In 2020 TKO Studios launched an initiative to help comic shops suffering during COVID-18. Launched in March, the comic publisher sent 50% of every sale from their webstore to the local comic shop of a customer’s choosing.

The initiative ended in August and during the 6 months, the publisher sent over 1,500 checks to over 650 comic shops! In May the publisher announced they had sent “over a thousand checks to over 600 stores”.

It’s an impressive initiative showing how publishers can help directly boost comic shops impacted during economic struggles. It was one of the numerous ways publishers and creators rallied to help shops make it through the year. In October, BINC, the Book Industry Charitable Foundation announced they had raised over $950,000 to benefit comic retailers.