FAQ
Got Questions?
We’ve Got Answers
Everything you need to know about ComicBooked!, how it works, and why we built it. Can’t find what you’re looking for? Email us at info@comicbooked.org
Currently in Beta — Comic industry and industry-adjacent comic pros welcome.
01 — Getting Started
ComicBooked! is a worker-owned, community-governed professional platform built specifically for comic book comic pros. It combines a private social community, public business directory, and events calendar — all in one place, with no ads, no algorithms, and no AI-generated content.
ComicBooked! is built primarily for independent comic book creators, publishers, retailers, and convention organizers — with a main focus on Black comic pros, with a particular focus on Black women comic pros. ComicBooked! is also built and dedicated to comic comic creators of color, comic comic industry workers of color, LGBTQIA+ comic pros, disabled comic pros, and any comic professional who shares our values of respect, equity, and inclusion.
During our beta period, ComicBooked! is completely free to join. Once we launch fully, we’ll offer tiered membership plans with a free trial period — each tier unlocking expanded tools, features, and community access. Members who join during beta will receive special perks and benefits as a thank-you for helping us build this from the ground up.
During our current beta period, ComicBooked! is open to comic industry and industry-adjacent comic pros. We are not a general public social platform — membership is intentional and community-focused.
You should work in or adjacent to the comic book industry in some capacity — as a creator, retailer, publisher, event organizer, or allied professional. If you’re unsure whether you qualify, reach out and we’ll help figure it out together.
02 — The Platform
The Bullpen is our private, moderated social community space exclusively for ComicBooked! members. It’s where professionals connect, share opportunities, ask questions, collaborate, and build real industry relationships in a safer, more intentional environment.
The Business Directory is a public-facing searchable listing of member businesses, services, and creative offerings. If you’re a creator, retailer, publisher, or service provider, you can create a listing so the wider comics community — including fans and industry partners — can discover you.
The Events Directory is a public calendar where members can list and promote conventions, signings, workshops, launch events, and community gatherings. Anyone can browse it, and members can submit their own events.
Yes. The Business and Events Directories are publicly accessible. The Bullpen social community is private and for members only.
ComicBooked! is built on WordPress, using BuddyPress to power the private social community (The Bullpen) and GeoDirectory to power the public-facing Business and Events Directories. These are established, open-source tools that give us a stable, flexible foundation to build on as the platform grows.
We’re actively developing a range of new tools, with our roadmap shaped directly by member feedback:
- Paid job boards and hiring tools
- Creator marketplaces
- Education and career resources
- Business development tools
- Collaboration hubs
- Community-powered discovery features
Not yet. ComicBooked! is currently accessible via web browser on desktop and mobile. A dedicated app is on our long-term roadmap.
03 — Community & Safety
Community safety is foundational infrastructure at ComicBooked!, not an afterthought. We use a trauma-informed, restorative justice-based moderation approach. Harassment, threats, doxxing, and coordinated bad-faith behavior are not tolerated and will result in removal from the platform.
During our beta period, moderation is handled directly by founder Jean Michel and web developer Manon Michel. As we grow, one of our priorities is finding members with moderation experience who want to help shape and steward the community alongside us.
For the long term, we are studying the moderation model developed by Rudy Fraser for the BlackSky community, and will be using that as the blueprint for how ComicBooked! handles community governance and safety at scale. That model emphasizes trauma-informed practices, restorative justice, proactive harm prevention, and cultural humility — values that are core to everything we’re building here.
Our full Community Guidelines are available on the site. The short version: treat people with respect, operate in good faith, and honor the fact that this space is intentionally stewarded by Black, Indigenous, and marginalized communities.
That is one of our core design intentions. ComicBooked! was built specifically because mainstream platforms have repeatedly failed to protect Black comic pros, Black women comic pros, and other marginalized professionals. Safety is engineered into how we build, moderate, and govern the platform.
Use the reporting tools built into the platform and contact our moderation team directly. Reports are taken seriously and responded to promptly.
