In uncertain times people often look to their hobbies or entertainment as a means to deal with stress or find a means of the community. For the nerd/geek/comic/gaming fans amongst us, that community is seeing its share of pickups and putdowns due to the current COVID-19 outbreak.
The nerd community at large cannot help but feel the sting of such changes as Diamond Comics Distributors announcing that they are suspending, for now, and the foreseeable future, new deliveries for comics, toys, and games to your local comics shop, and the suspension of Free Comic Book Day. Also, the cancellations or rescheduling of such shows as Comicpalooza, the SDCC, Emerald City Con, and Wonder Con have been rescheduled or canceled altogether.
However, there are some gamma rays of hope out thee true believers as some avenues of nerd entertainment have risen to help, Image and Dynamite Comics have made their books 100% returnable and refundable. This move spearheaded by Image Comics publisher/co-owner Eric Stephenson and followed by Dynamite Comics will help take the burden off of beleaguered comic shops and are working with the aforementioned Diamond Comics to come up with a “survival package” for comic shops to help survive during this period.
Other areas of nerd culture are taking steps to help keep people’s minds off of the stress of the current Corona Calamity:
-Through April 15th, DC Universe Online is running all episodes open to all players, including providing weekly bonuses available to all players during this period
-CBS All Access is offering free streaming until April 23rd. The home for Mission: Impossible, The Twilight Zone, Picard, and all things Trek, plenty of fan-friendly viewing here
-Various social media platforms that host nerd and geekdom groups have those groups increase communication and come together to help with isolation.
Also, there are artists and other creative types taking to the social bandwidth providing to lessons on art and virtual comic cons sharing everything from interactive panels, and demos in other areas of the comic book industry to help uplift, teach and distract from the ongoing dilemmas.
Cosplayers are either taking, socially distancing included, walks in costume to cheer up their neighbors, and some costume makers are turning their sewing machines to help create protective face masks for others to use.
Although times are crazy and uncertain and these changes affect everyone, including those who were already champion loners, lie every other group hit by this sickness, ner kind as always shall persevere, have fun, help others, and geek out to the max. Stay healthy, be safe, and Avengers Unassemble!!
