DC Goes It Alone

Someone at AT&T has finally found out about Diamond Comics Distributers.

DC comics has cut all ties to Diamond.

“The timing of the decision to move on from Diamond was ultimately dictated by the fact that DC’s contract with Diamond has expired, but incidentally, the disruption by COVID to the market has required DC to forge ahead with its larger growth strategies that will benefit both the Direct Market and DC.”

In the email DC Comics details they will be replacing Diamond Comics Distributors with Lunar Distribution and UCS Comic Distributors as well as Penguin Random House.

Lunar Distribution and UCS Comic Distributors will distribute periodicals and graphic novels while Penguin Random House will distribute graphic novels.

Honestly, I don’t think DC Comics would have ever made this decision on their own. They would probably have been happy to go back to the same old, same old life under the monopoly.

But back in March this happened.

DC (nervously): So…uh…Ma, I got some bad news.

Ma Bell: Well, this is the month for it. Shoot.

DC: Diamond Distributers, the guys that sell my comics to comic’s shops? Well, they aren’t going to sell them during the crisis. And, well, they say they are going to keep the money they owe me… I mean, you. And, uh, they say we will have to sell through them again when they feel like it.

Ma Bell (takes off her glasses and then drums her fingers): You told them, fuck you! Right?

DC: Oh, I couldn’t do that. They wouldn’t like me afterward.

Ma Bell (backhands DC, who lands on ground sobbing. She comes around the desk and starts kicking DC savagely in the ribs): Apparently, you aren’t clear about your position with me! (kick, kick) You have not been making me enough money! (kick, kick) Now you are backing the play of the guy who is TAKING MY MONEY! (punch, kick, kick punch).

DC: Please stop! Please!

Ma Bell (stops beating him and goes back to her desk): That was for your own good. Now, what are going to tell Diamon Comics?

DC (whimpering): fuck you.

Ma Bell: Good. Make it happen or I’m offing you and farming out your job to the Indies.

The shops can’t survive this change, they are just too welded to the old system. After the WuFlu and then the riots, the comics shops just can’t come back from this one-two punch.

And now that DC has pulled the trigger Marvel can’t be far behind.

Very likely, this is the end of the floppy pamphlet. The future is going to be digital and large graphic novels.

The old fashioned comic book is going to be relegated to the Collectors Vinyl Market.

I am absolutely not guaranteeing that the changes will be for the better but there will be changes and at least that is a start.

Okay, I’m done here.