For his article on direct market pioneer Bud Plant (see "Bud Plant, a Pioneer"), Dan Gearino (author of The Comic Shop, see "New Edition of ‘Comic Shop’") conducted a meaty video interview with Plant, which you can watch in three parts:
 

• In Part 3 (see below), Plant talks about rapid growth in the 1980s, selling his wholesale business to Diamond, and the meaning of it all.
• In Part 1, he talked about the very early days of the comics business in the 1960s, and some of the first comic stores in California. 
• In Part 2, Plant talks about meeting Phil Seuling, the beginnings of the direct market, and opening the first Comics & Comix store.

We are also making available full transcripts of the interview, in three parts corresponding to the three parts of the video interview.
ICv2 Interview Transcript: Bud Plant Part 1
ICv2 Interview Transcript: Bud Plant Part 2
ICv2 Interview Transcript: Bud Plant Part 3

This interview and article are part of ICv2’s Comics Direct Market 50th Anniversary celebration; for more, see "Comics Direct Market 50th Anniversary."