Diamond Comic Distributors Founder and Chairman & CEO, Geppi Family Enterprises Steve Geppi posted a letter today detailing distribution plans in response to the COVID-19 pandemic:
Product distributed by Diamond and slated for an on-sale date of April 1st or later will not be shipped to retailers until further notice. For the time being, however, we have been able to develop procedures with our teams at the distribution center in Olive Branch, MS to safely continue fulfillment of direct ship reorders for the retailers who are able to receive new product and need it to service their customers. It’s unlikely that orders will be filled on the same day they are placed, and these plans are subject to change if any point we no longer feel that we can safeguard our teams while fulfilling orders.
Product distributed by Diamond UK and slated for an on-sale date of March 25th or later will not be shipped to retailers until further notice. Further updates with regard to reorders and other Diamond UK-specific information will be communicated directly to their customers as information becomes available.
Read the full press release here, remember to follow the recommendations of your local health officials in response to COVID-19, then share your thoughts about this news on the 2005 boards!
omegafix
new comics are back!!
MARVEL, DC, IMAGE, More Part of DIAMOND's MAY 20 Shipping List
JJJ
But is this only because of certain political plans that are also focussed on May? Because if that's the case then no, they won't be re-opening in May.
Michael Payton
Meanwhile, DC has moved on from the Diamond monopoly with Midtown Comics and DCBS now acting as regional distributors starting the 28th. Let's hope this is only a starting point and not a quick temporary fix. More competition in distribution is a great thing for the health of the industry.
Gaastra
Diamond hopes to open back up in may.
Confirmed: Diamond Comics Makes Plan to Return to Distribution in May
OFFICIAL: Diamond ‘Targeting’ Mid to Late May to Restart Distribution
AzT
Resources For Comics Creators and Employees Impacted By Coronavirus | Comic Book Legal Defense Fund
AzT
Josh on Twitter
IDW Puts Larry Hama's Long-Running G.I. JOE Series on Hiatus
Stygian360
No new comics this week always give fans a chance to catch up on previous collected stories or back issues. I'd deter fans from buying only from Amazon in order to help hurting shops, but I'd be a hypocrite if I didn't say I use them more frequently.
Michael Payton
This is a bigger problem than not having shops for sale. The shops are closed on half the States and weren't getting money this month even if there were new comics.
This means that the smaller press publishers have no income to pay their staff. Their freelancers. Their rent. Their utilities. Many are struggling with basic bills anyway. The shops that survive this will have fewer publishers to buy from if this goes on too long.
Comics will survive even the loss of Diamond if it comes to that.
Comics will survive the loss of the small press if it comes to that.
Comics will survive the loss of DC or Marvel if it comes to that.
To readers: You will just see comic creators adapt like they did in the past and still get material to read. In the meantime, look at new things to explore apart from the bilge from Marvel, DC, IDW, etc.
To creators: this is the time to look for new ways and to adapt. Start the new way forward.
Michael Payton
You've clearly never heard of Underground comics. Even the non-drug and sex ones like Kitchen Sink's Spirit Reoints and East Coast Comics EC reprints predate the modern direct market by half a decade.
AzT
Diamond Won't Be Able to Pay Comics Publishers This Week
Diamond Comic Distributors
Predakwon
I really feel bad for the small comic shops. Not sure how they'll survive this.
My former go-to Midtown Comics I think will be fine, but the rest….
Grand Slam
I suspect you have not tried ComiXology with the functionality to move panel-by-panel and zoom in. If you had, it would be very hard to argue that paper is not the degraded imitation at this point.
SG Roadbuster
*looks at headline*
*Consider the low quality of the current run of TF comics*
And nothing of value was lost
JJJ
Rely on paper? What a peculiar way of looking at it.
Anyway, we have yet to devise a better alternative. I can't read a digital file without an electronic device, which I can't use without electricity (and all that goes with it). The very act of reading is not the same on the two mediums, and one is a very much degraded imitation of the other for me.
lilcarus
yeah paper was fun but that time has come and gone. much like the local comic book store we all grew up with.
most if not all are garbage these days. with 100+ over priced figurines scattered about the shelves. but that is on top of the store being full of more board games than books or it has miniature stuff out the ass or both.
i would support switch to all digital releases and for the guys who still like having a physical book they could drop trades.
Bass X0
More trees cut down so people can have unnecessary junk lying around the house.
We live in an age where we don’t have to rely on paper.
JJJ
In which case I would never buy another comic, and simply pirate them.
I want a physical artefact. I don't like reading on small screens (or large screens). Books of any sort always, always beat digital files for me.
Omegashark18
Well, one bright side I can think of to all of this, means my wishlist won’t grow anymore for a few months. Allowing me whittle it down more.
omegafix
The Direct Market and LCS's started in the 70's, before those Indy books you are referring to
Maximus Danz
Whos ready for Diamond to not open back up and creator comic shops.