Impact Comics has been providing Canberrans with updates on their favourite super heroes, manga, and graphic novels for more than 15 years. But like so many other retailers the lockdown has reduced business to a standstill.

Store owner Mal Briggs has transferred most of his sales online, runs live streams about what's new in stock and has moved most of his inventory to be sold on the store's website.

"It's really, really tough at the moment. Foot traffic is down to nothing, we've reduced our hours, looked into the right assistance packages, boosted the online store, and have done everything we can to keep open, in but the reality is the bills don't stop," he said.

The ACT Government announced on Friday it was relaxing some social distancing restrictions and allowing Canberrans to leave their homes for non-essential shopping, meaning the opening of more retailers.

Mr Briggs welcomed the change but said he still couldn't encourage the usual shoulder-to-shoulder crowds that would fill the store on World Comic Book Day, which would have been today.

"We would easily have 100 people in the store at any one time," he said.

World Comic Book Day is a major event for fans and stores around the world.

But to adapt to the new reality, Mr Briggs and other retailers have changed it to Stay Home Comic Book Day, a livestream from the store.

"There will be special deals for the day. Also people can share what they're reading or just their comic book collection with the tag #SHCBD and there's a cosplay contest open right now with prizes which will be announced on the day," he said.

Comic Book Day has always been about the love of comics and introducing people to new comics. The lockdown shouldn't change that.

"Really, it's about fans getting together and sharing what they love about comics. I hope we can do that again this year," he said.

Impact Comics was still open and trading on reduced hours, in a pretty desolate Garema Place.

Mr Briggs said the bushfires and smoke had kept away tourists, school groups and others away during the summer.

Impact Comics was also being affected by the shutdown on supply of comics from the United States.

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"The American comic book industry has stopped releasing periodic comics and that has not happened before in 80 years," he said.

"That weekly delivery of hundreds of comics had not happened for the last month."

Details about Stay Home Comic Book Day, from 9am to 5pm on Saturday, are available at impactcomics.com.au. GAMMA.CON pop culture festival is organising the cosplay contest.

Also see the Stay Home Comic Book Day Facebook page.