How IDW Is Redefining Comics: ‘Fandom Does Not Stop At The Final Page’

BusinessHollywood & EntertainmentHow IDW Is Redefining Comics: ‘Fandom Does Not Stop At The Final Page’ByJosh Weiss,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Josh Weiss is a writer covering the nexus of pop culture and Judaism.Follow AuthorMay 18, 2026, 10:00am EDTIDW logoCourtesy of IDWSpeaking at last year’s New York Comic Con, ICv2 founder and editor-in-chief Milton Griepp stated that the future of comics lies in one word: “accessibility.”“If you create a book that’s easy for people to get into,” he explained (via Publishers Weekly), “they're more likely to buy it and tell their friends.”With tastes invariably changing over time, a company like IDW Publishing is ready to provide accessibility by meeting “readers where they are,” said VP of Marketing Aub Driver. “Whether that is the comic shop, the bookstore, social media, convention floors, digital platforms. The industry is evolving, and IDW is evolving with it.”Senior Group Editor Jake Thomas echoed the sentiment: “Comics, like much of the world these days, is in flux. A lot of the old ways and structures the industry was built around have shifted or crumbled. While there will always be the ‘doomers’ out there proclaiming otherwise, that doesn’t mean comics are dying—they’re just changing. New ways of making, marketing, distributing, and enjoying comics are popping up all the time.”While making money is always the ultimate goal (and, indeed, IDW sales were up 13% in the first quarter of 2026), CEO Davidi Jonas hasn’t viewed financial gain as the only goal since assuming control in 2023.“My sense is comics have been a victim of the chase to make more, and the heart of the thing got lost along the way,” he shared. “We can try to channel the joy of what comics were and can be. As I tell my colleagues, ‘Whether we make a lot of money/value or not, the only thing we can control is how we are along the way, so let’s have fun!’ I hope that comes across in our work produ...