About The Beat (Comics Beat)
The Beat — published at comicsbeat.com — is one of the longest-running and most respected independent comics journalism outlets, founded by Heidi MacDonald in 2004. Where Bleeding Cool prioritises speed and scoop-volume, The Beat focuses on considered industry analysis, sales reporting, festival and convention coverage, and serious criticism of comics as a literary and visual medium.
The site publishes regular industry analysis (Diamond / Lunar / PRH distribution data, ICv2 commentary, Kickstarter funding reports), interviews with mainstream and small-press creators, reviews of new releases across mainstream and indie publishing, and convention reporting from the major US, UK and European shows. Heidi MacDonald's editorial voice is widely read inside the industry — many publishers and creators routinely cite The Beat's coverage in their own announcements.
For collectors interested in the market context behind their hobby — why a publisher cancels a line, why a particular creator-owned book breaks out, what the wholesale numbers actually look like — The Beat is one of the best free resources available. It is less useful as a pure speculation tip-sheet but invaluable for understanding the longer arcs of the medium.
The site is free to read; an optional Patreon supports independent reporting.
The site publishes regular industry analysis (Diamond / Lunar / PRH distribution data, ICv2 commentary, Kickstarter funding reports), interviews with mainstream and small-press creators, reviews of new releases across mainstream and indie publishing, and convention reporting from the major US, UK and European shows. Heidi MacDonald's editorial voice is widely read inside the industry — many publishers and creators routinely cite The Beat's coverage in their own announcements.
For collectors interested in the market context behind their hobby — why a publisher cancels a line, why a particular creator-owned book breaks out, what the wholesale numbers actually look like — The Beat is one of the best free resources available. It is less useful as a pure speculation tip-sheet but invaluable for understanding the longer arcs of the medium.
The site is free to read; an optional Patreon supports independent reporting.
