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NYCC 2025: Acme Comics named the latest Image Comics Select Retailer Award Winner

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Acme Comics

Image Comics has announced that the Fall 2025 Image Select Retailer Award winner is: ACME Comics in Greensboro, North Carolina.

The Image Select Retailer Award is an initiative from Image to galvanize recognition of members of the Comic Book Direct Market retail community that are going above and beyond to serve their customers, expand readership, and grow a healthier marketplace. The previous winner of the award was Comics, Etc in Australia.

Comic shops were nominated by fans via a form submission and based on on criteria such as:

  • exemplary customer service
  • thoughtful and exciting hand-selling recommendations
  • efforts fostering a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere
  • easy-to-browse shelving
  • attractive and innovative displays
  • forward-thinking customer marketing and out-of-box consumer outreach
  • community engagement
  • robust inventory of & support for Image Comics and other creator-owned/indie comics

In 1992 I was a sophomore in high school and was pretty deep into comics thanks to ACME Comics. So I knew the names. Jim Lee. Rob Liefeld. Todd McFarlane. Erik Larsen. I had a few comics from publishers who were not Marvel, but had never been there at the start of anything like this new Image Comics thing. Totally new concepts from the big names of the day at the height of their corporate comics powers. I was right there for the start of Image Comics. Because ACME Comics carried them. And ACME Comics would support the Image brand from that time through to my time as an employee in 1996. I was behind the counter to carry and represent to the public, the single issue starts of groundbreaking series like Powers, Invincible, The Walking Dead, East of West, Saga, Chew, Nailbiter, Criminal, and the other series that are now evergreen best sellers in graphic novel form. Now, in 2025, as owner of ACME Comics, I continue to introduce new readers to the brand through series like The Moon Is Following Us, Exquisite Corpses, and gateway to Image Comics series like the Energon Universe. ACME Comics will always stand by the very best of the creator-owned aspect of the comics industry, the concepts, production value, and retail support that set Image Comics apart. Thank you to all ACME Comics staff who each have their own stories of when and how they connected to the Image Comics label and their enthusiasm in introducing that label to new people daily. Thank you to our outstanding clientele who took the leap into creator-owned material through ACME Comics and did so with Image Comics. Image Comics has transformed through the years, but remains the leader in creator-owned comic books and graphic novels. It’s still here and I am proud to represent that same brand that captivated me back in 1992 for brand new readers today. I’m probably doing it right now.

-Jermaine Exum, owner of ACME Comics, a shop which is frequently nominated for Eisner Awards and was first established in 1983

The Image team read and tallied thousands of glowing testimonials about stores in order to select the winner. As the winner, ACME Comics, will receive:

  • a commemorative medallion to display with pride
  • a spotlight Q&A to be featured on Image Comics’ social media platforms and Website
  • the store’s choice of a gold foil exclusive variant, branded as an Image Select Retailer Award winner, with store logo (limited to 250 copies).

The Local Comic Shop is the sales backbone of the comic book industry, and sadly, the least appreciated when it comes to award recognition. The Image Select Retailer Award is a way to reward and spotlight stores that have done exemplary work expanding the audience, and evangelizing the medium to new readers. Image Comics feels that there is not enough being done to point out stores that are raising the bar, changing the marketplace, and building readership, and this award is meant as a fun way to help repair that oversight.

The next Image Select Retailer Appreciation Award nomination window will be announced soon via the official Image website, social media, and via Lunar Distribution communication, to retailers and the public for those interested in nominating their store.

North Carolina’s Acme Comics Downtown 1 Year Anniversary Event this Saturday

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Acme Comics Downtown will celebrate its on year anniversary this October 26th 2024! To celebrate Acme Comics’ return to downtown Greensboro, North Carolina where it began in 1983 we will have a variety of events open to the public that day including a Halloween Market with vendors and a meet and greet with special guest, multi-award winning writer/artist Chicago’s own Daniel Warren Johnson! There will also be a special limited seating Acmecast LIVE podcast recording with Daniel that evening!

DANIEL WARREN JOHNSON MEET & GREET

DANIEL WARREN JOHNSON MEET & GREET

October marks a FULL CALENDAR YEAR since ACME COMICS DOWNTOWN first opened its doors!
We want to celebrate this IMPORTANT milestone with you in UNFORGETTABLE ways!

