This week, Scott Thorne talks about the situation for retailers in week 2 of the Covid-19 lockdown, and offers an obituary for small press game publisher Bill Levy.

The two stimulus bills have provisions that can help retailers and other small geek culture businesses stay afloat through the coming months.

In response to the coronavirus crisis, DC Comics is exploring distributors in addition to Diamond Comic Distributors to get product to comic stores, the company said in an e-mail to retailers.

Simon & Schuster is continuing to receive new VIZ Media manga and other book titles from printers and shipping them to accounts including book chains and online retailers.

The new series will put the long-running manga in the hardcover format that’s proved so successful for Dark Horse Comics in its repackaging of Berserk.

Black Mask is offering a share of online sales, and Vault Comics is incentivizing comic store gift cards.

Archie will pause Direct Market releases, delay Direct Market launches, and continue to ship newsstand and subscriber-focused titles.

Lockdown orders in 21 U.S. states and another 53 locales are now keeping at least 196 million people at home unelss they are engaged in essential activities.

Artists, Writers, and Artisans Studios is going ahead with a launch for its first title, The Resistance , by J. Michael Straczynski and Mike Deodato, Jr., in webtoon format.

The turmoil in the convention business continues, as the country’s largest library show is canceled; more.

Peter DeFelice of Pyramid Comics and Cards in Sparta, New Jersey is looking for something from the #2 comic publisher.

Dark Horse CEO Mike Richardson has released a message to retailers via Twitter announcing a cut in output and returnability for comic stores in response to the coronavirus crisis.