As unveiled today during the 2025 ComicsPRO meeting, Oni Press has announced that it has surpassed a major milestone in 2024 by breaking all internal records to become the most successful year of publishing in the company’s 28-year history. To follow it up, the Portland-based publishing house intends to pay that dividend forward to Direct Market retailers with the ONI 8 Retailer Appreciation Program – an all-new, eight-point plan of recurring marketing and sales initiatives intended to support and strengthen independent comic book retailers across 2025 and into the years beyond. 

Oni’s ambitious plans for 2025 include the forthcoming launches of Out of Alcatraz #1 by Eisner Award nominees Christopher Cantwell & Tyler Crook; Free For All #1 by Eisner Award nominee Patrick Horvath; Plague House #1 by acclaimed writer Michael W. Conrad & Ringo Award winner Dave Chisholm; Adventure Time #1, the first issue of the all-new ongoing series from acclaimed cartoonist Nick Winn and LA Times Book Prize finalist Derek Ballard; and the next blockbuster EC Comics series in Blood Type #1 by Hugo Award nominee Corinna Bechko & Eisner Award winner Andrea Sorrentino – all of which will be spotlighted in the months to come by the newly implemented ONI 8 Retailer Appreciation Program. 

Comprised of eight recurring monthly, quarterly, bi-annual, and annual sales and marketing support mechanisms – including the chance for a single retailer to be awarded an $8,000 grant for inter-store improvements to signage, shelving, and more – the ONI 8 Retailer Appreciation Program will take effect this spring with the following points: 

1) GUARANTEED RETURNABILITY ON PREMIER PRODUCT [MONTHLY]

Each month, Oni will ensure returnability on at least one flagship #1 debut single issue series and/or trade paperback collection for participating ONI 8 retailers. 

2) ONGOING BACK CATALOG ROLLING SALE [MONTHLY]

Oni will soon begin offering an ongoing back catalog sale from their extensive backlist of graphic novels and periodical comics – available only to ONI 8 retailers – with a curated selection of products that will rotate bi-monthly. 

3) FREE IN-STORE PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS [MONTHLY]

Participating ONI 8 retailers will automatically receive monthly allotments of free Oni Press in-store promotional materials that could include posters, pre-order cards, ashcans, “Secret Edition” one-per-store variants, catalogs, promotional displays, and more. 

4) EARLY ACCESS FOR EXCLUSIVE VARIANT OFFERINGS [MONTHLY]

Participating ONI 8 retailers will also be offered advance notice and first priority for upcoming retailer variant offerings for flagship series, including ADVENTURE TIME, EC Comics’ BLOOD TYPE, BIKER MICE FROM MARS, RICK AND MORTY, and more. 

5) FREE OVERSHIP PROGRAM FOR DEBUT PRODUCT [QUARTERLY]

Participating ONI 8 retailers will be automatically opted-in for quarterly ownerships of select Oni Press #1 issue releases, designed to drive readership and future pre-orders for the signature Oni series. 

6) LIVE RETAILER CONFERENCES & LISTENING SESSIONS [BI-ANNUAL]

Participating ONI 8 retailers will be admitted to live, retailer-exclusive listening sessions where Oni can share advance notice of major upcoming releases in order to solicit early feedback on promotion and saleability, as well as discuss ongoing industry matters in a one-on-one setting.

7) MAXIMIZED 57.5% DISCOUNT ON SELECT #1 RELEASES [BI-ANNUAL]

Twice a year, participating ONI 8 retailers will also be automatically opted-in for a maximized 57.5% discount on a major Oni Press #1 single-issue release. Oni’s first maximized 57.5% discount will go into effect immediately for OUT OF ALCATRAZ #1 – the double-sized, 48-page first issue of the new series from Eisner Award nominees Christopher Cantwell & Tyler Crook that goes to Final Order Cut-Off on Monday, February 24th.

8) THE ONI 8 RETAILER IMPROVEMENT GRANT [ANNUAL]

Oni is also offering one (1) participating ONI 8 store the chance to qualify for the first-ever ONI 8 RETAILER IMPROVEMENT GRANT – an $8,000 award that can be put towards retail improvements and upgrades, including signage, shelving, furniture, structural improvements, and any other intra-store infrastructure. This recipient of this grant will be judged directly by the Oni marketing and sales team, based on the loose criteria of which store creates, implements, and documents the best display of Oni product before October 1, 2025. More details on the specific terms and conditions associated with the grant will be shared with ONI 8 retailers in the weeks ahead…but it’s not too early to start thinking about ideas!