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Penguin Random House pulls distribution access to key publishers from Diamond (including Marvel, Boom! Studios, and Dark Horse Comics)
If your comic store has been relying on Diamond Comic Distributors to get your Marvel comics every week, there's a new wrinkle they'll have to deal with starting at the end of June
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In the latest change for consumers since the sale of Diamond Comic Distributors and its subsidiaries to new owners, Penguin Random House Publisher Services has severed ties with Diamond as a sub-distributor, with the change going into effect at the end of June — meaning that comic stores that ordered Marvel, Dark Horse, IDW Publishing or Boom! Studios comic books through Diamond will now have to deal directly with PRH or else lose access to those publishers altogether.
PRHPS made the announcement May 21, telling retailers that it will no longer allow Diamond to sub-distribute any product past a June 25 on-sale date — which means that any orders already placed by retailers are likely to be affected by this change, with stores impacted needing to transfer order to Penguin Random House Publisher Services directly. (Orders are currently open for product on sale through the end of July, meaning that there is potentially more than a month’s worth of orders retailers may have to rework.)
In its announcement, PRHPS wrote that the company “would like to thank Diamond for their partnership and contributions to the marketplace.”
In response, a statement from Diamond Comic Distributors was released, reading, “It’s disappointing that after years of collaboration, Penguin Random House has abruptly cut off access to product for our loyal retailers and fans. We’re focused on actively working with other publishers to remedy the situation and minimize disruption.”
Loyal Diamond retailers and fans are already dealing with disruption from the company’s sale to Ad Populum as part of its ongoing bankruptcy proceedings; the new owners have instituted drastic layoffs, including seemingly the entire Diamond Books Distributors sales team and closing the Diamond Select Toys division altogether.
As we've said before: if your local stores are Diamond customers, be patient with them in the next few weeks and months. It's not easy out there.
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