Robert Venditti Launches #PullBoxPayItForward to Help Save Comics

As comic shops struggle to deal with an industry-wide shutdown, a lot of ideas are being floated for how to save the industry when all is said and done. One of those ideas is a macro approach, as Bleeding Cool first reported Wednesday morning, which would see ComicsHub enable customers to purchase comics through a local comic book store, receive a digital version immediately, and pick up the physical copy later. In this way, the shop would get paid, Diamond would get paid, and customers would get their books, without the digital sales cannibalizing the already beleaguered direct market. Others have a micro approach in mind, such as Justice League writer Robert Venditti. Venditti took to Twitter to launch a hashtag, #PullBoxPayItForward, encouraging those who can afford it to "pay it forward" by buying comics from local comic book stores, but not for themselves.

The comics industry is a family. These are unsettling times, but we're all in this together. For the first Wednesday in my career, there aren't any new comics on New Comic Book Day. Here's how I've decided to help. If you can join #PullBoxPayItForward, please do. pic.twitter.com/LviojKsE1C

— Robert Venditti (@robertvenditti) April 1, 2020

According to Vendetti, the concept is simple. First, "call a comic book shop and place a phone sale, putting the money toward the pull boxes of their choosing." Second, "the shop gets the sale and the customers get their comics paid for. (Customers can receive their books through curbside pickup or mail order. If those options aren't available, this still helps by keeping customers caught up when their shop reopens.)" Finally, "Hang up and spread the word" to get more people to participate.

Slow But Promising Start to Vendetti's Hashtag

Following Venditti's tweet, the hashtag is off to a slow start, but it does have some high-profile supporters, such as Bad Idea Comics mogul Dinesh Shamdasani:

There are no new comics today. It's a heart breaking New Comic Book Day for comic fans but also a financially difficult one for comic book stores, publishers & creators. If anyone is interested, here's a great way to directly help. #NCBD #PullBoxPayItForward https://t.co/C6q3QRZzdB

— Dinesh Shamdasani (@dinesh_s) April 1, 2020

And comic book writer Sam Humphries:

Some fans at Arsenal Comics and Games in California just got their pull boxes paid off! Happy new comic book day! #PullBoxPayItForward @Arsenal_comics @ComicBossTimmy https://t.co/4YHFtUGHBh

— Sam "The Hammer" Humphries (@samhumphries) April 1, 2020

Humpries didn't stop at paying for comics at just one shop, either.

I just paid for some fans' pull boxes at Acme Comics in Greensboro, NC! Happy new comics day! #PullBoxPayItForward @AcmeComics@LordRetail https://t.co/4YHFtUGHBh

— Sam "The Hammer" Humphries (@samhumphries) April 1, 2020

In fact, he paid for comics at three different ships, at least at the time of this writing.

I just paid for some fans' pull boxes at The Comics Place in Bellingham, WA! Happy new comics day! #PullBoxPayItForward @TheComicsPlace https://t.co/4YHFtUGHBh

— Sam "The Hammer" Humphries (@samhumphries) April 1, 2020

Does #PullBoxPayItForward sound like something you'd be interested in? If so, give Venditti's instructions a try. Every little bit counts when you're trying to save an entire industry.

The post Robert Venditti Launches #PullBoxPayItForward to Help Save Comics appeared first on Bleeding Cool News And Rumors.