direct market distribution took comics retail into specialised shops.
this made comics available for many readers but also identified them as ‘geeks’ because comics were sold along with games, figurines and other merchandising.
The graphic novel in book form has helped comics materialise in traditional bookshops and libraries, particularly in the last decade.
since the 1990s, it has also become possible to publish online to create and circulate your own comics, cutting out the publisher and distributor entirely.
as the internet has risen in importance, digital comics have risen in prominence. comics creators can monetise their work themselves...
26
or use social media to increase awareness of their work and find opportunities elsewhere.