Comics retailers forming a new group called COBRA

Dennis Barger Jr. of Wonderworld Comics in Detroit is known as one of the more…idiosyncratic comics retailers out there. He’s still resolutely anti-digital for instance, and holds many other opinions hat a lot of people disagree with. On his FB page he recently mentioned that he and some other retailers were planning their own retailing group, working name COBRA (Comic Book Retailer Alliance.)

My frustration with much of what is going on in comics has at least in a large part been set in motion for a reversal. When the Beatles wrote “I get by with a little help from my friends” they had no idea the level of people that would one day join forces like a modern day superhero team to form a comic book organization like no other. This group of retailers are unsurpassed in their knowledge of the industry, fortitude of character and strength of their voices. It is my pleasure and honor to team up with Randy Myers, Dominic Postiglione, Larry’s Comics, Jetpack Comics, Jesse James, Chandler Rice, Aaron Haaland and Richard Nelson to start the Comic Book Retailer Alliance. An advocacy group for the protection of the local comic shop (lcs) and the for a future in print comics for all creators. Way more information to come.

In a later post, it was suggested that more would be discussed at Diamond Retailer summit in Las Vegas in May.

As I’ve mentioned before, there have been many comic book store organizations, few of which stuck until ComicsPRO came along. In fact, I seem to recall that there was one called CBRI that some folks called “COBRA”. But there was also PACER, and BACR, and CBIA and ERCBRA and…more. I’m sure. (Google reveals little of these things.) To be a comic book retailer you must be a rugged individualist and that doesn’t always make organizing easy.

This COBRA group includes many of the “Phantom Variant” group, retailers who banded together to crate their own variant covers as a response to the shadowy “Ghost Variants” produced by a separate exclusive group of retailers…did I mention that retailers are rugged individualists?

Anyway, I asked Barger a bit more about this. While some framed this as a move against ComicsPRO—and Barger admits he and that organization don’t see eye to eye on many things—he said that perception was inaccurate. I asked him about individual issues that he felt were important to address: “Digital, actual sell through figures not just what Diamond sold us figures, stocking our stores collectively through outside channels and a few others that we have to flush out a bit more.”

Of course when he mentioned sell through, my ears perked up. Those numbers would be so, so interesting. Barger has a lot of other views on what he sees as a negative trend right now—although he also announced plans to move to a new bigger location, too so things can’t be that horrible.

Fellow proto-COBRA member Jesse James also put a statement on FB:


I would like to state that I joined COBRA to help make this industry stronger with another voice for the Publishers and Distributors to listen to. Though a media release has come out that the group is a defiance to Comicspro or opposition to that organization is far from the truth. Comicspro and its members have achieved much in its years of servitude to the industry. With their past convention in Atlanta, they continue to show their commitment to make this industry better. I look forward in working with the members of COBRA and my continued friendship with many members of Comicspro.

Not sure that was the proper use of “servitude” but ANYWAY.

ComicsPRO is better established than any other industry organization at this point. At last weekend’s annual meeting, participating entities included ctionLab Comics, Anomaly, Archie Comics, Ataboy, BCW, Black Mask Studios, Boom, CGC, Collection Drawer, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Dark Horse, DC, Diamond, Dynamite, First Second Books, Graphitti Designs, GTS Distribution, IDW, Image, Marvel, NBM/Papercutz, ONI Press, ReedPop, Titan,Top Shelf, Valiant, Viz and Zenescope—a pretty strong cross section of the industry and one that seems to be working together on many issues collectively.

That isn’t to say there isn’t room for another group with different aims, however. More to come, as usual.