Posted in: Comics, Oni Press | Tagged: bill schanes, comicspro, oni press, William Schenes

Bill Schanes Returns To Comics As Oni Press Publishing Consultant

Bill Schanes was the teenage founder of Pacific Comics fifty-two years ago. Today, he returns to Comics as Oni Press' new Publishing Consultant.

Published Thu, 23 Feb 2023 16:09:10 -0600

by Rich Johnston

Last updated Thu, 23 Feb 2023 16:15:58 -0600

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William Schanes (or Bill Schanes) was the teenage founder of Pacific Comics fifty-two years ago, the comic store that became a chain, a creator-owned publisher (one of the first to release creator-owned series from some of the industry's most legendary creators, including Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Neal Adams, Dave Stevens, Richard Corben and Sergio Aragonés) and a comic book distributor before it was bought up by Diamond Comic Distributors in the eighties. He stepped down from Diamond Comic Distributors in 2013, though he continues to visit comic book stores, travelling the world. As a pioneer in the establishment of the comic book direct market, which enabled stores to order comics accurately from publishers with better discounts, Bill Schanes changed the very nature of the artform and industry in the USA and beyond. He also oversaw the rise of Diamond to dominate the direct market, with exclusive deals for the biggest comic book publishers. Schanes was also part of Diamond's early forays into digital distribution. He remains a constant source of information. And now he's back.

Amnounced by Oni Press at ComicsPRO today, Bill Schanes will join Oni as a Publishing Consultant. "Bill is universally respected throughout our industry, and with good reason: As a retailer, publisher, and distributor, he personally helped build the foundations of the Direct Market as we know it today," said Hunter Gorinson, recently appointed President & Publisher of Oni Press. "There are few who can rival his experience, instinct, or wisdom, and we're fortunate to be able to draw on all three as Oni writes a new chapter for the future."

"I'm looking forward to working closely with Hunter and the Oni-Lion Forge team, as they have an ambitious publishing program, one which I believe can add value to the comics book specialty retailers," says Bill Schanes.

Expect more news as ComicsPRO 2023 continues throughout the week. Companies attending include 2000 AD/Rebellion Publising, A Wave Blue World, Anomaly Productions, Bad Idea Comics, Battle Quest Comics, BCW Supplies, BINC, Book County Clearance House, Boom Studios, CEX Publishing, Comic Shop Assistant, Comic Hub, DC, Diamond Comic Distributors, Humanoids, IDW Publishing, Image Comics, Lunar Distribution, Mad Cave Studios, Manage Comics, Marvel, Oni Press, Opus Comics, Penguin Random House, ReedPop, Rocketship Entertainment, Scholastic, Skybound Entertainment, Source Point Press, TCG Player, Universal Distribution, Valiant Entertainment, Vault Comics, Visi8 Entertainment, Viz Media, and Yen Press.

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