The Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation has awarded seven comic retailers $1,500 scholarships to the ComicsPRO industry meeting in Glendale, CA, February 18-21, 2026, three of them to first-time attendees thanks to the co-owners of Comics Place in Bellingham, WA.

Scholarships were awarded to Sam Bolenbaugh and Miranda Nordell, Dreamers & Make-Believers, Baltimore, Maryland; Joey Martinez, Secret Identity Comics, Fresno, Calif.; and Robert Howard, Comicazi, Somerville, Mass. The three additional recipients, all first-time attendees, are Tim Hershey, Comic Zen, Lansdale, Penn.; Todd Rubin, Gorilla Todd Comics, Las Vegas, Nevada; and Michael Nelson, Resistance Comics and Games, Roanoke, Texas.

The funds, up to $1,500 per scholarship, may be used for travel, lodging, and meals; ComicsPRO covers 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.