Online Comics Community

Get Involved: Online Comics Community

Back in December, I put out a blog post about the comics community in Columbus, Ohio, where I'm based. But I know that my wonderful readers don't all live in my city so I wanted to put something together for people interested in engaging with the community online. There's a ton of interesting groups and opportunities online for comic creators, but it can be difficult to find them in the fire** **hose stream of information on the internet. Never fear! Here's a breakdown of some places to start in looking for events and community online.

Comics Accountability Club

Long time readers will recognize this name. The Comics Accountability Club was actually my gateway into making comics seriously back in 2023. Look how far we've come! This is a smaller community than the other ones I'll mention here today, but don't let that put you off. This group is a very active, supportive community that really punches above it's weight when it comes to member benefits. Sticker printing, zine printing, mini-grants, annual and monthly anthology opportunities, and more are available to members. Unlike many other online communities, I see CAC members frequently developing IRL meet ups and developing close independent friendships outside of the club. From personal experience, I'm traveling out to New Jersey this weekend for a CAC meetup, and I'm hosting three members at my home as they travel in to Columbus for SPACE (Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo) in March. The group is also very welcoming to new members in spite of (or because of) how close knit the core groups of active members are. CAC members are always eager to get to know new cartoonists and share their love of comics and the community.

Cartoonists Cooperative

The Cartoonist Coop was founded in 2022 to organize cartoonists and related workers to advocate for better working conditions. I joined in 2024 and the group has really come into its own and matured since then. In the past year they've incorporated as a Guild in the state of New York, giving them a better legal standing and leverage to advocate for their members and cartoonists across the world. There are a number of benefits to membership, including discounts for book and sticker printing services, tax prep, and digital and tradition comic making tools.

Now, who should join the Coop? This group is much more formal than the other groups I'll mention here, and it does require members to report on their contributions every year. The contribution expectations are low, but it's still a barrier for membership for folks who might already be at capacity and just looking for cartoonists to chat with. I would say the Coop is a good group for cartoonists who are at least part time working and being paid for comics, whether that's conventions, freelance work, publishing, or other options. There are extremely limited opportunities to convert Coop membership into IRL relationships, which is a drawback for me, but working cartoonists stand to benefit from other aspects of membership.