NOT A DREAM! NOT A HOAX! NOT A WHAT IF! World famous, multi-Eisner Award Winning writer/artist DANIEL WARREN JOHNSON returns to Acme Comics for a very specialsigning/ meet & greet with you on:

OCTOBER 26TH
ACME COMICS DOWNTOWN335 S. DAVIE STREETGREENSBORO NC
12PM to 4PM

To say that Daniel is extremely busy and globally in demand is an understatement.

But he loved his 2022 visit so much that he made it a priority to come back again and now it is finally happening!
In 2022, people drove in from as far away as the NC coast and Richmond VA to meet Daniel. That was before winning TWO Eisner Awards for TRANSFORMERS and before his new series THE MOON IS FOLLOWING US, so you can only imagine the turn out this time.

Before Someone Else Does… SAVE THE DATE: SATURDAY OCTOBER 26TH 12p-4, Meet Daniel and get your comics and graphic novels signed!

ACME COMICS-NATTY GREENE'S MONSTER MARKET

ACME COMICS-NATTY GREENE’S MONSTER MARKET

You know us for our yearly Halloween Markets, great artists and vendors, free comics, and lots of candy! To match the occasion of the Acme Comics Downtown One Year Anniversary we wanted to go EVEN BIGGER! On OCTOBER 26th Acme is partnering up with their friends across the street at NATTY GREENE’S BREWERY for the first annual ACME COMICS / NATTY GREENE’S MONSTER MARKET!

Natty Greene’s recently opened a gorgeous outdoor Beer Garden Patio Space and from 12pm-4pm that is where The Monster Market will take place! Outstanding food and Drink available for purchase from Natty Greene’s all day!

The best part is, you’ll be able to easily access both the Daniel Warren Johnson signing and the Monster Market through the Beer Garden’s back gate that directly faces the doors to Acme Comics Downtown! Because ACME COMICS DOWNTOWN is a member of the ‘Boro Social District’ you’ll be able to bring in outside drinks purchased through Natty’s into Acme Comics Downtown! Just don’t spill anything. A full list of participating vendors is coming your way soon!

ACMECAST LIVE!

ACMECAST LIVE!

You asked for it! Acme Delivered! For the very first time EVER be apart of the recording for everyone’s favorite comic book retail podcast, THE ALL NEW-ALL DIFFERENT ACMECAST! Challenge the crazy things Ben and Austin say LIVE! Clap when you know what Jermaine is talking about LIVE! Ask your listener questions LIVE! Need another reason to come out?

Acme’ll be joined by the weekend’s esteemed guest DANIEL WARREN JOHNSON as a very SPECIAL GUEST for this very special episode! This LIMITED SEATING TICKETED EVENT will start at 8PM ON OCTOBER 26TH. Tickets are only $5 and will get you an exclusive ACME CAST LIVE! print created by Alex Brinegar! ALERT: Grab your tickets HERE! There is NO capacity to this event, but to ensure that you have a seat Acme suggests you arrive EARLY! AFTER all seats are filled, this event will be STANDING ROOM ONLY! How about that for an anniversary celebration? Here’s what YOU need to do:- Take the day off work!- Arrange a babysitter!- Move some things around!

Around the Tubes

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It’s new comic book day! What has you all excited? What do you plan on getting? Sound off in the comments below. While you think about that, here’s some comic news and reviews from around the web.

Triad Business Journal – Jermaine Exum takes over as owner of Acme Comics in Greensboro – Congrats to Jermaine!

The Mary Sue – When Will The Batman Release on HBO Max? – Good to know.

Review

Superman Homepage – House of El Book 2 The Enemy Delusion

House of El Book 2

Transformers #45 Acme Comics Exclusive Variant Revealed

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TF_045_AcmeComics_LowResAcme Comics has revealed their latest exclusive variant cover. They’ve been fans of Transformers since kids even bringing the first release Decepticons to school in the early 80s when there wasn’t so much as a television commercial for them yet. And Transformers #1 was one of the first comics they remember owning.

They’ve done a lot of awesome variant covers in the past (Serenity Leaves on the Wind #1 by Joe Quinones, Archie #1 by Dan Dos Santos, etc) but they are especially proud of this one in a very sentimental way.

