[PRESS RELEASE] ROSE CITY COMIC CON HOSTS 2ND ANNUAL RETAILER DAY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMICSPRO

ROSE CITY COMIC CON HOSTS 2ND ANNUAL RETAILER DAY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMICSPRO

Oni Press with Special 40th Anniversary Keynote Address

PORTLAND -- Rose City Comic Con, in partnership with ComicsPRO, is proud to announce the 2nd annual Retailer Day, an exclusive experience limited to comic retailers that’s designed to connect them with publishers, distributors, and industry leaders. Dark Horse Comics returns to Retailer Day with a special keynote address celebrating the publisher’s 40th anniversary. Expanding from a single day to two, Retailer Day will take place Thursday, September 10, 2026, and Friday, September 11, 2026, and will feature panels, announcements, an exclusive signing, and more.

 

“Last year’s inaugural Retailer Day exceeded every expectation, and the response made the decision an easy one,” commented Lauren Dabb, Event Director of Rose City Comic Con. “We are thrilled to expand this space for retailers for two full days at Rose City Comic Con.”

 

Feedback from the first Retailer Day was overwhelmingly positive, with attendees and publishers calling the event insightful, motivating, and great for quality networking.

 

“We're very excited to be teaming up with Rose City Comic Con for their second annual Retailer Day,” said Shannon Live, Vice President and Director of Education of ComicsPRO. “At ComicsPRO, we are always looking for ways to help retailers connect, learn, and grow together, and Rose City has done a great job building a fun environment where they can do just that. The opportunities they are creating this year continue to elevate the Retailer Day experience." 

 

A favorite perk of last year’s event was the exclusive variant release of Matt Fraction’s Batman #1 with cover art by Liam Sharp. For 2026, the tradition will continue with a Rose City Comic Con variant of Archie #1 from the new series slated to launch later this year from Oni Press. Series writer Ben H. Winters (Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters) and three-time Eisner Award-winning comic illustrator Steve Lieber, who drew the variant cover, will be in attendance to sign highly limited copies.

 

Admission to Retailer Day includes a commemorative collector's badge and is completely free to all verified Comic Retailers. Retailers can apply to attend on the Rose City Retailer Day page.

 

Rose City Comic Con will be held September 11-13, 2026, at the Oregon Convention Center. Attendee badges may be purchased at Rose City Comic Con.

 

About ComicsPRO

ComicsPRO is an international network of comic store owners dedicated to building an industry-forward community of shared knowledge and culture. By bridging our member network and industry partners, we build our social capital, develop solutions-based resolutions, and advocate for change that can ensure a stronger future. For more information about ComicsPRO, please visit www.comicspro.org.

 

About Rose City Comic Con

Rose City Comic Con is Portland’s largest and most dynamic pop culture convention, uniting over 60,000 passionate fans for an unforgettable weekend celebrating comics, cosplay, anime, gaming, books, celebrities, and all things geek. With a bold spirit as unique as Portland itself, Rose City Comic Con is proudly weird, wildly creative, and fiercely inclusive. Signature experiences include Rose City Jr. for families, the whimsical Book Fair, cosplay haven Destination Cosplay, anime hotspot Anime Yokocho, and Creator Pro for industry pros and aspiring talent alike. Produced by LeftField Media, Rose City Comic Con is where fandoms thrive, friendships form, and creativity takes center stage.

 

About LeftField Media 

LeftField Media, LLC is an events company focused on developing face-to-face events in a range of communities rooted in contemporary culture and shared passion. LeftField was formed in 2014 by Greg Topalian (President, LeftField Media) and is now owned by Topalian and Clarion Events Ltd. With a keen sense of the evolving needs of businesses and their consumers, as well as new opportunities created by change, LeftField takes a clean-slate approach to its work. LeftField’s portfolio includes Awesome Con (awesomecon.com), Washington D.C.’s Comic Con; Rose City Comic Con (rosecitycomiccon.com), in Portland, OR; Anime NYC (animenyc.com), New York City’s Japanese pop culture festival; and Anime Frontier (animefrontier.com) in Dallas-Fort Worth. LeftField Media is headquartered in Shelton, CT (leftfieldmedia.com).