Comix Experience Graphic Novel Club FAQ
Q. Why did you start Graphic Novel Clubs?
A. San Francisco raised it's minimum wage 43% in 2015. While we at Comix Experience have always paid well over minimum wage, and absolutely support a living wage, this unprecedented increase put a huge pressure on small businesses like us: our payroll increased by $80k a year to maintain parity. Since sales didn’t increase by the same amount as the wage floor in one of America’s most expensive cities, our Graphic Novel Clubs are our solution to bridge the gap... providing necessary income so we don't have to cut staff or hours, and fostering community through our stores. Learn more>
Q. What books will I get?
A. Some months we might send you a more expensive book, while some months it may be something less expensive -– but every month you’ll get an accessible, compelling, and thoughtful piece of graphic fiction, and the value will be equivalent to the average price of a graphic novel over the course of the yearly plan. Check out our online store to see some recent selections.
Q. What if I don’t live in the Bay Area – can I still join?
A. Yes, absolutely! We just add $8.25 a month for shipping and handling for domestic US priority mail shipped to your door! Email Brian at brian@comixexperience.com about international shipping, but generally we’re seeing rates approximating $15/package.
Q. What if I can’t make it to a meeting or I live out of town?
A. We livestream and record all club meetings so if you’re out of town you’ll still be able to enjoy that benefit in video or podcast form after. Club members can ask questions before the event even starts. These advance questions will be asked live and the answers can be heard at your convenience.
Q. How do you choose each month's selection?
A. Drawing on Comix Experience's knowledgeable and passionate staff's top picks, we use a rating system similar to the Eisner Awards (which Comix Experience owner Brian Hibbs has judged). Every month, each staff member nominates their choice. We all read each nominated book, then vote on the ones we like best. The one with the most votes wins.
Q. Can I give this as a gift?
A. Yes! In fact that’s our main intent with this – introducing the joys of comics to kids you know all around the country. Annual memberships make great gifts!
Q. What if I wanted a bulk subscription for my school or organization?
A. We can accommodate you! Please contact Brian Hibbs directly at brian@comixexperience.com to discuss bulk subscriptions.
Q. When did the KIDS club start?
A. Comix Experience opened 0n April 1, 1989, We started shipping out Club selections in July 2015.
Q. What books will I get?
A. We offer a mixture of genres and styles – sometimes adventure fiction, sometimes non-fiction or history, sometimes slice-of-life – but always chosen for the sensibilities of your kids.
Some months we might send you a more expensive book, perhaps a nice hardcover, while some months it may be something less expensive – but every month you’ll get an accessible, compelling, and fun piece of original graphic fiction aimed at a 9+ year old audience. We seldom pick stories based on movies or television shows, except when the underlying work itself is truly exceptional. The value of the books will average out over the course of a year to the price of the membership.
Check out past selections here
Q. What if I don’t live in the Bay Area – can I still join?
A. Yes, absolutely! We just add $8.25 a month for shipping and handling for sturdy packaging in a domestic US priority mail. We can offer this outside of the United States, but the shipping costs are pretty horrible (more than the cost of the club, sadly). Contact us if you’re interested in international shipping.
Q. What if I can’t make it to a meeting or I live out of town?
A. We record all club meetings so if you’re out of town your kid can still watch. Club members can ask questions before the event even starts. These advance questions will be asked live and the answers can be heard at your convenience.
Q. My child is really sensitive; will this be right for them?
A. You’re the best judge of what your kid can handle, but we’re aiming at an “average” 9-13 year old. We sometimes choose work that is more slightly more serious in nature, but we’re vetting every choice with our in-house twelve year-old who has a pretty gentle personality.
Q. Is this for boys or girls?
A. We find that most kids are looking for compelling stories, regardless of the gender of the protagonist. Having said that, we’re aim for as even of a mix as we can possibly manage over the course of a year, dependent on the books that are actually released.
Q. Why are you doing this?
A. We have a Graphic Novel Club aimed at adults, and a teacher who joined wrote us asking if our choices could be freely shared with her students. We had to admit that 100% of the choices would not be sharable, but that made us think that putting together a package aimed directly at the kids made a whole lot of sense! Teachers: Always the smartest ones in the room!
Q. What if my kid hates the book?
A. You can cancel the monthly plan at any time, and if you’re dissatisfied with any of our choices just return the book, and we’ll give you a full refund.
