Covid-19 sent the worldwide comic industry into free-fall in March when its monopoly distributor, Diamond, shut down all operations. With no product to sell and high streets deserted, speciality comic book stores were shut across Britain and America. Damage to the industry was widespread and for some publishers possibly fatal. Even the industry leader, DC Comics, laid off a third of its editorial staff last month. So how did one specialist UK publisher, Rebellion Publishing, owner of the flagship weekly adventure comic 2000 AD not only survive but thrive during the Covid-19 lockdown? The answer is nuanced and partly based…
