About Us
Curator of Comics isn’t your typical comic book retailer. We’ve evolved into a multifaceted powerhouse in the comics industry – blending creative collaboration, technological innovation, and community stewardship.
Sure, we operate an online indie comic shop, but our mission goes far beyond selling comic books. From funding the next great indie series to developing cutting-edge apps for creators, we’re professional dreamers ready to have that next conversation with every potential partner about the future of comics.
More than "just a comic shop"
Our Mission and Values
At our comic book brokerage, we’re dedicated to empowering independent comic creators. We know how much passion and effort goes into bringing a comic to life, and our mission is to let creator-publishers focus on what they love – storytelling – while we handle the heavy lifting of publishing and fulfillment operations. This creator-first philosophy is backed by four core values that guide everything we do:
Creator Empowerment: We give you the freedom to concentrate on creativity and reclaim personal time. Instead of juggling printers, shipping labels, and spreadsheets, you can spend your energy crafting stories and artwork
Transparency: We maintain a clear financial structure with shared cost planning from day one. Every expense is discussed openly, so you’re never caught off guard by hidden fees or surprise charges. Our pricing and plans are straightforward and predictable, giving you full visibility into the business side of your project
Sustainability: We set up a viable financial model for each print run and campaign to support your long-term career. The goal is to help your project make a profit (because no creator wants to lose money on a book) and to build a path for you to continue making comics for years to come. By reducing financial risks and planning wisely, we aim to make indie publishing a sustainable endeavor, not a one-off effort
Community Support: We help you build and engage your audience so that you can grow a loyal fan base. Every reader counts – each order represents a fan who believed in your story. We treat those fans with care through excellent fulfillment and customer service, turning one-time customers into repeat readers. By fostering these connections, we support you in cultivating true fans who will stick with you throughout your career
How We Support Creators
Our role in the publishing process is to be your behind-the-scenes partner from print production through delivery. As the creator-publisher, you handle the creative work and pre-press file preparation – in other words, you write, illustrate, and format your comic until it’s ready to go to print. From that point on, our team takes over all the operational details so you don’t have to. We coordinate the print run with trusted vendors, determining the optimal print quantity and specifications for your book, and we plan a smart strategy for any surplus inventory (extra copies beyond initial orders). We also manage the logistics of getting your books from the printer to our warehouse – overseeing freight shipping and last-mile delivery – so that the transition from printing to storage is smooth and worry-free.
Next, we handle everything needed to get your comics into readers’ hands. Our team manages inventory in our warehouse, storing your books securely and tracking stock levels. When orders come in, we take care of order fulfillment by picking, packing, and shipping each book to your customers or backers with professional care. We use quality packaging and proven methods to ensure books arrive on time and in pristine condition, avoiding the pitfalls (like damaged books or missed shipments) that often plague DIY fulfillment. We also field customer service inquiries on your behalf – answering questions, handling any issues or returns, and making sure every reader has a positive experience. In addition, we integrate with online storefronts and manage post-launch retail operations, keeping your title available for sale online so it can continue reaching new audiences after the initial release. Throughout all these steps, we provide detailed financial reporting and timely creator payouts. You’ll always know how your book is performing and receive your earnings without delay. In short, you get to stay focused on creating comics, while we handle the rest in a reliable, transparent manner.
