Supporting Creators After ECCC’s Postponement

Emerald City Comic-Con’s postponement to an unknown date later this summer was the right choice from a public health perspective, but it understandably led to many (if not most) scheduled comic book creators worrying about their bills. Such a large convention can make or break their year. Fortunately, the comics community has rallied around one another to have fun and make some sales! For anyone hoping to show some solidarity with creators, whether they be old favorites or new can’t-do-withouts, we encourage you to take advantage of as many of the listed opportunities as your time and budget allows. No working creator should ever have to choose between their passion and their basic necessities.

Supporting Us

Originally, we were supposed to attend ECCC with our partners and friends at Source Point Press.

Source Point Press books (many of which have been published in conjunction with Comics Experience) can be purchased online, via comiXology, and at your local comic book store. Which, it should be noted, might be struggling with bringing in customers as worries about coronavirus continue. We encourage you to make the right choice for your needs, but please keep the brick-and-mortars in mind when you do.

They also have some stylish gear in their shop where you can share your fandom through fashion!

In addition, we have many of our well-received comics creation courses coming up, as well as our master seminar with Jonathan Hickman, all open for enrollment. As we’ve mentioned before, spots tend to get snapped up relatively fast, and we keep class sizes small so students get the most personalized feedback possible. We’d appreciate it if you considered looking at our schedule and signing up!

Supporting The Community

When the news that ECCC would be cancelled this weekend, an impressive number of creators banded together to have each others’ backs. While the news certainly didn’t bring us joy, we are so pleased to see how many options there are for comics fans to help our creative community.

First up, if you have the time, both PajamaCon (presented by C. Spike Trotman and Iron Circus Comics) and the Very Very Shopping Network (presented by Jen Vaughn and the crew of Very Very Spaceship) plan to livestream events throughout what would have been the convention weekend.

From March 13-15, PajamaCon will feature Twitch streams of panels and interviews with creators like Chris Roberson, Steve Lieber, Genue Revuelta and more! They will also feature “commercials” with information on creators with open shops, as well as smaller panel sessions. The final schedule has yet to be posted at the time of this writing, so make sure to check the website for the most up-to-date information!

Very Very Shopping Network will also run on Twitch beginning March 12th and ending on the 14th. Hosted by Jen herself, Jazzlyn Stone, and Aaron Oak, it adapts the QVC shopping format to showcase comics creators and publishers through interviews, panels, sales, and special giveaways from Very Very Spaceship, Oni Press, Dark Horse Comics, Random House, and Skybound.

The schedule’s been posted, so start planning your weekend now! You don’t want to miss out on this or PajamaCon!

If you can’t log in to Twitch at all, still make time to browse the #ECCCOnline to see what individual creators are selling in their online shops! Many plan to offer special deals and exclusives this weekend, too. We hope you’ll find some wonderful new-to-you talent to visit at future conventions! If you’re a fan of Oni Press publications or creators, they’ve already set up their own online shop.

In addition, the 2020 ECCC Artist Alley tumblr, Kimchi Kawaii Artist Alley, and Stephanie Cooke‘s Unofficial Emerald City Comic Con page are all keeping track of what’s happening at the various events and/or compiling updated lists of individual creator shops. Definitely make a point to give them regular visits throughout the weekend so you don’t miss your perfect comics or merch find!

Did we forget an online event or hashtag? Let us know and we’ll update this space!