Hey Joe Books fans!

If you are anything like me, you’ve always loved the magic of animation, but you are totally new to the wonderful world of comics. Here are some tips to make sure you get your hands on the new monthly comics featuring your favourite characters.

Unlike your local bookstores, comic book shops essentially order exactly what they know their customers are going to purchase. They know what to order because comic book fans go in and pre-order their comics a couple of months in advance. So my first tip to getting your hands on the newest Disney Princess or Dreamworks Madagascar comic? Pre-order! The pre-order windows open around three months before the comic book actually hits the shelf.
 

Step One: Find your local comic book store. Comic book locator (here) can help with this.
 

Step Two: Give them a call or a visit and ask to pre-order the comic. If you are visiting, use this form to make it super easy! We post the pre-order codes for our comics on Twitter and Facebook, but you can also find them in Previews, which is the comic industry catalogue. More on how to use Previews here.
 

Step Three: On the release date for your comic book (AKA new comic book day!) pick up your shiny new comic (remember! this is always a Wednesday).
 

Can’t make it to a store in person? Some retailers have online ordering options. Double-check the websites of your local stores to see if you can order online, and never miss an issue.
 

And my last tip? Unlike books, which are kept in stock at bookstores, waiting on shelves to be purchased at the reader’s convenience, when a monthly comic is gone, it is gone. Pre-ordering is the best way to ensure that you will get a copy.