The Week in Diamond: Universal’s plans (with DC) and the end of an era

I know you are sick of this. But in case some researcher is trying to look into this some day, I feel compelled to recount all this. 

• A major outlet yesterday announced the “scoop” that Universal, purchaser of Alliance Games, will begin to distribute DC Comics in the US. Universal and Diamond actually signed a distribution deal in 2022, and while it mostly took effect in Canada, technically you could order DC comics from Universal for three years. US retailers didn’t because the shipping costs were too high. 

Now Universal has a US warehouse – the Alliance Games warehouse in Fort Wayne, Indiana – so they can begin shipping things more economically. I wrote about this back on June 4th:

What I have been hearing is that Universal plans to move into the US comic book/direct market distribution business. I have been hearing this since 2020, but of late I’m hearing it is in active development. Universal has hired Diamond’s two top execs, and possibly more of their personnel, including, I’m told, the one person who knows how to run Diamond’s very antiquated computer systems. While Universal hasn’t made any public facing statements about this, they have been telling some publishers of their plans. The only public evidence of this is a tiny mention of Universal in Udon Entertainment’s announcement of their future plans. However I’ve heard this from so many people that I’m convinced this is the plan. 

Universal’s deal with DC has been mentioned many times, and for what it’s worth, what I’ve been hearing is that that once DC came on board with the plan, Universal could go forward. 

A lot of people assumed that this means Lunar is out, but I haven’t heard that at all. If you’ll recall, when DC launched its new distribution plans back on that fateful day, April 17th, 2020, they had TWO distributors, Lunar, run by DCBS, and USB, run by Midtown Comics. Midtown soon dropped out of the hectic distribution business, leaving Lunar as the sole practical US distributor for DC Comics. But Universal was in the mix even then. 

This is just me guessing, but I would assume that DC would want to have two strong distributors for their products in the DM going forward. A monopoly is what got us into this mess and NO ONE uses the word “exclusive” any more. We’re back in a multi-distributor world.

(That said, if all this stabilizes, will there be distributor exclusive products, the way there are Target and Walmart exclusives? Stay tuned.)

Anyway, Universal is planning to start distributing periodical comics to the direct market in the United States. I’m not going to give this its own post with SCOOP! In the headline, at least not until it’s official official, but don’t be too shocked when it happens. As many have said many many times, Universal is the Diamond of Canada, only they have outside financing. 

• Zenescope has gone public with their halting of all shipments to Diamond and more to selling direct for now. 

Zenescope Entertainment is temporarily halting all shipments of comics to Diamond Comic Distributors due to ongoing non-payment and a lack of communication from their parent company, Ad Populum. This pause affects all current and upcoming shipments until we receive a formal response and resolution regarding past due invoices and outstanding balances.

We understand the importance of reliability and transparency, especially for our retail partners. In the meantime, retailers can continue to order all Zenescope titles directly through our Retailer Portal or by contacting our Sales Representative:

• https://zenescoperetailerportal.com/
• Jason Condeelis [email protected]

We are committed to ensuring uninterrupted access to our books.

Looking ahead, we are pleased to announce that beginning with our September solicitations (October releases), Zenescope titles will also be available through Philbo Distribution. We’re excited to partner with a distributor who shares our commitment to service and accountability.

To order our books from Philbo please visit their website: www.philbodistribution.com

We appreciate your ongoing support and patience as we navigate this situation. Our goal is to keep delivering the quality content you expect—without disruption. For any questions or assistance placing direct orders, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

• Meanwhile much farther down the comics food chain, I received a press release from White Cat Entertainment announcing they are joining Massive Indies for distribution to the DM. You may not have heard of White Cat Entertainment – I certainly haven’t. But I’m still sympathetic to their desire to put out books and be part of this business. These very small publishers are the real victims in the end of Diamond, as they don’t necessarily have a new berth. 

As for White Cat, it is run by Chris Mancini, who will be at SDCC with his artist Fernando Pinto, and they will be promoting the White Cat line which includes Mancini’s current graphic novels “Long Ago & Far Away,” “Long Ago and Far Away 2,” and “Rise of the Kung Fu Dragon Master.” and the SDCC debut,  “Alpha Cat,” with artist Pinto.

Also, Massive Indies will have an activation of some kind. 

• I should note that PhilBo Distribution is also plugging along, and owner Phillip Russert is very busy on social media talking about the venture. We’ll see how that rolls out! I keep telling people that more smaller distribution options will spring up and somewhere out there is a new Steve or Stacy Geppi who will become a key player. 

• Speaking of which, Ben Dunn of Antarctic Press posted on FB: 

So all the DIAMOND COMICS websites are down and no longer accessible. That pretty much tells me that they are pretty much gone. Unless the new owners tell us otherwise, and it seems that they have no interest in distributing comics, we are being forced to stop all shipments to them. I will try to see what comics are being effected. Needless to say this effect distribution and royalty payments as AP needed the DIAMOND payments to cover those expenses because that is how business works. I will get a list of comics that are being effected and let everyone know. There is no doubt there will be a transition and we are adapting to the new paradigm and we beg all our readers and creators for your continued patience and support. Things are in flux and we will do everything we can to remain in business but this involves you! Without your support we cannot do it so we are asking to do what you can for which we are eternally thankful! You can buy any missing issues at the the AP website: https://antarctic-press.myshopify.com/

The websites all came back online shortly thereafter, but i, but it’s a symbo of how shaky things have gotten. 

• With Dynamite going to Lunar, and New Diamond announcing they were ceasing print publication of Previws, yesterday, June 19th, really did feel like the end of an era, and our good friend, John Jackson Miller, posted an essential elegy WITH PHOTOS on his own FB page:

End of an era with Diamond Comic Distributors today announcing it’s ended the physical PREVIEWS catalog. I have almost every issue (as well as most other Direct Market catalogs) as a consequence of my research work at Comichron; all these shelving units full plus the entire other side, many of the editions donated to me either by Capital City Distribution or Comics Buyer’s Guide. Great respect to those who produced the print periodical for so many years — the bible of the business for decades. All the best to everyone involved in the time ahead.

• And that will be the week in Diamond until the next earth shattering reveal.