Diamond initiated the “Back The Comeback” campaign on May 13th as a series of activities designed to support comics publishers and retailers hit hard by the COVID-19 lockdowns. Phase 1 consisted largely of branding exercises in partnership with Alliance Game Distributors, Publishers willing to print the badge on select covers, and retailers opting to display the marketing materials.
Today, Diamond announced in a press release it will begin Phase 2 of the campaign with a series of auctions designed to raise money for charities that support comics retailers. Beginning July 4th and running for two weeks, the auctions will offer works from creators such as Frank Cho and unique items such as an original Magic: The Gathering card sheet, printed circa 1993. you can read the full description in the press release below, including links to the auction site.
Are you going to participate in the auctions? What other activities would you like to see out of the “Back The Comeback” campaign? Let us know in the Comments, and please share this on social media using the links below.
Diamond, Alliance Launch Charity Auction to Support Comic Book and Game Stores as Part of ‘Back The Comeback’ Campaign
(BALTIMORE, MD) — (June 25, 2020) — On May 13, Diamond Comic Distributors and Alliance Game Distributors, companies of Geppi Family Enterprises, partnered to launch the “Back The Comeback” campaign, a multi-phase initiative designed to support local comic book and game stores as they began to safely reopen, restart, and rebuild. Now, the campaign is entering its final two phases: a charity auction designed to raise relief funds for comic book and game stores and in-store retailer promotions.
Phase two of the Back the Comeback campaign includes the launch of an online auction hosted by Diamond International Galleries. The auction kicks off July 4 and runs through July 18 and features a wide range of items up for auction, generously donated by artists, publishers, game designers and friends of the industry. Steve Geppi has kicked off donations to the auction with items valued at approximately $50,000. One of the most anticipated original art pieces is an oil on canvas painting called, “The Ice Queen”, created by comic book art legend Frank Cho and published in his book “Drawing Beautiful Women.” Game-fanatics and Magic: The Gathering fans will be excited to find an uncut sheet of playing cards from the original Magic: The Gathering (circa 1993) on the list of biddable items. The full list of items will be available upon the launch of the auction Saturday, July 4, 2020. Interested bidders should visit DIGAuction.com to create a free account. Auction proceeds will go directly to charities that support comic and game retailers. Winning bidders can select which charity they wish to support from a list of options.
The third and final phase of the campaign is centered around in-store retailer support. Many comic publishers have supported the campaign by printing the Back the Comeback logo on the cover of their books. Marvel Comics was the most recent publisher to add the campaign logo to Empyre #1 variant cover. Other publishers offering the campaign logo on their covers include IDW Publishing, Image Comics, and AC Comics. Game stores can expect to see in-store promotions beginning July 6 to coincide with the launch of the auction. Alliance Game Distributors has planned 6-weeks of promotions; each promotion will start on a Monday and will run for 4-weeks. Participating gaming publishers include Alderac Entertainment Group, Smirk and Dagger Games, Renegade Game Studios, and WizKids to name a few.
Additional information on Back The Comeback can be found at backthecomeback.com.
