Launch of ICAA – Trade Group for Comic Book Industry

This Tuesday, the International Comic Arts Associationâ„¢ (ICAA) was launched–a progressive new, non-profit trade organization to serve the comic book industry. The organization promises to become the comic book industry’s first large-scale, US-based trade organization and promotional board uniting all aspects of the industry. This member-driven organization is dedicated to strengthening and enhancing the comic industry, increasing the consumer market and improving the public perception of the medium and also serves to provide a wide range of valuable services and benefits to its members.

For nearly five years, the organization has been in continuing development and has recently begun to generate the necessary exposure, support and assistance to bring the project to reality. The ICAA’s Founder and Executive Director, Erik Enervold, stated, “We are extremely excited about the vast possibilities of the organization and the enthusiastic response that we have already received is very encouraging. The comic book industry has long needed such an organization to help strengthen, enhance and expand the market, and we are very confident that The International Comic Arts Association will have a very positive impact on the current market… and have a long-term effect on the future health of the industry itself.”

The International Comic Arts Association vows to be proactive in promoting the industry and its products to new customers and markets through an on-going series of innovative programs and projects. Some of the organization’s initial programs and projects include; The ComicArts Ad Council, The ComicArts Research and Reference Library; The Comics Outreach Program; Recommended Reading Program; library, school and education initiatives; along with programs and publications designed to better promote the industry to mainstream journalists and media outlets. “The plans, programs and projects of the ICAA will be continually changing, evolving and improving as the organization’s resources, contacts and membership grows. We will be continually looking for creative new ways to expose the comic industry to new markets and audiences and to attract more young readers to the industry.” added Enervold.

Working as a trade organization the ICAA provides its members with a wide range of business and professional services and assistance programs and works to create innovative new advertising, marketing and promotional opportunities for its members. Membership in the organization is open to anyone with a love or appreciation of the artform and a desire to the help support the industry. Including membership levels for fans and collectors, industry professionals and companies, comic book retailers and also for libraries, schools and institutions – with each level offering its own unique set benefits. “Offering these different levels of membership will allow the ICAA to provide the most valuable benefits and services to each individual member. It also allows us to more effectively unite all aspects of the industry, to open lines of communication and to achieve the common goals of expanding the market, improving business relations in the industry and getting comics in front of a wider mainstream audience. It will provide the organization a much wider scope and ultimately have a greater impact on the industry.” added Enervold.

“As a trade organization supporting the comic book industry we hope to provide our professional members with the tools necessary for them to better promote themselves and expose the industry’s products to new markets… to help them help themselves. We also hope to return some of the excitement and enthusiasm for the medium that once existed in comic fandom by finding exciting, new ways to get our fan and collector members involved… to feel more a part of the industry itself.” stated Enervold.

The ICAA has recently launched its website at http://www.comicarts.org (where much more detailed information about the organization’s plans, programs, and projects can be found) and has begun accepting members. “We truly feel that the efforts of The International Comic Arts Association will have a great impact on the industry and will serve to create a stronger, much healthier future for the artform. With creativity, proper planning, coordination and cooperation – the ICAA will be able to achieve all of it’s goals and more. There really is strength in numbers, so we invite everyone to explore our website and see some of the many ways these goals can be achieved and to encourage you to become part of a positive long-term change for the industry.” concluded Enervold.