Acme had been in talks with IDW Publishing since the first part of the year about doing something Transformers related and finally the idea came to them. Transformers deluxe toys in the 80s always had amazing box art that you could stare out for hours picking out every small detail. From that notion, they had the idea to duplicate the 1986 back of box artwork featuring Metroplex, but with their Acme Comics Presents storefront as Metroplex’ body. They approached Casey Coller who is a friend of Acme and one of the premiere Transformer cover artists and he read their mind exactly. Casey featured some of the character that will be prominent in the storyline that begins with issue #45, but used the same poses and positions from the original box art to maintain the homage. Finally colorist Joanna Lafuente captured the perfect tones to instantly activate nostalgia! For those familiar with the classic box art, you can see from the image, this team nailed the homage.

This exclusive cover is limited to 1,000 copies worldwide and will be available at TF Con Charlotte, America’s largest fan run Transformers related convention, on October 16-18th of 2015. After that, remaining copies will be available through their website www.acmecomics.com

Free Comic Book Day at Acme Comics

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free comic book day 2015Acme Comics has announced their plans for this year’s Free Comic Book Day. What is Free Comic Book Day?

Free Comic Book Day is an annual event celebrated nationwide on the first Saturday in May at all participating comic book stores. Each year for the past twelve years, major and small press publishers will make a special edition comic book that is free to attendees. The comics are not free to the stores, but at Acme Comics we require no purchase in order to get one of each book that was available at the time the the person arrived at the store.

The date this year is May 2nd and the event for Acme Comics begins at 10am when the store opens. Since this is a well known event and people seem to like how they run it, families and fans tend to arrive and line up at around 6am. They have a well maintained system so the line moves briskly but it is densely populated all day long. Acme closes at 7pm but supplies of free comics could be exhausted before then, so the earlier attendees show up, the greater the variety available.

Each year different special edition comics are produced to be distributed by participating stores who control the quantities they receive. There will be books for kids such as Pokemon, Spongebob Squarepants, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Transformers. There will be a Doctor Who comic, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and, Marvel Comics will debut Secret Wars. There will also be comics for adult readers such as the debut of the Fight Club 2 comic book written by Chuck Palahniuk. And more. Acme Comics offers a kids bag with strictly all ages appropriate material or a bag with everything in which case attendees will need to determine at their own discretion what is appropriate.

Not all families can travel to comic book conventions out of town or in other states so Acme tries to make a variety of professional artists available to meet the public. They will host local artists like Kelly Yates and Thomas Boatwright. But they will also host Michigan’s Jason Howard, New York’s Chris Giarrusso, and making her first return visit to Greensboro in nearly thirty years is the world renown Jill Thompson!  Plus many more!

Acme Comics is located at 2150 Lawndale Drive Greensboro NC 27408.

Acme will also take a portion of the FCBD event to satellite locations around Greensboro. This year families can go to the Greensboro Children’s Museum (10am-3pm), Windsor Education Center (10am-3pm), and Glenwood Recreation Center (10am-3pm) to have access to free comics for kids and meet local amateur artists who will draw for them. And Acme Comics will have a selection of free Marvel Comics Avengers and Secret Wars available at the Four Seasons Grande movie theater from 11am until 4pm). All of these events are May 2nd.

Action Lab Entertainment Day at Acme Comics

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ACTIONLAB_LOGOAction Lab Entertainment is proud to announce their first Fan Outreach Event, Action Lab Day! The even is being held with The Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailing Award nominated Acme Comics which is located at 2150 Lawndale Dr, in beautiful  Greensboro, NC. Acme is considered one of the best comics retailers in the country. Their signings and Free Comic Book Day events draw thousands of fans and readers of all ages.

It will also be an opportunity for aspiring creators to meet Action Lab creators and staff and learn hands on keys to creating, promoting and selling their work.

On Saturday, March 29th from 11:00 Am to 5:00 pm, come join Skyward creator Jeremy Dale, Skyward editor and Action Lab marketing director Kelly Dale, Ehmm Theory co-creator and artist Larkin Ford, Action Lab president Kevin Freeman and Ehmm Theory co-creator and writer Brockton McKinney for a day of seminars, signing and sketching, all FREE to the public!*

SEMINARS

WRITERS FORUM with Jeremy Dale & Brockton McKinney, 11:00 AM

  • How to create story outlines, judge pacing and craft a script for an artist!
  • How to connect with an artist or vice verse and how you know you have a good fit!
  • Learn collaborative “Do’s” and “Don’t’s”!

