Blackbird Comics and Coffeehouse, of Maitland, Florida, owned by David Craig and Candice Falkner-Craig, is the winner of the 2024 Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award. The store has been a finalist for the award multiple times in the past.
Comic retailer organization ComicsPro shared the videos from the five finalist stores for the 2024 Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award at its Friday breakfast session at San Diego Comic-Con last week, and the winner was announced at the Eisner Awards ceremony that evening. Joe Ferrara, owner of Atlantis Fantasyworld in Santa Cruz, California made both presentations.
The five finalists (from 28 entrants) were:
- Akira Comics in Madrid, Spain, which also won the award 12 years ago (see “2012 Eisner Awards“). According to the rules, a previous winner may enter again after 10 years if there has been a significant change in ownership.
- Bat City Comics in Bradenton, Florida.
- Blackbird Comics and Coffeehouse in Maitland, Florida. [WINNER]
- Comix Experience in San Francisco, California.
- Hello Comics in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Click Gallery below for the storefronts of the five finalist stores!
See videos below for quick tours of the winning and four finalist stores!
For the 2023 winners, see “Eisner Spirt of Retailing 2023.”
Source: ICv2
