The suit names nearly 40 creators who claim “content creators’ publisher agreements with Action Lab Entertainment were ‘unconscionable’ and should therefore be declared null and void.” Now, Action Lab’s alleged mistreatment of its creators-which not only includes delayed and non-payment issues, but also straight-up ghosting and other issues-has resulted in a class-action lawsuit against the publisher, filed earlier this year. For example: Creators have been loud about delayed and non-payment from publishers, including AfterShock Comics, Valiant Comics, and Action Lab Entertainment. Unfortunately, not all of these attempts have been successful. In the years since, there have been major shifts as publishers large and small attempt to recoup and strategize for the future.

During lockdown in 2020, Diamond Comic Distributors-then the primary direct market distributor for single-issue and trade paperback comics-ceased production for months, and that was only the beginning. The COVID-19 pandemic has permanently altered the world, and like most industries, comics did not escape its reach.

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