After doing business with them for 25 years, DC Comics has announced that it has officially cut ties with Diamond Distributors.
Back in March, Diamond, the distributor for Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, Image, Boom! Studios and Dynamite, informed publishers that it will no longer be accepting new product at its warehouses, and all shipping to retailers would cease from April 1. Considering the company is the largest distributor of English-language comics and graphic novels in the world, this announcement effectively shut down the comic book industry.
Now, DC has made the decision to end its long-standing relationship with Diamond, informing customers that all orders for DC product will be fulfilled by Lunar Distribution and UCS Comic Distributors for periodical releases, and Penguin Random House for graphic novels and collected editions starting later this month.
“We recognize that, to many of you, this may seem like a momentous decision," a DC spokesperson said in a statement via THR. "However, we can assure you that this change in DC's distribution plans has not been made lightly and follows a long period of thought and consideration. The change of direction is in line with DC's overall strategic vision intended to improve the health of, and strengthen, the Direct Market as well as grow the number of fans who read comics worldwide.”
“In the near term, Diamond will only be fulfilling orders placed through June 1 Final Order Cut-Off and will not solicit the sale of new DC titles further. To ensure a smooth transition for retailers, DC will suspend Final Order Cut-Off for June 8, making those books available to order on Final Order Cut-Off on June 15.”
Will Marvel be next? Keep an eye out for updates.
ComicBookMovie.com, and/or the user who contributed this post, may earn commissions or revenue through clicks or purchases made through any third-party links contained within the content above.