Tag Archives: binc

Discover Quality Comics from Top Shelf with this Humble Bundle

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Great comics come in a wide variety of styles and flavors—so take a bite from a library of fantastic titles with the Quality Comics from Top Shelf Comic Bundle on Humble Bundle! Dive into our Quality Comics Bundle from Top Shelf and get familiar with iconic stories like The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Volume III & IV, engaging spinoffs like Nemo: River of Ghosts, and compelling dark tales like From Hell: Master Edition. Get a curated collection of amazing comics and help support the BINC Foundation with your purchase.

The Quality Comics from Top Shelf Comic Bundle has a retail value of $244 and you can get it all for just $18.

Quality Comics from Top Shelf Comic Bundle

Discover Quality Comics from Top Shelf with this Humble Bundle

Posted on by

Great comics come in a wide variety of styles and flavors—so take a bite from a library of fantastic titles with the Quality Comics from Top Shelf Comic Bundle on Humble Bundle! Dive into our Quality Comics Bundle from Top Shelf and get familiar with iconic stories like The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Volume III & IV, engaging spinoffs like Nemo: River of Ghosts, and compelling dark tales like From Hell: Master Edition. Get a curated collection of amazing comics and help support the BINC Foundation with your purchase.

The Quality Comics from Top Shelf Comic Bundle has a retail value of $244 and you can get it all for just $18.

Quality Comics from Top Shelf Comic Bundle

Discover Quality Comics from Top Shelf with this Humble Bundle

Posted on by

Great comics come in a wide variety of styles and flavors—so take a bite from a library of fantastic titles with the Quality Comics from Top Shelf Comic Bundle on Humble Bundle! Dive into our Quality Comics Bundle from Top Shelf and get familiar with iconic stories like The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Volume III & IV, engaging spinoffs like Nemo: River of Ghosts, and compelling dark tales like From Hell: Master Edition. Get a curated collection of amazing comics and help support the BINC Foundation with your purchase.

The Quality Comics from Top Shelf Comic Bundle has a retail value of $244 and you can get it all for just $18.

Quality Comics from Top Shelf Comic Bundle

Binc Awards Four Scholarships to the 2025 ComicsPRO Industry Meeting

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Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation

The Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation has awarded $750 scholarships for the ComicsPRO industry meeting in Glendale, CA, February 20-22, 2025, to four comic retailers.

Erik Jones, Four Color Fantasies, Winchester, Virginia; Andrea Gilroy, Books with Pictures, Portland, Oregon; and Zacharie Lasiter and Shannon Merritt, 901 Comics, Memphis, Tennessee, were awarded the scholarships. They can use the funds for travel, replacement wages, lodging and meals; ComicsPRO will cover the registration fee for the meeting.

ComicsPRO is the only trade organization for direct-market comic book retailers. The organization’s industry conference is a chance for ALL store-front comic retailers (members and non-members) to meet with comic publishers and distributors and other pop culture wholesalers.

Binc Announces the Second Cohort of Its Business Incubator for Bookstore Ownership

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Ten aspiring and brand-new bookstore owners from California to Florida were selected as the second cohort of BincTank, the Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation’s business incubator pilot program to support Black, Indigenous, and People of Color-owned retail bookselling businesses that are physically located in their community. The 10 entrepreneurs, selected anonymously from a pool of 25 applications, will begin Professional Bookselling School in March. 

The entrepreneurs are:

Aurora Anaya will launch a mobile bookstore and California native plant shop in spring that transforms spaces into thriving literary and ecological hubs. A seasoned social entrepreneur and former owner of the renowned La Casa Azul Bookstore in East Harlem, Anaya is passionate about amplifying BIPOC voices, fostering community connections, and promoting ecological awareness.

John McGregor worked in book publishing for over 30 years as a literary agent and most recently as a bookseller. During that time, he conceived “Wrapped in Rainbows,” the “definitive” biography of Zora Neale Hurston, and spearheaded groundbreaking initiatives as a bookseller. He plans to give Harlem the first in class, general interest bookstore he believes the historic neighborhood deserves.

Darnella McGuire-Nelson is a lifelong resident of Alexandria, Virginia, where she serves on various boards and committees.  She uses her platform as a haven for safe spaces, promoting policies and programs that maintain safe neighborhoods, support minority-owned businesses, transform communities, and enrich the lives of the marginalized and disadvantaged.  

Priscilla Martinez is an Indigenous, Chicana, Latina woman. She’s been a community organizer for over 30 years with a depth of experience focusing on coalition-building, inter/intrafaith, civic engagement, and climate action. She is the founder and owner of West Side Stories, western Loudoun County Virginia’s indie bookstore, bakeshop, and coffeehouse.

Tamara Olmedo is an Asheville based Latina from the Bronx who discovered magic between the pages of a book at the age of 12. Since moving to the mountains of North Carolina in 2010, she has worked at various nonprofits with a mission to make resources accessible to everyone. When she’s not adding books to her TBR pile, Olmedo can be found around sharing books with her community through the Cuentos y Café BIPOC Bookstore pop-ups.

