In an episode recorded in-person at this year’s annual conference for the trade organization for comic shops, ComicsPRO, The Beat’s Heidi MacDonald and the head of Lunar Distribution and Discount Comic Book Service, Christina Merkler, join the podcast for a vibe check about the event and state of the industry. Up first, MacDonald joins to share her read on the event, how it compares to previous editions, what stood out, and more, before Merkler visits us to talk about how passion is fueling this moment for the direct market, the spread of new readers, blind bag management, building on this moment, creating urgency, Lunar’s expansion with Viz Media and Yen Press, what has them hopeful about where comics are headed, and more.

You can find MacDonald on Bluesky and Instagram and her work at The Beat and Merkler on Instagram.

You can download the episode directly here on Libsyn.

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Want to watch a video version of this interview, albeit mostly unedited? This chat with Heidi MacDonald and Christina Merkler is available on the SKTCHD/Off Panel YouTube! Go watch it over there, and if you enjoy it, make sure to subscribe to the channel when you do.

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Thanks to a special sponsor to this week’s episode, Third Eye Comics, who sponsored my trip to ComicsPRO’s Annual Conference. For those that don’t know, Third Eye Comics is a comic shop with brick-and-mortar roots and nationwide reach, with eight stores on the East Coast but they ship everywhere — fast and cheap! — through their incredible online store. Whether you’re looking for comics, trades, manga, or games, they can help, and it’s all curated by people who love this kind of thing. Oh, and if you’re a creator who is looking to order their own books, Third Eye has the hook up, so hit them up. Big thanks to the team there once again, and buy Third Eye or die!

Thanks to one of the sponsor of this week’s podcast: 2000 AD! The future is calling. 2000 AD is the galaxy’s greatest comic with new issues published every single week. Every 32 page issue of 2000 AD brings you the best in sci-fi and horror, featuring characters like Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper, and more. Get a print subscription to 2000 AD and it’ll arrive to your mailbox every week and your first issue is free. Or subscribe digitally and you can download DRM-free copies of each issue for only $9 a month. That’s 128 pages of incredible comics every month for less than $10. You cannot beat that deal, so you do not want to miss it. To make sure you get on it, head to 2000 AD dot com and click on “Subscribe” now or download the 2000 AD app and start reading today.

Thanks to another of the show’s sponsors, Oni Press! This March, there’s no escaping high school in Dead Teenagers from Oni Press! Since 1997, five friends have been trapped in the ultimate nightmare as a mysterious entity forces them to relive their first prom night over and over again . . . and re-kills them in new and increasingly insane ways each time. They dress up. They party. They make out. And no matter what they try to change, they always die…until now. Something is about to break the cycle that has kept one group of friends locked in a bizarre purgatory beyond all understanding…but what they find on the other side will be the most disturbing revelation of all. Hell is the ’90s in this brash and brutal, genre-distorting ode to the generation that gave us Scream and Buffy the Vampire Slayer as GLAAD Award–nominated writer Jude Ellison S. Doyle and Eisner Award-nominated artist Caitlin Yarsky unleash the year’s most clever and compulsively page-turning horror thriller. Dead Teenagers #1 is in comic shops this March, only from Oni Press.

Lastly, thanks to the show’s final sponsor in IDW. IDW has an incredible March coming for readers, and it all starts with two big debuts. Up first is Phil Hester and Ryan Kelly’s A Quiet Place: Storm Warning #1.
The world ended in silence…but in Pearl, Iowa, they think they’re safe. They’re wrong. Set in the terrifying world of the hit films, this has tension you can feel building panel by panel. Then, it’s Hannah Rose May and Kelsey Ramsay’s The Exorcism at Buckingham Palace #1. First it was America. Now it’s England. The royal family is missing, Parliament is panicking, and a playboy heir may be next in line to the throne — if his demons don’t take him first. Political horror, possession, and palace intrigue collide. Finally on March 17^th is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures — On The Go: Half-Shell Shenanigans, which gives readers over 300 pages of totally radical Turtle chaos in a compact, digest-sized edition. It’s pure ’90s cartoon energy you can throw in your bag and take anywhere. Horror. Possession. Turtle Power. February at IDW has it all, so hit up your local comic shop and get in on it.