No. ComicBooked! is not an exclusionary platform — all are welcome. However, it is intentionally designed as a space where Black communities and other marginalized groups set the cultural standards and norms. When you engage on the platform, you do so as a guest in a space stewarded by those communities, grounded in respect and collective care.
04 — Membership & Ownership
A cooperative (or “co-op”) is a business owned and governed by the people who work in it, use it, or are most affected by it — rather than by outside investors or shareholders.
ComicBooked! is being structured as a worker-owned cooperative, which means the people who build and run the platform will have genuine ownership stakes and democratic say in how it operates. Core principles include:
- Democratic Governance — One member, one vote. No single person or investor can dominate decisions.
- Shared Ownership — Members have a real stake in the organization, not just access to its services.
- Equitable Distribution — The value generated by the co-op benefits the people who create it.
- Community Accountability — The organization exists to serve its members, not to maximize outside profit.
We’ll be partnering with Co-op Hudson Valley to guide us through the formal co-op formation process.
ComicBooked! was founded by Jean Michel, a Black comic book writer and former comic shop owner. Right now, the platform is being built and operated by Jean and his sister Manon Michel, who serves as the web developer designing and building the site and its features.
We are currently in the process of seeking out founding board members and cooperative leaders to help shape the future of ComicBooked!. If you’re passionate about equity in the comics industry and want a real seat at the table, reach out at info@comicbooked.org.
Regardless of how the formal structure evolves, some things are foundational:
- Democratic decision-making — everyone with a seat at the table has a real vote
- Centering Black women in leadership, not just in name but in practice
- Transparency — members should be able to see how decisions get made
- A trauma-informed approach to conflict — restorative, not punitive
- Genuine ownership — the people building and using ComicBooked! have real power
- Worker owners get paid — this is a livelihood, not just a passion project
General members do not receive equity or profit distributions. The cooperative ownership structure is held at the board level. Members benefit through access to professional tools, economic opportunities, educational resources, and a thriving community built in their interest and governed on their behalf.
Any transaction fees are transparent and community-approved. ComicBooked! does not take hidden cuts or impose opaque payment holds.
Right now, ComicBooked! is entirely self-funded by founder Jean Michel out of pocket. There is no outside investment, no venture capital, and no institutional backing.
If you’d like to help keep the lights on while we grow:
- Buy Some Merch — Head over to our merch shop for ComicBooked! branded gear and original designs. Every purchase goes directly toward platform costs.
- Buy Us a Coffee — Inside The Bullpen, you’ll find our “Buy Me a Coffee” widget. Even a small one-time contribution makes a real difference.
05 — Values & Mission
No. ComicBooked! is ad-free by design. We do not sell advertising, and we do not allow advertisers to influence what you see or experience on the platform.
No. There is no algorithmic feed on ComicBooked!. You see what the community shares, not what an engagement-maximizing algorithm decides to show you.
No. ComicBooked! does not produce or promote AI-generated content. We are a platform built around human creativity, human connection, and human labor.
Yes. ComicBooked! commits a portion of revenue to nonprofit partners supporting creator welfare, free expression, retailer stability, and community care:
- The Hero Initiative — Emergency medical and financial aid for comic creators
- The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF) — Free speech and legal advocacy
- ComicsPro — Comic retailer education and advocacy
- BINC (Book Industry Charitable Foundation) — Financial assistance for bookstore workers
06 — Beta Period
Beta means we are in an early stage of development. The core platform is live and functional, but we are actively building, refining, and expanding features based on community feedback. Things may change, improve, and grow — and your participation helps shape that.
Through the community itself. The Bullpen is the primary place to share ideas, flag issues, and participate in conversations about the platform’s direction. We are actively listening.
Through the community itself. The Bullpen is the primary place to share ideas, flag issues, and participate in conversations about the platform’s direction. We are actively listening.
Reach out to us directly at info@comicbooked.org and we’ll get back to you as quickly as we can.
Drop us a line — or just jump in and join the community.