Tracy Ramey is an author, advocate, educator, and entrepreneur in Columbus, Ohio. She first had the idea to open a mobile bookstore in 2021 while working remotely as a preschool instructional assistant. She believes that everyone deserves a bookstore, especially those that don’t think bookstores are for them.

San Diego native Rasheedah Rashada is a well-being and mental health advocate and social entrepreneur committed to serving those under-represented and improving the community’s educational, health, and wellness outcomes. They have been involved in several community-based projects, including public health, arts & cultural, urban agriculture, working with formerly incarcerated youth and adults, and implementing programming in educational institutions. 

Aminata Solammon is driven by the belief that every young person deserves to experience the joy of finding a book that feels uniquely theirs. An Atlanta native by way of Oakland, CA, Solammon combines her passion for youth development, children’s literature, and fostering human connection to spark creativity and a sense of belonging in children and youth. When she’s not writing picture books, she enjoys exploring new cities with her husband and two children.

Selena Teems is the founder of Successful YOU!®️ Books were their first love and remain their favorite companions. They empower self-publishing entrepreneurs to unlock profits and showcase their expertise via coaching, training, and niche networks.

Erica Wisely is the passionate founder and owner of Reid Wisely Books & Brew, a children’s bookstore based in Rockland County, New York. Inspired by her journey as a mother to two biracial children, she created this community-focused pop-up shop to celebrate diversity in storytelling and amplify the voices of BIPOC authors.

TokyoPop Contributes $10K To Binc Foundation’s SoCal Fire Relief Fund

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Los Angeles based publisher and pioneering manga and anime media brand TokyoPop has announced that is has contributed $10,000 to the Book Industry Charitable Foundation’s (Binc) matching gift pool to benefit those in the book and comics industry affected by the ongoing L.A. wildfires.

Binc has posted a form on its website for contributors who wish to use the matching pool to double their donations. The first $55,000 in contributions will be matched dollar for dollar no matter the size. The organization offers financial assistance grants and mental health wellness programs to qualified book and comic store owners and their employees.

So far, the fires have burned more than 62 square miles according to Cal Fire’s figures. The death toll stands at 25 and is considered likely to rise. As many as 82,400 residents remain under immediate evacuation orders or warnings of imminent evacuation.

At least 12,000 structures are believed to have been destroyed in the Eaton and Palisades fires alone, the two biggest of the conflagrations. As of Friday, January 17 th , the Palisades Fire, which has charred more than 23,700 acres, is 22-percent contained and still a significant threat to neighborhoods on the west side of Los Angeles, while the Eaton fire at some 14,000 acres near Pasadena is 55-percent contained.

Applications Open for Binc Scholarship to 2025 Denver Publishing Institute

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Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation

Applications are open for current booksellers from a physical bookstore interested in learning about the publishing arm of the industry to apply for a scholarship to attend the Denver Publishing Institute (DPI). The scholarship, offered by the Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation in collaboration with Sourcebooks and the Denver Publishing Institute at the University of Denver, is worth up to $7,000. It includes tuition, room and board, and up to $2,000 to cover travel and lost wages. Applications will be accepted through Friday, Feb. 7, 2025.

DPI is a four-week summer program (July 13 – August 8, 2025) at the University of Denver. Participants can choose to attend in person or as a remote student. DPI is taught by industry professionals who work for trade, university, textbook and independent publishers throughout the country. Recent graduates have gone on to work at Sourcebooks, Bank Square Books, Harper Collins, Penguin Group, Oxford University Press, Chicago Review Press, Pearson, and McGraw-Hill. Course and lecture topics include book marketing, manuscript editing, copyediting and proofreading, digital marketing strategies, the role of the bookstore and many publishing specific courses.

The application process – which is managed through DPI’s admission application – is open to booksellers who are currently employed (full- or part-time) at a physical bookstore with a tenure of at least 90 days and are employed by the bookstore at the time of the program. Applicants must discuss application and potential selection as scholarship recipient with their store owner/manager prior to applying for the scholarship.

Applications are due by Friday, February 7. After you have created an account and started your application, under Program Selection → Choose College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences → Denver Publishing Institute, Graduate Certificate. You will be able to select if you are applying for a Binc scholarship toward the end of the application process.

Binc Announces $45,000 Matching Gift to Help Book and Comic People Affected by California Wildfires and Other Disasters

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Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation

As wildfires continue to ravage parts of California, a matching gift pool will ensure donations made to the Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation continue to have double the impact. Thanks to the generosity of Dav Pilkey, Forefront Books, Ingram Content Group, Macmillan Publishers, and Mad Cave Studios all gifts, regardless of size, up to $45,000 will be matched to meet the needs of the bookstores and comic shops and their store employees potentially impacted by the wildfires and other natural disasters.  

