If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.
The US comic book industry won't be significantly impacted by Trump's tariff war (yet)
Your comic book prices aren't set to skyrocket just yet, as printed material is currently exempt from the increasing tariff war the US has declared on the rest of the world
Popverse's top stories of the day
- WATCH NOW: The gentleman villain Mads Mikkelsen tells us how he balances being charming and despicable in our favorite movies & TV series
- DC Comics loses its long-time publicity manager Michael Shelling
- MEMBERS ONLY: Popverse Picks: Best underdog characters like Cassian Andor in Star Wars
Despite preparatory measures by some parties, it looks as if comic books might avoid the current tariff war judging by a list of exemptions from international tariffs set by the current U.S. Administration — at least for now.
Publisher’s Weekly noticed that a new tariff exemptions list from the White House lists a number of items related to publishing, including, but not limited to, “Printed books, brochures, leaflets and similar printed matter, other than in single sheets,” “Newspapers, journals and periodicals, appearing at least four times a week” (and, curiously, also “Newspapers, journals and periodicals, except those appearing at least four times a week”), and “Printed matter, nesoi,” where “nesoi” is an acronym for “not elsewhere specified or included.”
The cumulative effect of these inclusions would appear to leave both periodical comic books and collected editions entirely exempt of any tariffs that have been put in place by the Trump administration in the past few weeks, although PW notes that a 7.5% tariff installed for books printed in China during the first Trump administration remains in effect. Given the amount of Chinese collected edition printing for the North American comic book market and the fact that the current administration just upped its China tariffs to a stunning 104%, this is undoubtedly good news for many U.S. publishers.
Additionally, paper sourced from Canada for publishing in the United States is also exempt from current tariffs, although it’s unclear about paper sourced from other countries, or any other printing material needed to be imported into the U.S. If that were the case, then domestic printing rates might be pushed up as a result of tariffs; file that under “stay tuned,” for now. After all, if there's anything anyone has learned from the ongoing tariff situation and the current President, it's that things can change at any minute for seemingly any reason at all.
Popverse will keep an eye on how tariffs are impacting everything from comics to Nintendo's Switch 2 launch as the story continues to develop.
Want to know what's coming up next in pop culture? Check out Popverse's guides to:
Follow Popverse for upcoming event coverage and news
Find out how we conduct our review by reading our review policy
Let Popverse be your tour guide through the wilderness of pop culture
Sign in and let us help you find your new favorite thing.
Comments
Want to join the discussion? Please activate your account first.
Visit Reedpop ID if you need to resend the confirmation email.