Here's the addy for info--
http://comicbookresources.com/columns/?column=16
"Encased in a sexy translucent blue envelope was a gorgeous informational booklet about a new comics trade organization, the International Comic Arts Association. And as good and professionally put together as it looked inside that envelope, it was when I opened it up and began reading the organization overview that my mind was blown.
Putting together a comic industry trade organization has been a hot topic of discussion on industry professional forums among comic creators, publishers and retailers for the past six months. It's no mystery that the industry desperately needs one, and it's something that everyone seems to agree could really benefit the entire industry, particularly folks like myself who work the retailing end of the equation.
The common knowledge that the strategic business alliances, enhanced communication, and unity that are part of a trade organization's membership would be instrumental in helping grow our industry, particularly during the period of unprecedented attention that we are seeing right now. And nearly everyone in the industry is interested in seeing those grand, sweeping promotional efforts that a trade organization could bring to the world of comics, and that's exactly why trade organizations are such a white-hot topic amongst comics professionals.
And suddenly, someone presented a solution. And that solution was the International Comic Arts Association. There didn't need to be six more months of discussion about how a trade organization could be brought about, or what kind of mission it would have, or who was allowed membership, or who would do the work to get it off the ground?because it was already done.
For the past five years Erik Enervold (Art Director of Joliet Pattern and initiator of the FCBD signage program) has been developing the ICAA, a non-profit trade organization to represent the entire comic industry. He's already done the work to get by-laws down and mission statements written. We're talking about an actual comic industry trade organization, that is already organized and has a small but dedicated full-time staff to run it. And judging by the grab-the-bull-by-the-horns attitude of it's founder, it's pretty apparent that the ICAA is serious about making the organization's goals a reality.
Now you might not be able to hear it, but that, my friends, is the bomb dropping.
Trade organizations, as you may or may not know, are cooperative groups that support and promote a certain trade. Anyone who has ever thought that pork was the other white meat or that beef was what's for dinner have thought so because of the trade organizations that support the pork and beef respectively. Pooling funds, contacts and resources to generate nation-wide advertising to promote interest in a certain product is one of the best and most powerful things that a trade organization can do. "
And it goes on into more detail.
Good? Bad? Ugly?
