Tag: comic books

What I Learned Doing 42 Comic Cons in 2025, Bonus Episode: Selling Overseas

I’m Mark Stay, author of the Witches of Woodville series and The End of Magic trilogy and I’ve been sharing what I’ve learned from doing 42 comic cons in 2025.

Missed the previous episodes? Click on the buttons below…

Ep 1: WHY DO IT & THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF COMIC CONS
EP 2: COSTS & CASHFLOW
EP 3: RUNNING THE STAND & TABLE TOUR
EP 4: SALES Q&A

There have been four episodes so far and that was supposed to wrap things up, but I’ve had a couple of people ask about the logistics of doing comic cons overseas, starting with…

KATHERINE FRANKLIN

If you go abroad, how much of a pain is transport and customs/tax?

MORGAN DELANEY

My wife often suggests I try conventions but I live in Foreign*. If I wanted to do a convention I’d have to also pay for flights on top of all the other costs. That’s an extra 200-300€ at least. Do you reckon that’s still worth it? Oh, and I’d need to pay for somewhere to stay as well if I wanted to visit more than one day, which I assume is the goal?

*That’s a Discworld reference before you write in!

TRANSCRIPT

I’ve never sold overseas and so I asked a couple of writer friends who have, starting with…

ELINOR TAYLOR author of The Fisher Girl and The Balloon Hunter: www.elinortaylor.co.uk

Talking about selling at a comic con in NY: I can get a flight and hotel for under a grand and I’d be surprised if I didn’t get that back.The Americans are crazy for their books and you can charge more as they think we sell them cheap in the UK!

I have been talking about possibly splitting hotel costs with other authors

I sent my books to someone I know over there. But I don’t want to bother them again so checked with the hotel and they accept delivery and will store them until I arrive. Or you can arrange delivery to the venue much like you would for a London Con if you didn’t drive them there yourself.

It’s surprisingly not difficult. 

ALEXANDER LINTON, author of A SONG FOR NIGHTFALL and THE WANDERING OF UMBRA: https://alexander-linton.com

Offers this advice…

Reach out to other attendees ahead of time:

For me, not knowing anyone is what made me feel the most out of my element. Just saying hi to other attendees ahead of time makes the whole ordeal a lot less daunting. It also opens up sharing logistics with others, like sharing vehicles for deliveries, and working out accommodation options

Sign up for opportunities during the event:

Whether it be attending/hosting panels, giving workshops or any other opportunities during the event, I recommend signing up for whatever you’re able to (including things that may make you nervous!), since the experience makes the step of attending abroad feel all the more worthwhile, and will introduce you to all the more people

Region-specific landing pages

If you have a website or Linktree, I suggest having links to pages specific to the region you’re attending, if possible. For example, if you have a QR code to purchase a product, it’s worth having a region-specific version with you to make the process easy for customers. We’re also more likely to have purchases if customers don’t have to find their local currency or wonder if it is available for purchase in their region at all!

Local printing

Whether printing art or books, I find it far easier to research local printers who can print close to the event, rather than arranging shipment from my own region. This has also been far cheaper for me. The caveat to this is arranging a place to store the books until you arrive in the country. There are typically warehouses that charge per day and per package (and again, this is a cost that other attendees would likely be happy to share).

Have fun!

Bit of a different one, but equally important in my opinion. The whole experience of travelling to another country for your passion is incredible if we allow it to be. Between arranging logistics and all the work during the event, take some time to enjoy the country itself through the food, sights and general novelty. It’s too easy to get so lost in the experience that it goes by like a blur and feels like it never even happened by the end of it. Don’t forget to stop and “smell the roses” on the way!

My thanks to Elinor and Alex for those insights!

For questions about tax: it’s a minefield. Consult a professional. This is where my expertise expires. If you’re running this like a business, then get an accountant.

And that’s it: all that I’ve learned from doing 42 comic cons in a year. And I’ll certainly be doing more in 2026. Find me at markstaywrites.com for updates or sign up to my newsletter. I hope you’re found these videos helpful and if you see me at a comic con do please say hello… and buy a book or two… or three. I’ve got ten. Happy reading!

You can also support me by popping a few quid in my direction at Ko-Fi…

What I Learned Doing 42 Comic Cons in 2025 (part one)

I’m Mark Stay, author of the Witches of Woodville series and The End of Magic trilogy and I’ve been selling my books at comic cons for ten years.

