Get ready to Back the Comeback™. We’ve seen many fundraising drives for comics retailers – including Jim Lee’s ongoing Instagram art auction campaign, #Creators4Comics, and Insider Art. But here’s a new, extremely organized and branded one.
Back The Comeback™ is led by Diamond Diamond Comic Distributors and Alliance Game Distributors and other Geppi Family Enterprises companies, and will feature a widespread, multi-phased fundraising campaign to support comics and games shops as they reopen. In recent livestreams, Diamond owner Steve Geppi alluded to some big things coming, and this is surely one of them. T-shirts are already being sported — and sales of the T-shirts will benefit the charities.
The campaign, launched with the cooperation of industry influencers, comes complete with trademarks, a logo based on the Comics Code Authority seal, and a snappy motto: “Our Comeback Will Be Bigger Than Our Setback,”
According to Newsarama, when Diamond begins shipping comics again on May 20th, the shipments will include Back The Comeback™ branding.
Geppi announced more in a video.
https://www.facebook.com/backthecomeback/videos/547934972587582/?xts[0]=68.ARA8sVlq0DjLhzTKVx3mUGyarQ8RC-Hymh8Rnn2uaxPUvpWDTRFQZRy3DzyWsfnMAbODkCTtChcRe2m6PfIzHYcyfDDAPjKqrdgduAj1aoOBLskUAMSV1Am5hbtvrDWI16Hjb4Nh8ojt19CjYOL0DY-SdE7E-ocXlxS1bHMEih1iSxHWRdcOQ5yoEuM7Dn2X-qZy09MFLcN_Olwb8sk5yYbWjLM9eutS9IMjw83hu4X-co-gsOAq0DxnopURTTlkP_ghnz3w_xOsujj6VasCittByxZ4GyE4VizW1kJyoCyJc4wC5DsuVAMTa3ANlLv-nO6PBG93R8hrfOPj25M6hQuErQUd-Bjn4lM&tn=-R
Geppi is putting his own skin in the game by donating items worth at least $50,000 to the auction.
Proceeds will go to organizations, including these:
- Book Industry Charitable Foundation: https://www.bincfoundation.org
- Jack Vasel Memorial Fund: https://www.jackvasel.org
- Comic Book Legal Defense Fund: http://cbldf.org
“To say these last few months have been challenging would be an understatement,” said Geppi, Chairman and CEO, Geppi Family Enterprises, in a statement. “I have heard from many retailers and everyone is excited about safely reopening, restarting and rebuilding. I truly believe that our comeback will be bigger than our setback and am excited to kick off this campaign in support of our industry and our retailers.”
The campaign has already launched across social media channels with Geppi urging five friends to take the challenge to #BacktheComeback, and post messages of support for their favorite comic or game store while asking their friends and fans to do the same.
But wait — there’s more!
The second phase of this campaign begins later this summer when Diamond International Galleries (DIG) launches a Back The Comeback charity auction. Steve Geppi has kicked off donations to the auction with items valued at approximately $50,000. The winning bidders will donate directly to one of three charities that support comic and game retailers and submit proof of donation to DIG to claim their item.
The third phase of this campaign focuses on in-store promotion. Alliance will offer weekly promotions to retailers and Diamond will partner with publishers to place the Back The Comeback logo on the cover of select comics to commemorate this time period and the emphasis on rebuilding. More information on these additional phases of the campaign will be released in the coming weeks.
“My hope is that Back The Comeback will reassure our retailers that our community is here to support them,” said Steve Geppi. “I am proud to collaborate with industry colleagues on this campaign to spread the word about Back The Comeback so that together, our comeback will be bigger than our setback.”
In that interview with Newsarama, Geppi explained more, including hopes of producing “Pandemic Era collectibles.” And the arrival of the themed boxes will be exciting.
Diamond’s first shipment of books since the COVID-19-influenced hiatus will also carry Back the Comeback branding, as well as a letter from Geppi to retailers.
“When the boxes arrive for the May 20 books, I don’t want it to be ‘just another’ box. I want it to be an event,” Geppi said. “The boxes will have a big label for Back the Comeback, and inside there will be a letter from me to excite them. I’m going to be encouraging them to take pictures of the box, the unpacking, and the re-opening.”
I suspect the arrival of new comics might be exciting enough in and of itself without an added letter from Steve Geppi but hey … it’s new comics.
I’ve been hearing whispers of plans for other big industry charities out there … so I’m not sure if all these rescue plans are being consolidated. At any rate, there is a lot of stuff lying around Stately Beat Manor that needs a new home — so I’m in on one of these.
it better be on variant covers because I dont want that ugly thing on the cover of anything I’m buying.
What a loathsome plan by a deplorable person, to attempt to profit from tragedy.
Wow, the whole idea of “Pandemic Era Collectibles” is vomit-inducingly gross.
God Bless Steve Geppi! With him on our side our Comeback will indeed be bigger than our Setback!
Make Mine Diamond!
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