Posted in: Comics, Comics Publishers, Current News, DC Comics, Image, Marvel Comics | Tagged: canada, tariffs

Comic Book Store Owners On The Impact Of Taxes And Tariffs

Comic Book Store owners talking about the impact of new taxes and tariffs on the Canadian border on the comic book industry

Even Image Comics Vice President Jim Valentino was minded to cut and paste our most recent article about the impact of new American taxes and tariffs on the comic book industry onto his Facebook page, saying "From Bleeding Cool (not a site I quote often, but there are some very excellent points herein)…" and adding "For all of you in the comics biz who voted for this disaster I hope it's starting to sink in how much damage you've done to this industry. Larger companies like Marvel, DC and Image will find a way but this will most likely destroy smaller publishers and retailers. And your vote is to blame. Will we survive this? I think so, but expect prices to soar and a lot of good people to be hurt."

But what do the comic book retailers themselves say? Eddie deAngelini of the Santa Monica Comics Company tells Bleeding Cool, "I had tried to start this conversation with other retailers before the election, both in person and online. Many had a 'wait and see' attitude and some, shockingly, believed that tariffs are paid by other countries and not us. I had and still have a more concerning interest in what may come because of my particular situation. My wife and I co-owned Hi De Ho Comics in Santa Monica, California for ten years and that shop sadly closed in December of 2023. We then spent several months in 2024 working with a business advisor building our plans to reopen a new shop in Santa Monica in 2025 called Santa Monica Comics Company. We now fear that our business models will be inaccurate to start and maintain a successful business if prices increase and sales slump."

"If the current administration refuses to back off on these tariffs, it seems inevitable that publishers will enact a cover price increase. This will quickly hurt retailers as customers buy less or decide to stop altogether. We may see sales slump across the board and I fear that shops who won't or can't pivot may be faced with the decision to close. A few shops closing could be survivable for the industry, but there's a tipping point. If too many shops close, there ceases to be enough commerce to sustain the distributors and then the publishers as the shock wave travels back up the comic supply chain. This could result in the collapse of the direct market. I fear smaller publishers will be hit the hardest and the quickest. Many are already operating on razor thin margins and the additional cost of tariffs could make their business models a losing venture."

"To those online who are saying "just start printing comics in the US", we have to remember that the reason publishers print outside of the US is to save money and be able to make even a minimal profit and keep their books in production. With the higher cost of US labor and supplies (the majority of our paper comes from Canada), we would still end up in the same predicament that I've described above. Now is a good time to remind you that the other candidate didn't propose tariffs and wanted to raise the small business tax credit from $5,000 to $50,000. Ugh. This is definitely a wild time to be opening a comic shop!"

Dan Degnan, owner of South Side Comics in Pittsburgh, tells me, "I am not a fan. Economic advisors agree that tariffs lead to increased costs for consumers. With so many comic book publishers using printing presses outside of the United States, I imagine there will be direct market changes. Coupled with the Diamond uncertainty and loss of product, retailers could be in for a bumpy ride. I think every publisher should be making an announcement about whether tariffs will affect their operations or not. We need transparency."

Chris & Kelly at Retro Rocket Comics in Cambridge, Ontario, have told their customers, "Just a quick note to subscribers and comic book enthusiasts… MOST (if not all) of the comics you read, are PRINTED in CANADA, BY CANADIANS. The Canadian printer of these books has graciously offered to cover the cost of tariffs being imposed by the U.S. for 90 days. This is an attempt to reduce the burden on comic shop owners and retail customers during this time. Regardless of that fact, it looks like prices are set to increase in the coming weeks. This is news from the comic book industry, not a decision being made at the retail level. Unfortunately in the event of this happening, we will have no choice but to make certain changes at the retail level in order to weather the storm. Starting with this weeks ordering, we will be drastically reducing the number of extra shelf copies we get for weekly books. Most books other than new #1 issues will be by SUBSCRIPTION ONLY, which makes starting a subscription the only safe way to guarantee you get your books! It is now more important than ever to ensure you are keeping on top of your subscriptions. We apologize to everyone affected by these tariffs during this time, and we recognize that comic books are a luxury item. Hopefully this situation resolves itself quickly and we can all be here when the dust settles."

But comic book retailer Regan Clem of Summit Comics & Games in Michigan has a different take, looking at a wider picture, citing news stories "Honda to produce next Civic in Indiana, not Mexico, due to US tariffs" and "Apple announces $500 billion investment in US amid tariff threats", stating "I don't think these stories are getting any attention. Bringing jobs to American workers is caring about the working class" and adding "I'm old enough to remember when Democrats were for tariffs and protecting American jobs."

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