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Retailer programming at Comic-Con 2006 has been arranged by ComicsPRO, the Comics Professional Retail Organization. For more information, comic retailers are asked to please attend the ComicsPRO informational meeting on Saturday July 22 at 2:00 in Room 22 or go to www.ComicsPRO.org.

Friday

10:30-11:30 Breathing New Life—Looking for new ideas and new products for your store? Brainstorm with hosts Nancy McCann of Comics Unlimited (Westminster, CA) and Mimi Cruz Carroll of Night Flight (Salt Lake City, UT), as they explore new merchandise lines and display techniques to enhance your profitability. Room 22

11:30-12:30 Screening the Spirit—Each year at Comic-Con, the Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award is given to a deserving retailer. Before this year’s award recipient is announced tonight, join Eisner Retailer Award facilitator Joe Ferrara (Atlantis Fantasyworld, Santa Cruz, CA) to see the videos submitted by this year’s finalists. This is a great way to learn from other retailers. Lots of ideas here, folks! Room 22

12:30-1:30 Breaktime—Take a break in the Retailer Lounge with board members of ComicsPRO, the retailer trade organization that is the advocate for all specialty market storefront retailers. Room 21

1:15-2:30 Retailer Speed Dating—Each table in the retailer lounge will be devoted to a specific topic which may include Store Design/Display Innovations, Advertising & Marketing, Customer Service, Dealing with Book Market Distributors, Staffing issues & Incentives, and others. Every 10 minutes, retailers will move to the next table. During the final 10 minutes, each table's anchor retailer will share some of the best ideas gleaned from this session of retailer "speed dating." Anchor retailers include Chris Powell of Lone Star Comics (Dallas, TX) and Joe Ferrara of Atlantis Fantasyworld (Santa Cruz, CA). Room 22

2:30-3:00 Breaktime in the Retailer Lounge. Room 21

3:00-4:00 Let Get Down to Business! The business of comic books is flying high right now, but there’s always work to be done and improvements to make. All specialty market comic retailers, publishers, distributors, and other suppliers are invited to this freewheeling forum to talk about business issues facing everyone in the comics’ biz. Room 22

4:00-5:30 So You Want to Be a Comics Retailer?—It’s not just a job—it’s a mission! This panei is always a popular event at Comic-Con because so many have dreams of owning their own comic book store. You have questions, this panel of experts has answers. Host Joe Field, owner of Flying Colors Comics & Other Cool Stuff (Concord, CA) will be joined by John Munn from Comic Book Ink (Tacoma WA), Matt Price from Speeding Bullet Comics (Norman, OK), and Dave Hawksworth from Diamond Comic Distributors’ outside sales team to talk about the business of comics. This special Retailer Event is open to the public. If you’ve ever wanted to open your own comic book store, this panel is for you! Room 22

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Saturday

11:00-12:00 Eisner Retailer Videos: A Closer Look—The Spirit of Comics Retailer Award recipient for 2006 will be announced at Friday night’s Eisner Awards’ ceremony. Join retailer award facilitator Joe Ferrara (Atlantis Fantasyworld) as he reviews the finalists' videos to promote a discussion of what all retailers can glean from them. Learn something new! Come on in and borrow from the best! Room 22

12:00-1:00 Comic Book Industry Alliance Meet & Greet—Join Robert Scott (CBIA forum host/moderator, owner of Comickaze, San Diego, CA) in the Retailer Lounge. All industry professionals are invited to learn more about the CBIA (www.theCBIA.com), a valuable online forum that’s a must-use tool for successful retailers, creators, and publishers. Room 21

1:00-2:00 “I Owe How Much?!”—Comic retailers know owning their own business is great! Until they realize how much they owe in taxes. Income tax, self-employment tax, payroll taxes, Social Security and Medicare taxes—where does it all end? Joe Davidson will help retailers try to figure out how to lower their tax bill for the next year. Joe is a Registered Tax Preparer in the state of California and has worked in the tax field since 1997, specializing in personal income tax and payroll tax. Room 22

2:00-3:00 ComicsPRO: Your Retailer Trade Organization—All comic book retailers are welcome! If you are a comic book retailer with a storefront, you need to be a part of ComicsPRO, the only active trade organization specifically for comic book retailers. Amanda Fisher of Muse Comics (Missoula, MT), Joe Field of Flying Colors Comics (Concord, CA), and Chris Powell of Lone Star Comics (Dallas, TX) will talk about what’s happening with the group. Where does membership stand? What benefits are there? What’s up for the future of ComicsPRO? All the answers are here! Room 22

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