Devil's Due is back…and working with Diamond

Well, things got a little more interesting. After a two-year hiatus, Devil’s Due publishing just announced they have returned—and they’ll be distributed by Damond, which is a bit of a surprise because Devil’s Due had previously pulled out of Diamond with some hubbub. But you know, this is comics, and squabbles are rarely eternal.

Devil’s Due, led by published Josh Blaylock, was a pioneer of licensing about 10 years ago, bringing back GI Joe comics and launching several interesting international deals, and the title HACK/SLASH, among many others. The company got bogged down with cashflow problems just before the shutdown, but in comics no one ever stays away for that long. AND they have launched a PROJECT RECTIFY imprint to pay back the creators who were owed a substantial amount of money.

Anyway, to paraphrase the headline of the email announcing this, they’re baaaaaaaack:

After more than two years on hiatus from the comic book direct retail market, Devil’s Due is returning, cautiously, to its publishing roots, including a new distribution deal to sell books throughout North America into the comic book specialty market, working closely with Diamond Comic Distributors. Familiar in many ways to the old, it is also a very different kind of company.

At the helm of the relaunch is original DDP founder Joshua Blaylock.

The newly christened Devil’s Due Entertainment emerges alongside a branded imprint, PROJECT RECTIFY, which will accompany all of its initial projects as part of a plan to square up debts with various creators over the next year. 

“We’re excited to see what the new Devil’s Due Entertainment will have to offer comic book specialty retailers,” said Bill Schanes, Diamond’s Vice President of Purchasing.

“This has been a long time coming, but in the end I am glad to be moving forward. Thank you to Diamond for working with us to look to the future. Expect more information about the publishing line-up and what else to expect from Devil’s Due very, very soon.”