The California wildfires have closed dozens of book and comic stores, forced many book and comic people to evacuate or shelter in place, and Binc is already aware of seven booksellers who have lost their homes. Free mental health wellness is being offered to anyone in need and the calls for help continue amidst widespread and ongoing devastation.

An initial $10,000 match from Bookshop.org, which was quickly met, motivated the $45,000 matching gift pool.

The foundation receives requests every day from book and comic store employees and owners experiencing unforeseen emergency financial, medical and mental health hardships, and has helped stores around the country recover after natural disasters like hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Double the impact of a gift to Binc by donating today. 

Binc Welcomes Three New Board Members

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Three book and comic industry leaders have joined the Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation board of directors. They bring a variety of experiences, from book buying and store ownership to manga expertise. In addition, Chris Morrow, former owner of Northshire Bookstore, will continue to serve as president and historical fiction author Jonathan Putnam as treasurer.

Kimberly (Kim) Brock is a book buyer for Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Cincinnati, OH, where she has worked for 11 years. Kim currently serves on the American Booksellers Association’s Education Task Force and Binc’s BincTank committee. She is working on a masters in publishing from The George Washington University in Washington, DC.

James Killen joined the Barnes and Noble buying group in 1987 after nearly a decade in the stores. He was a buyer for their categories of SF/fantasy, graphic novels, and manga for 21 years. James is now acting as director of retail operations for the Manga Spot stores for Kadokawa World Entertainment.

PK Sindwani is an accountant with an MBA in finance. After 11 years in the corporate world, he decided to pursue his passion and opened a bookstore in 1990. With nearly 35 years of experience in the book industry, PK has spent 29 years as a bookstore owner and six years with the American Booksellers Association.

Three board members completed their service to Binc. Annie Philbrook, longtime bookstore owner, was on the board for 10 years and served as vice president and president. Calvin Crosby, co-owner of The King’s English Bookstore in Utah, served as secretary, and Rockelle Henderson, owner of Rock Inked, Inc., was on the board for 10 years in several roles.

New members of the Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation board of directors from left to right: Kim Brock, James Killen, and PK Sindwani. Courtesy photos.
New members of the Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation board of directors from left to right: Kim Brock, James Killen, and PK Sindwani. Courtesy photos.

Get Your Last Minute Donations in and Support the CBLDF, BINC, and the Hero Initiative Before the End of the Year

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Nonprofits live and die by the financial support they’re provided by supporters. and there’s still time to get your last-minute donations in before the end of the year. We have some handy comic focused charities, though there’s many more you can give to that are very worthy as well. Sound off in the comments with those you donate to!

Graphic Policy is asking you to support three worthy causes, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF), Book Industry Charitable Foundation (BINC) and the Hero Initiative.

BINC

Binc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to assisting booksellers in need. The Binc Foundation grew out of a wish of bookstore employees to establish a fund to help their colleagues experiencing unexpected financial crises. Binc is dedicated to assisting bookstore employees across the United States in their greatest time of need.

The organization has pivoted to help booksellers and comic shops during the current pandemic.

Binc’s assistance varies depending on the needs of retailers. Binc is focused on helping with expenses such as medical or personal household under the following circumstances:

  • If a bookstore employee contracts an illness and cannot go to work.
  • If a member of a bookseller’s household contracts an illness and the employee is forced to quarantine themselves to prevent further spread of the virus.
  • If a bookseller loses more than 50% of their scheduled work hours because residents are told not to go to work.
  • If a bookseller loses more than 50% of their scheduled work hours due to a mandatory quarantine.

You can donate now to help BINC get funds to those in need.

The CBLDF receives more than a quarter of its annual budget in year-end gifts from supporters. But, that can change by helping donate on a special day like today!

All year-round, the CBLDF works hard to protect the right to read. Their efforts combat the rising tide of censorship facing students, educators, and libraries, and we continue to provide a valuable safety net for creators and retailers.

The organization has pivoted in the current period by becoming a resource for comic shops and creators in need of support, new ideas, or relief. They’ve become an invaluable one-stop shop to disseminate information to help the industry.

If you are thinking about an organization to donate to, we ask you to please consider their worthy efforts. Donations to CBLDF are fully tax-deductible in the year they are given. Please help CBLDF continue their important work by making a donation today, either by giving a holiday gift of a signed graphic novel, becoming a member, or making a tax-deductible cash contribution.

You can donate now and get some cool items to show off your support.

The Hero Initiative

The Hero Initiative helps comic creators in need. Formed in 2000, the organization is a safety net for comic creators in need. The organization became a not-for-profit in 2001 and has since granted over $1,000,000 to over comic book creators who helped contribute to and build the industry into what it is today.

Hero creates a financial safety net for yesterdays’ creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. It’s a chance for all of us to give back something to the people who have given us so much enjoyment.

You can help them out and contribute today!

Please donate so these three worthy organizations can continue their good works. If you have more suggestions of comic-related non-profits that people can donate to, sound off in the comments below.

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