75 .av-flex-placeholder{ width:3%; } .avia-image-container.av-movxz6sf-364c90940fa513eca6c480e50c5e8840 img.avia_image{ box-shadow:none; } .avia-image-container.av-movxz6sf-364c90940fa513eca6c480e50c5e8840 .av-image-caption-overlay-center{ color:#ffffff; } #top .flex_column_table.av-equal-height-column-flextable.av-h4xwuqj-7828bdb8c600e3c121f3ac30ec3d1f28{ margin-top:10px; margin-bottom:10px; } .flex_column.av-h4xwuqj-7828bdb8c600e3c121f3ac30ec3d1f28{ width:79.4%; margin-left:0; } #top .flex_column_table.av-equal-height-column-flextable.av-h4xwuqj-7828bdb8c600e3c121f3ac30ec3d1f28 .av-flex-placeholder{ width:3%; } Denenae Tingala / May 7, 2026 #top .hr.hr-invisible.av-1a5rhi3-c7b2d82e554d807a697039a97e3389f7{ height:30px; } .avia-image-container.av-movxy6qv-79fa1bdd4d574455bfd5d5f5eccdad28 img.avia_image{ box-shadow:none; } .avia-image-container.av-movxy6qv-79fa1bdd4d574455bfd5d5f5eccdad28 .av-image-caption-overlay-center{ color:#ffffff; } Hank Pattison enthusiastically poses with a free comic. (Denenae Tingala/BCIT News) #top .hr.hr-invisible.av-jim5y3-d569e7f843217e0030eee11e782c5f99{ height:20px; } What’s better than comic books? Free comic books! On a sunny Vancouver day, people were packed inside Golden Age Collectables as Spider-Man posed for selfies, Harley Quinn handed balloon animals to children and long-time comic readers dug through piles of free issues beside curious first-timers. Free Comic Book Day transformed Vancouver’s oldest comic shop into space that allowed for genuine human connection. “People are feeling this lack of community,” said Jeffery Ellis, President of Comicscape Comics Society. “There’s an appeal in just the direct contact of like face to face because you get that tone of voice, you get that eye contact, you get the facial expressions.” The annual event, launched in the early 2000s as a publishing industry promotion, has evolved into one of the biggest days of the year for comic shops. But in Vancouver, artists and organizers say the celebration now represents something deeper than Fandom. Harley Quinn cosplayer Teanna, who was helping out the event at Golden Age Comics said,“Fandom truly brings us closer together” .avia-image-container.av-mow21ua5-3507c7341972d3e107c46b5f5379ccc1 img.avia_image{ box-shadow:none; } .avia-image-container.av-mow21ua5-3507c7341972d3e107c46b5f5379ccc1 .av-image-caption-overlay-center{ color:#ffffff; } Harley Quinn welcomes customers to this year’s Free Comic Book Day! (Denenae Tingala/BCIT News) At Golden Age Collectibles, manager Hank Pattison said the day is about making comics approachable again after years of pandemic struggles and declining in-person gathering spaces. “There’s something really fun about, sort of like with giving out candy on Halloween, just giving out free comics is awesome,” Pattinson said. “Comic books are supposed to be an art form that anybody can get into.” This year’s crowd reflected how broad the audience has become. Parents browsed beside university students, young children clutched manga, and older readers hunted for the newest titles. Teanna also says events like Free Comic Book Day help remove the intimidation many newcomers feel towards comics, “Comic books are not the most approachable thing in this day and age, just due to how extensive the lore is at this point,” she said. “But free comic book day just gives you a really good bouncing off point.” .avia-image-container.av-mow24rhv-f545036a185558ed779286966c6a9220 img.avia_image{ box-shadow:none; } .avia-image-container.av-mow24rhv-f545036a185558ed779286966c6a9220 .av-image-caption-overlay-center{ color:#ffffff; } Free comic books waiting to be picked up by new owners. (Denenae Tingala/BCIT News) At Golden Age Collectibles, manager Hank Pattison said the day is about making comics approachable again after years of pandemic struggles and declining in-person gathering spaces. “There’s something really fun about, sort of like with giving out candy on Halloween, just giving out free comics is awesome,” Pattinson said. “Comic books are supposed to be an art form that anybody can get into.” This year’s crowd reflected how broad the audience has become. Parents browsed beside university students, young children clutched manga, and older readers hunted for the newest titles. Teanna also says events like Free Comic Book Day help remove the intimidation many newcomers feel towards comics, “Comic books are not the most approachable thing in this day and age, just due to how extensive the lore is at this point,” she said. “But free comic book day just gives you a really good bouncing off point.” From the Artist’s Perspective: Across the city at the Roundhouse Community Centre in Yaletown, members of Cloudscape Comics Society gathered around sketchbooks, iPads, and unfinished pages during one of the group’s weekly meetups. Founded nearly 2 decades ago, the nonprofit has become an important part of Vancouver’s independent comics scene, offering workshops, publishing opportunities and community for artists at every level. .avia-image-container.av-mow2cyg2-77009ffbedea98a711732d0e8ea11c58 img.avia_image{ box-shadow:none; } .avia-image-container.av-mow2cyg2-77009ffbedea98a711732d0e8ea11c58 .av-image-caption-overlay-center{ color:#ffffff; } A Cloudscape Comics Society banner greets you at the entrance of their space helping you feel like you are entering cloud nine. (Denenae Tingala/BCIT News) “For years and years I didn’t have anyone who I could talk to about comics,” said Owl MP, a new member of the group. “Being in these events and seeing all of these different people working in comics, it’s just… really refreshing because I finally get to be with people who understand me.” Many of the artists in Cloudscape also yearn for that connection. “For me, it’s very important, especially like, I remember, COVID-19 times when you were locked in your house, in your apartment,” said Lukasz Sidorkiewicz, who moved to Vancouver from Poland six months ago. “I don’t find virtual meetings productive. So I really look for this kind of contact.” Parker Juryn described the meetups as a growing support system in a city where creative work can often feel isolating, “In this day and age, it’s more important ever to maintain the in-person contact,” Juryn said. “There is a massive support system going on for people who want to, like, get going into comics.” For Kelly Chen, the Vice-President of Cloudscape Comics Society, that support extends beyond socializing. It allows space for public art projects like ‘Comics in Transit’ Comics that are displayed in Vancouver bus shelters. “Our ultimate goal is to uplift the artists of the scene,” Chen said. She also noted that comics are increasingly entering academic and public spaces. “There’s been a shift of using the comics as a way to