PW Comics Week has two articles I found oddly similar. This wasn’t the focus of the pieces, but both show how flexible comic companies need to be in the face of changing markets.

In the first, Active Images has had to change its business strategy from lettering publications to publishing their own comics. With computers, lettering became so easy that companies no longer need to hire experts to do it (although they may get better results if they do, since the tools can’t fully substitute for expert knowledge).

Next, there’s a mention in a piece on Archie Comics’ 65th anniversary of how they’re now selling direct to students.

Kids order comics through their schools, and Archie Comic Publications fulfills each order and bills the [Parent-Teacher Organization] 50% of the money it receives from the students; the organization is free to spend the remainder on needed initiatives, such as computers. The school that raises the most money through the fundraising program will be featured in an Archie comic.

So Archie makes the same amount of money they would selling through Diamond in the direct market, only they get to be heroes while doing it. Pretty nice deal for all concerned.