But in 2025, I really went for it: selling at 42 comic cons in the UK. And I’m not alone: I’ve made lots of new author friends this year at the cons, and I know that many more are thinking about it, so I thought I’d put together a series of short videos passing on what I’ve learned…

In this series of 4 videos, I’m going to cover…

The different kinds of comic cons in the UK and which ones might be right for you.

What kit you need to invest in, and I’ll take you on a tour of my table and how I lay it out.

Ordering stock, cashflow (or lack of it) and other expenses.

And I’ll be answering specific questions that some of you good people have sent me…

Let’s start with why I do them, and the different kinds of comic cons I went to this year…

TRANSCRIPT

I’m Mark Stay, author of the Witches of Woodville series and The End of Magic trilogy and I’ve been selling my books at comic cons for ten years. But in 2025, I really went for it: selling at 42 comic cons in the UK. And I’m not alone: I’ve made lots of new author friends this year at the cons, and I know that many more are thinking about it, so I thought I’d put together a series of short videos passing on what I’ve learned…

In this series of 4 videos, I’m going to cover…

  • The different kinds of comic cons in the UK and which ones might be right for you.
  • What kit you need to invest in, and I’ll take you on a tour of my table and how I lay it out.
  • Ordering stock, cashflow (or lack of it) and other expenses.
  • And I’ll be answering specific questions that some of you good people have sent me…

And let’s begin with the big one: 

JAN CARR

Why? What’s your motivation?

Why do a comic con? It’s a lot of hassle. You have to buy stock, set up a stall, get all the bits and bobs (more on that later), get up at the crack of dawn (or before dawn in the winter) and drive for hours to some draughty gym hall in a leisure centre.

It’s not glamorous, and I’m not doing it for the money, I can tell you that. I always make a profit on the day, but the margins are slim and the cash flow is a nightmare (more on that later, too). So the first question to ask yourself is: what are your goals for selling at comic cons? Why do them at all? Why not stick with online advertising and social media?

Online ads with the likes of Amazon and Facebook never worked for me (despite ploughing a lot of money into them over the years), and I’ve never been great on social media, but… I was once a bookseller and a publisher sales rep. I know how to hand-sell a book, and my books – especially the Witches of Woodville series – are classic hand-sell books. The first one was published in the second lockdown, so never got that bookshop boost that it needed, and when the fifth and final one was published last year, it became clear to me that my publisher had moved on to promoting other things (which happens), and that meant it would be down to me to keep the momentum going. So I went back to what I know best: bookselling.

For me, going to comic cons isn’t necessarily about the sales on the day, it’s more about creating new readers who will come back for more. A long term investment of your time and money into something that might pay off further down the line. Will it work? One of the great pleasures of doing so many events this year is seeing those readers come back and tell me how much they’ve enjoyed the books and have told their friends and have come back for more. So, it seems to be working.

Let’s start with the fundamentals: how much do these things cost…?

COSTS & CONVENTION VARIATIONS…

KATHERINE FRANKLIN

I’ve heard tables at comic cons are expensive – was it ever tricky to make back the pitch fee?

ANDREW GUILE

What does it cost?(!)

JULIAN BARR

Are big cons necessarily better than small ones?

JENNIFER TAYLOR-GRAY

Which cons were the best for you and why? Was it due to anything you did differently those days, or the con set up itself? 

All great questions. Let’s start by looking at the different kinds of conventions in the UK.

This year, I’ve been to cons organised by Bolt, Striking, Creed, Showmasters, Reedpop and Monopoly Events, plus a whole bunch of independent and local events. Each offer different opportunities and have varying costs…

(If you click on the images, you’ll be taken through to their pages for exhibitors)

BOLT/STRIKING

Both quite similar and I believe they were once the same company but bifurcated at some point. They’re really well run, the organisers are lovely (they bring round bottles of water and snacks to your stall!) and the events are aimed at families. Young families. These are more like toy fairs or collector events than comic cons (there’s a lot of Pokemon for sale) and very often I’m the only author with a table.