Big thanks to all of my existing patrons, including Zo Thompson, Brian Garside, Rand Hall, Christopher Landvick, Stephen Tramontana, Gavin O., Robert Negrete, Mr. Spriggs, Robert Pettinato, Tim Leong,  Ethan Spanja, Chris Partin, Ninja Assassin Love Story Webcomic, Mark Florio, Epic Broccoli, Kevin Bankston, Rick Yankosky, Chestin Pullard, Bobby Tomio, RK, Croc_Meow, Eric Palicki, eoBrodie Duncan, Scott Chua, Paul Lai, Gene Queens, Chad Lawrence, James Ferguson, Tiffany Babb, Nerdy Mewzings Podcast, Ian A., Hassan Thalji, Pinoywonder, Toni DeBoer, Nick Friar, James Shields, Michael DiGiovanni, Pete Ficken, Patrick McGlynn, Jose Perez, Ross Binder, Chris Tanforan, Joey Riccio, Ruben Jackson, Alfa, Keith Friedlander, Adriel Moreland, Garrett Lawton, Mike Novello, Jaime Espinoza, Ruben Cantu, Detective 27, JJ Mack, Comic Shop Assistant, Rob Guillory, Justin Pearson, Gianni Palumbo, Oliver Sava, P. Sanger, Wilson Garrett, Ben O’Grady, Mark Tweedale, Ben Allen, Zack Quaintance, Kazu Kibuishi, Tyler Crook, Patrick Horvath, Omega Slice, John Walsh, Brandon Paul, Aaron Bussey, Simon Birch, Austin Pribble, Sion, Megan Marsden, T.S. Luther, Comic Book Couples Counseling Podcast, Gus, Saunter, Brian, Chris Robinson, David Byrne, Benjamin Wilkins, Chris Hacker, John NeSmith, Jon Auerbach, Dustin Weaver, Brandon Hayman, Aaden Hamann, Faith Erin Hicks, Ben Wroe, Cameron Brown, Jonathan Breen, Charlie Stickney, Tom Drennen, Jeremy Thomas Burke, Jared Schwab, Scott Dunn, Seth Pomeroy, James McEwan, Andrew Leamon, Christina Merkler, Scott Place, Travis Gibb, Darcy Van Poelgeest, Reid Beaman, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Max Wood, Jeremy Lambert, Bryan Stratton, Nir Levie, Jason Hussa, Kieron Gillen, Jonathan Kent-Uritam, Henry Johnston, Dennis Hoffmann, Django Bohren, James Tynion IV, Chris Lankford, Jason Wood, Tom Peachey, Ben Damstedt, Ram V, Nick Walker, Patrick Coyle, Isaac Orin, Klaas Van de Ven, Submet Industries, Jack Mulqueen, Karl Kerschl, Robert Masella, Elsa Charretier, Luc Nakashoji, Dr. Luke, Scott Haselwood, Bradley Roeder, Carl Choi, Brandon De Pillis, Patrick Brower, Declan Shalvey, Dan Gearino, Atom Freeman, Brian Klein-Q, Nick Bennett, Susana Polo, Reed Hinckley-Barnes, Mario Tiambeng, Robert Wilson IV, Andrew Kurita, Stefan Hull, Phillip Maira, Chris Bachalo, Torunn Grønbekk, FuzBubbles, Christopher Ta, Transmitterdown, Walt’s Comics & Books, Akil Wilson, Alex Dimitropolous, Terry Dodson, Wesley Gift, Shawn Kirkham, Julio Anta, Brett A. Schmidt, Jason Goodmanson, Vita Ayala, Akylle, Phillip Sevy, Al Ewing, David Kelley, Jason Nassi, Adam Bogert, Matthew Taylor, Nick Pitarra, Jacob Sareli, Ford Gilmore, David Baroldy, Nick Hall, Bjorn Basen, John Hendrick, Ian Maxfield, Cliff Chiang, Colin McMahon, Adam Highfill, Fiona Staples, Mark Abnett, Michael Shirley, Tom Barnett, Jim Demonakos, Norbert, Nick Lowe, James Kaplan, and Mission: Comics and Art in San Francisco. You guys are all the best.

Have a question for Off Panel? You can reach David by email or Bluesky.

Header photo is from different news-y titles from ComicsPRO, including Terminal, Absolute Green Arrow, Destination Kill, and Star Trek. Off Panel’s opening theme music is Vulfpeck’s “Outro,” used with permission from the band (and thanks from me for them doing so!), with the rest of the music being an original track by custom music agency Upright T-Rex Music, written and performed specifically for the podcast. A huge thanks to Ross and Cody from Upright T-Rex Music for putting the track together!