Our Services
Below is a breakdown of the comprehensive services we offer to support your publishing journey:
Print run planning and vendor coordination: We work with you to plan the optimal print run for your comic and coordinate with reputable printing vendors. This includes selecting print specifications, obtaining quotes, scheduling the print job, and overseeing quality control during receiving. Our experience with comic printers helps ensure you get great results at a reasonable cost
Surplus print inventory strategy: If you print more copies than are needed for the initial launch or campaign, we help devise a strategy for that surplus inventory. Rather than letting extra books collect dust, we plan how to use or distribute them – whether it’s for online store stock, convention sales, or special promotions. This way, every book can contribute to your success and revenue, and you won’t be stuck with unsold boxes taking up space
Freight and last-mile logistics: We manage the transportation of your books from the printer all the way to our warehouse (freight) and handle the “last mile” logistics to get them ready for fulfillment. This means arranging trucking or air freight for large shipments, dealing with customs if needed, and coordinating local delivery to our facility. We take care of all the shipping logistics and scheduling, so your printed comics arrive safely at our door and are ready for distribution
Inventory management and warehousing: Once your books are in our facility, we provide secure warehousing and professional inventory management. Your comics are stored in a clean, climate-controlled environment (important for preventing warped pages or ink issues). We organize the inventory, track stock levels, and can quickly locate any SKU or variant when it’s time to fulfill orders. You won’t have to fill your garage with comic boxes – we’ve got space and systems to keep everything in order
Order fulfillment and customer service: We handle all aspects of fulfilling orders to your readers. When an order comes in through your campaign, website, or online store, our team picks the right items, packs them carefully (using sturdy mailers to prevent bending or damage), and ships them out promptly. We also manage customer service for those orders – answering questions from customers, providing tracking information, handling lost package claims, or processing returns if necessary. This white-glove fulfillment service means your fans get their comics on time and in excellent condition, and they receive friendly support if any issues arise
Online storefront post-launch retail: Your book will be carried in our online storefront, giving you a continuing sales channel after initial launch sales have slowed down. We handle the e-commerce logistics and even assist with listing and promoting your product, so your comic stays available to new readers and can keep gaining fans over time
Financial reporting and creator payouts: Transparency in finances is a key part of our service. We keep detailed records of all sales, expenses, and inventory, and we provide you with regular financial reports. You’ll see exactly how many books have sold, revenue generated, and costs incurred. Based on those reports, we issue timely payouts of your earnings. This means you don’t have to chase down numbers or wonder about the sales of your comics – you get clear, periodic statements and receive your share of the profits up-front through the Creator Unit Fee, allowing you to enjoy the rewards of your hard work without administrative headaches or bleeding out over royalties and consignment payments
Each of these services is designed to let you focus on creating comics without getting overwhelmed by the backend operations of publishing. We handle the complexities of printing, distribution, and customer management in a professional, creator-friendly way. Our goal is to provide a reliable support system that brings your stories to life and into readers’ hands, while you stay in control of your vision and career.
By partnering with us, you gain a complete publishing support team that is as invested in your success as you are – we take pride in seeing independent creators thrive, and we’re here to make the business of making comics both manageable and rewarding
Investing in Independent Creators
We don’t just sell comics; we help create them. Over the past several years, Curator of Comics has invested funds into independent comic book projects to help bring creators’ beautiful stories to the public. By acting as a creative incubator and patron, we provide financial support and resources to up-and-coming writers and artists.
This means more imaginative, diverse comics get published – and it means partners and investors can trust that we’re cultivating a pipeline of fresh, original content. We’re not only curating finished comics, we’re curating the future of comic storytelling from the ground up.
Technology & Data-Driven Solutions
We’re not just comic enthusiasts – we’re tech innovators. Curator of Comics possesses the technical talent and a progressive track record to develop our own mobile applications, dynamic websites, and business operation solutions tailored for the comics world. We even utilize the power of AI and data analytics to capture and understand the trends driving our blossoming industry.
By analyzing fan preferences, market shifts, and emerging creator needs, we make informed decisions that benefit everyone in our circle – from investors gaining market insights to creators spotting new opportunities.
When it comes to supporting the talented and passionate people behind the comics, our ability to rapidly develop solutions and implement timely tech innovations is unmatched. In fact, we’re proud to be the only ones in the comic book industry taking this approach – integrating comics with cutting-edge tech in ways that were unheard of until now.
Our approach to innovation is agile and fan-focused. We maintain a robust, highly secure IT infrastructure and a service-as-software delivery pipeline that lets us move from idea to reality at lightning speed.
This rapid cycle means we tackle challenges and deliver results faster than anyone else in the industry. Whether it’s a new e-commerce feature or an analytics tool for publishers, we get it done in weeks – not years – keeping our partners ahead of the curve.
Global Distribution
Comics are a global language, and Curator of Comics helps them travel far and wide. We act as an international comic hyper-distributor, with established distribution deals spanning from Canada to the United Kingdom (and growing!).
What does that mean? Brilliant indie comics created overseas can get into the hands of a fan across the world without the usual high shipping costs or import hassles for the reader.
By working directly with foreign publishers and eliminating international logistics with domestic printing deals, we cut down barriers that typically separate creators and fans across borders. Creators from other countries gain a broader audience and more sales, while readers get access to international indie gems at local shipping rates.
This global reach not only creates new revenue streams for creators and our business, but also enriches the comic community by sharing stories and art from diverse cultures. In short, Curator of Comics makes the world one big comic shop for comics shops, where geography doesn’t stand in the way of a great story.
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Curator of Comics really is more than just a comic shop – it’s a bold vision for what the comic book industry can be when passion meets innovation. Whether you’re an investor looking for the next big thing in publishing tech, a creator seeking support and new revenue streams, a publisher or printer eager to collaborate, or a fan hungry for unique stories, we invite you to join us.
Together, let’s redefine the world of comics in a way that honors its rich legacy and propels it into an exciting future.
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