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Black Ice Comics has moved from under the parking deck to Sheldon Avenue and it is utilizing a larger store to expand its services. In addition to superhero fare and manga, traditional books are for sale. Nonfiction, fiction, all genres are available says owner Shana Porteen. And soon there will be ice cream and coffee. Black Ice Comics is quickly filling the hole left when the Bookworm closed in the spring.
The upgrade comes at a time where the rest of what is known as the direct market is struggling. There are only two comic shops in the entire Upper Peninsula and Houghton almost assuredly ranks as one of the smallest markets in America to have a store. Porteen says there is more than enough support for the medium here, though.
Comics are in trouble, even as their pop culture influence has never been more significant. Hundreds of stores have closed since 2017. Marvel has responded to falling sales by hiking prices and flooding the market with titles, usually over 100 books a month. Unlike traditional magazines, comic stores do not get to return what they can’t sell. The average title today sells at a level that would have seen it cancelled 15 years ago. Small stores are forced to eat costs associated with the merchandise that never leaves the rack. And that was before COVID.
Problems at the country’s largest company have been felt at all levels. Marvel’s largest competitor, DC Comics, had to downsize last year. Its publisher and editor-in-chief were both canned. Also gone were dozens of editors and other support staff who help ensure quality. It was described as a bloodbath. There continue to be rumors that the comic book arm will be shut down entirely, and Warner Brothers Discovery, the parent company, would just license out the company’s famous characters like Superman and Batman to other independent publishers.
Black Ice’s diversification efforts should help it weather changes within the comic industry. It meets a local need, while also ensuring stability as Black Ice continues to outpace its peers.