ARTISTS FORUM with Jeremy Dale & Larkin Ford, 1:00 PM

  • How to turn a written script into finished art!
  • How to decide between working with full color and black & white!
  • How to layout a cover to standout on the store shelves!

BUSINESS FORUM with Kelly Dale & Kevin Freeman, 3:00 PM

  • Once you have an idea or finished product, how to market it via social media or conventions to stores and the public!
  • How to present your portfolio or story to a publisher!
  • What constitutes intellectual property and how to protect it!

SIGNING & SKETCHING

  • Kelly Dale & Brockton McKinney – 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
  • Jeremy Dale & Larkin Ford – 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM

*Each of the three sessions is limited to 10 attendees, so please reserve your spot via Facebook, Twitter or e-mail in advance! Only those seriously interested, please! Just a few spots left so reach us today!

Valiant Heads to Comic Book City Con in Greensboro, NC!

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This weekend, Valiant is teaming up with North Carolina’s Acme Comics for the first annual Comic Book City Con – a two-day convention taking place on Saturday, October 26th and Sunday, October 27th at the Empire Room in historic downtown Greensboro, NC!

Stop by Booth #R19 all weekend long to shop a complete selection of Valiant comics, trade paperbacks and merchandise, including exclusive signed editions of X-O Manowar Deluxe Edition Book One hardcover collection – inscribed by all-star creators Robert Venditti and Cary Nord and limited to 500 pieces!

Also, join Valiant at 10:30 AM on Saturday, October 26th for the MUST READ VALIANT panel presentation – featuring an in-depth discussion about what’s coming next for the most acclaimed universe in comics with Hunter Gorinson, Director of Marketing, Communications & Digital Media, and Associate Editor Alejandro Arbona!

vj1n

Comic Book City Con, October 26 & 27

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vj1nThis October 26 and 27 is Comic Book City Con in Greensboro North Carolina, which also is the celebration of Acme Comics‘ 30th Anniversary. Greensboro’s oldest and largest comic book store is putting on the convention and bringing fifty nationally known professional comic book creators and local rising star artists to celebrate on top of over thirty exhibitors and vendors. The convention will be held at the Elm Street Center located at 203 S. Elm Street.

Limited edition commemorative collector item exclusives will also be available for purchase at CBCC! Special variant covers to IDW Publishing‘s Locke & Key Alpha #1 and Image Comics‘ Pretty Deadly #1 will be available from Acme Comics and Comic Book City Con and nowhere else on the planet!

Headlining comic creators include Jonathan Hickman, Mark Waid, Chrissie Zullo, Janet Lee, Andy Runton, Chris Giarusso, and Erica Henderson.

In addition to fostering a love of comic books in their community and other regions for thirty years, Acme Comics has made inclusiveness for fans of all ages, genders, and backgrounds a priority. In keeping with that spirit, one of CBCC’s key goals this year is promoting gender equality in the convention going experience.

With that they anticipate Saturday the 26th’s “Geek Girl Rising Panel” to be a very exciting and interactive experience! Critically-acclaimed artist and North Carolina native Hope Larson, artist Jackie Lewis, and geeky musical sister-duo The Doubleclicks will be featured panelists. Susana Polo from popular geek girl culture and news website TheMarySue.com is moderating the panel.

Other convention activities include a cosplay panel and costume contest on Sunday, a panel on Acme Comics’ thirty-year history in the community, a performance by the Doubleclicks, and much more!

Two-day passes to the Comic Book City Convention can be purchased through www.comicbookcitycon.com or at Acme Comics (2134 Lawndale Drive). Space is limited so they encourage those interested to purchase their tickets now!

People Already Lining Up for Free Comic Book Day in Comic Book City USA

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Photo via Acme Comics

As of about 1:30 p.m., a customer took his place as the first customer in line for the Acme Comics Free Comic Book Day in Greensboro North Carolina.  Their festivities begins tomorrow at 10 a.m.

Last year Acme became the first location to record fans camping out overnight for FCBD, and that was about 10pm.  Looks like people are pretty excited, beating last years early bird time by 8.5 hours.

This is the kind of excitement for comics that prompted their City Council to declare Greensboro “Comic Book City USA.”

They will be posting pictures all weekend by Twitter account: @LordRetail

The man camped out is High Point North Carolina fire fighter Clark Sellars.  High Point is 15 miles from Greensboro.

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