Although its fans are legion and its characters are more frequently appearing on the big screen--including this summer's Iron Man 2--the $320-million-a-year comic book industry has yet to make much impact at Christian retail. But creators and publishers are hoping to change that.

One Christian producer in the genre exhibited at the mainstream MegaCon convention in Orlando, Fla., in March, which drew a crowd of more than 37,000. Art Ayris, Kingstone Media CEO, introduced visitors to the Leesburg, Fla. company's faith-based offerings, which include science fiction, action adventure, historical fiction, biographies and biblical epics.

In addition to reaching out to secular comic book fans, Kingstone Media has been connecting with owners and representatives from church and Christian stores, including chains. Mardel Christian & Education is going to start carrying some of Kingstone's books, and Ayris said he is also in talks with Family Christian Stores.

"I'm hoping that as we grow this, they'll be a Kingstone section in the stores," he said. Kingstone's Bible-based comics include The Beginning, Incarnation and The Revelation as well as the novel Sudan and 2048--a futuristic graphic work of fiction by Marvin Olasky, World magazine editor in chief.

But exactly where to market comics in a bookstore is one of the biggest hurdles the titles have in getting before Christian retail shoppers, even while some publishers--including Head Press Publishing, whose "Eye Witness" books have received ForeWord's Book of the Year and Independent Publishers' awards--and organizations such as Christian Comics International cultivate and promote new talent.

"Christian retail stores don't know where to put comics," said Scott Shuford, a board member of the Christian Comic Art Society (CCAS). "They don't know if it's a children's thing or put it with the books. There's an identity crisis about what to do with Christian comics."

Read the full report in the June issue of Christian Retailing magazine.

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