bridge the gap between academia and the general public,” Chen said. .avia-image-container.av-mow2hlcg-fd42935edc84eb0116e976989a302501 img.avia_image{ box-shadow:none; } .avia-image-container.av-mow2hlcg-fd42935edc84eb0116e976989a302501 .av-image-caption-overlay-center{ color:#ffffff; } Kelly Chen happily working on their new comic! (Denenae Tingala/BCIT News) “For years and years I didn’t have anyone who I could talk to about comics,” said Owl MP, a new member of the group. “Being in these events and seeing all of these different people working in comics, it’s just… really refreshing because I finally get to be with people who understand me.” Many of the artists in Cloudscape also yearn for that connection. “For me, it’s very important, especially like, I remember, COVID-19 times when you were locked in your house, in your apartment,” said Lukasz Sidorkiewicz, who moved to Vancouver from Poland six months ago. “I don’t find virtual meetings productive. So I really look for this kind of contact.” Parker Juryn described the meetups as a growing support system in a city where creative work can often feel isolating, “In this day and age, it’s more important ever to maintain the in-person contact,” Juryn said. “There is a massive support system going on for people who want to, like, get going into comics.” For Kelly Chen, the Vice-President of Cloudscape Comics Society, that support extends beyond socializing. It allows space for public art projects like ‘Comics in Transit’ Comics that are displayed in Vancouver bus shelters. “Our ultimate goal is to uplift the artists of the scene,” Chen said. She also noted that comics are increasingly entering academic and public spaces. “There’s been a shift of using the comics as a way to bridge the gap between academia and the general public,” Chen said. .av-horizontal-gallery.av-mow2ogm0-50b9fdb59c336dcbf7701b7ac288cb69{ padding:3.75% 0px;; } .av-horizontal-gallery.av-mow2ogm0-50b9fdb59c336dcbf7701b7ac288cb69 .av-horizontal-gallery-inner{ padding-bottom:25%; } Previous Previous Previous Next Next Next12345 Open image in lightbox: Patrick Wong 01 (1) Open image in lightbox: Patrick Wong 01 (1) Open image in lightbox: Patrick Wong 02 (1) Open image in lightbox: Patrick Wong 02 (1) Open image in lightbox: Philip Open image in lightbox: Philip Open image in lightbox: Janice Comics in Transit 2021 FINAL copy Open image in lightbox: Janice Comics in Transit 2021 FINAL copy Open image in lightbox: Alina 1 Open image in lightbox: Alina 1 Comics in Transit by Patrick Wong, Philip Barrett, Janice Liu and Alina Pete. (Kelly Chen, Cloudscape Comics Society) Death, taxes, and the fight with AI Still Vancouver’s comic scene faces growing pressures like AI and threats to their space. Many artists are grappling with the rise of artificial intelligence in the arts. Chen said “99.9999 per cent” of artists she knows oppose AI-generated art because of plagiarism and ethical concerns. Ellis argued the issue goes beyond economics. “I feel like we’re losing something very fundamental to being a human,” he said. “You can definitely see what is real, what is genuine, and what is fake,” Sidorkiewicz adds. “While seeing those AI stuff, I feel that it’s really fake, and it doesn’t have emotions.” Even so, optimism remains strong. “I think the community comics scene in Vancouver has always been strong,” Chen said. “I think we’re just gonna continue and grow.” Vancouver’s comic scene offered something refreshingly analog, people gathering together, sharing stories and trying to create something human.
Stockton community rallies behind comic book shop owner after robbery
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Covering Local News That Matters
Community support pours in after West Reading comic shop hit by flooding
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In true West Reading fashion, help showed up quickly. Not just to clean, but to check in and show support.
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We Look at the Top Four Systems
Swindon's only comic shop celebrates 15 years in town centre
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The Incredible Comic Shop first opened in June 2011 inside the town’s covered market before relocating to the The Brunel Centre ten years ago. Lifelong comic book fan Johnathan Brown founded the business alongside his friend and colleague Troy Loveday. The pair had worked together at the The W
Local Comic Shop Day to Be September 26, 2026
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POW! ZAP! Support local businesses while getting free comic books
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Free Comic Book Day is a yearly event taking place on the first Saturday of May in which local comic shops receive a series of exclusive new issues to hand out
Columbus comic shop honors founder, urges cancer screenings
by Eric Halperin on April 27, 2026
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — As the annual Free Comic Book Day approaches, the central Ohio comics community is honoring Gib Bickel, one of the founders of a popular Clintonville comic book store. The …
Suspects caught trying to sell stolen comics after burglarizing Houston store, police say
by KHOU 11 Staff on April 27, 2026
More than $4,000 worth of comics was stolen from a northwest Houston store. Precinct 5 constables say a fellow shop owner is the reason suspects are now in custody.
'Celebration of books.' Free Comic Book Day coming up in Elmira area
by Jeff Murray on April 27, 2026
Heroes Comic Books in Elmira Heights is helping host a "Free Comic Book Day" event May 2-3 at the Elmira Heights American Legion post.
DCU Boss James Gunn Lists Favorite Underrated Comic Books With Images - Comic Book Movies and Superhero Movie News
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Comic Shop News #2025 Preview
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Comic Shop News #2019 Reviews
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Alternate Universe keeps comic books super in New Haven
by Yale Daily News on April 10, 2026
The store, which has two locations in Connecticut, is supported by a loyal customer base.
Community rallies after 98-year-old Stockton comic shop owner loses thousands
by Gabriel Porras on April 5, 2026
Stockton community rallies together to help Al's Comic Shop after break-in
by , The Stockton Record on April 1, 2026
Al’s Comic Shop in Stockton once again became a target of vandalism and theft this week, resulting in thousands of dollars lost in merchandise.
‘FCBD’: A cryptic sign on a vacant storefront is good news for Oregon City comics fans
by Samantha Swindler | The Oregonian/OregonLive on April 1, 2026
Comics Adventure will offer free comics at its new Oregon City location on May 2.