Table costs vary depending on the size/location of the venue and range from £65-£125 for a table (most are at the lower end of that). You pay a small deposit beforehand to secure a table, and settle up on the day. The atmosphere at these events is warm and welcoming, they have great accessibility policies, meaning they allow early entry for folks with disabilities and hidden disabilities. I really like them, though the young family demographic means that I do okay at these events. My books are aimed more at adults. I know that some of my author friends who have kids’ books do better than me, so bear that in mind. I’ve always made a profit, though.

Every now and then they have guests for photo opps and signings, but not often. I’ve done more of these events than any other this year, and have already booked more for 2026.

CREED/SHOWMASTERS

Again, these share some organisational/crossover DNA. These are generally bigger events and, crucially – for me – have lots of great guests. I’ve discovered that if there’s a cast member from Doctor Who or Red Dwarf present, then I will have a pretty good day. Fans of those shows are literate, have money and are willing to read new authors: gawd bless ‘em!

Showmasters also run the London Film and Comic Con, which in the autumn co-hosts with YALC… and that’s a huge event for SF&F authors. The readers bring their own little wheeled trolleys which they cram with books, and we love them for it.

Creed/Showmaster tables cost between £40-£100 depending on the venue and, for me, are great value. YALC tables cost more, but from talking to author friends who paid the extra it sounds like they’re worth it.

REEDPOP/MCM

I’ve been doing the MCM Comic Con in London for ten years. They were my first cons and they’re still the biggies. I think the last one had 130k people at the Excel Centre over the three day weekend. Creator/author tables cost £255 (cheaper for the MCM in Birmingham, I think) and they have a Writers’ Block, where all the indie authors are gathered in their own section. When I first started, there was nothing like this: just me and Kit Cox stuck in a corner nattering to ourselves (Kit kindly let me share his table, which you’d never get away with now). The MCM comic cons are now a very big deal for authors and because of that, they have a selection process. Not everyone gets a table and you have to pitch yourself to them. I can’t speak to why some authors get in and others don’t. I always offer to moderate panels, which has helped. And I think it helps if you’re planning to launch your book at the con: they love an exclusive.

MONOPOLY

I only did one Monopoly event last year – For the Love of Fantasy – and the Saturday was my biggest single day of the year. Bigger than the MCM… and if I’d had enough stock, I don’t doubt that the weekend would have been my biggest of the year. It’s at the Excel Centre (just one hall) but they had celebrity guests from Supernatural and Lord of the Rings. They run events in places like Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham: I’ve not been to these, but I’ve heard good things.

DARIUS TWYMAN

What was your favourite con this year and why was it the Canterbury Gaming Convention? 😉

Thanks, Darius. It was definitely in my top 40!

Actually, the Canterbury Gaming Convention was great fun. Not a comic con, but there were a few authors there and we had a good day and I’d definitely like to come back in 2026.

I’ve done plenty of independent conventions and events, and these can be hit and miss, but the costs are often much lower than the big cons, so are worth a punt. I’ve especially loved anything with the steampunk community: like Doctor Who and Red Dwarf fans, the steampunkers are literate and lovely. The Fort Amherst event every Easter has become a highlight for me, despite being stuck in a cave for two days.

So that covers the different kinds of conventions and the basic table cost. In the next episode, I’ll be digging deeper into expenses, targets and cashflow… no, really, it’ll be fun, I promise. Well, informative at the very least…

click here for part 2: Costs & Cashflow

If you found this helpful, please consider supporting me on Ko-Fi…

We got Mike and Linda Carey on the podcast!

I first met Mike Carey about ten years ago. We shared the same agent at the time, and have to admit I struggled to reconcile this friendly, soft-spoken man with comics like Lucifer and Hellblazer, but I soon learned that people who write horror stories tend to be the nicest and most well-adjusted creative types out there. Having written a few horror scripts myself, you soon find that you can put all your anxieties and dark thoughts on the page where they belong.

I was delighted to finally interview Mike and his wife Linda for The Bestseller Experiment podcast, and we cover some key topics, including…

  • How comics can help you structure a story, and the key differences between comics, novels and screenplays
  • How co-writers can find a single voice with harmony and negotiation
  • How your short story can evolve into a full-length novel
  • How sequels can evolve from the negative space of the first story

You can listen now here!

If you liked that and want some more, we’ve started having post-podcast deep dive discussions for our Patreon supporters. You can support us and get the extra content here.

And if you’re looking for something to read over the Christmas holiday, then grab a copy of our novel Back to Reality on Kindle now!

Back To Reality quote sheet.006