GRADED COMICS NEWS

The Authority™ Becomes First Company in the World to Authenticate and Grade Published Comic Artwork
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/PRNewswire/ -- Dynamics Inc., the leader in security and collectible technologies, today announced the launch of its revolutionary Published Comic Artwork...
Timmy Heague On The Copy Of Action Comics #1 That Made Him A Man
by Rich Johnston on May 15, 2026
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Comic Collector Ends Up With a “Rare” Action Comics #1 After Grading Error (But It’s Not What You Think)
by Marco Vito Oddo on May 5, 2026
Action Comics #1 is the rarest comic in the world, with a copy recently reaching $15 million in a private sale.
Gerry Conway, comic book writer who co-created Punisher character in Spider-Man, dies at 73
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Gerry Conway, a renowned comic book writer who helped create characters and stories for Marvel and DC, including the Punisher character in the Spider-Man comics, has died. He was 73. In a Monday st…
Page Not Found
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by Cape Coral Breeze on April 30, 2026
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Suspects caught trying to sell stolen comics after burglarizing Houston store, police say
by KHOU 11 Staff on April 27, 2026
More than $4,000 worth of comics was stolen from a northwest Houston store. Precinct 5 constables say a fellow shop owner is the reason suspects are now in custody.
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Pikachu is Losing Ground to Pokemon’s Runner-Up MVP As the Most-Graded Character
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DC's Absolute Batman Makes Superstars Out of Artists
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Under New Ownership, Beckett Shuts Down Comic Grading
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CBCS Closed By New Owners In Favour Of Their Own Slabbing Service, PSA
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Marvel Comics Underperforming As DC Takes Off, Comic Shop Owner Says

ByCOMICALAXY

ByCOMICALAXY

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Marvel Comics Underperforming As DC Takes Off, Comic Shop Owner Says

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