Diamond Comic Distributors sends a letter of assurance to comic book stores... ish
Diamond Comic Distributors has sent out the following message to comic book retailers. It reads as follows.
Dear Diamond Customer:
As you know, Diamond Comic Distributors is now part of the Ad Populum family. This marks a new beginning with a future of greatly enhanced product offerings, as well as a time of transition. Naturally, it also brings with it questions.Many decisions are still taking shape, and we're actively working through what this next chapter should look like. That means some near-term uncertainty. This is a complex process, and we're focused on moving forward with intention, making decisions to best position us for long-term stability. That said, we do want to address some of the more immediate questions on your mind:
If you place an order with us, will you receive it?
Yes. Our order processing and fulfillment operations remain active, and fulfilling your orders reliably remains a top priority.
What about your PRH orders?
We are pausing PRH orders for product with an on-sale date after June 25 while we work with publishers to resolve the disruption and provide clear guidance.
What about comics in general?
We're working with publishers and vendors to ensure continuity across the categories that matter most to your business. We will share updates as more details take shape. In the meantime, the Support Center on the Retailer Services Website remains the best place to go with any questions or concerns. Thank you for your partnership and your patience as we work to shape the future of Diamond together.
This comes after Penguin Random House pulled out of allowing Diamond Comic Distributors to be a third-party distributor to comic book stores, which included pulling all products from Marvel, IDW, Dark Horse, Boom, Valiant, TokyoPop and Dstlry. While Hermes Press said that Diamond won't be distributing their comics or others anymore, I have had pushback from Diamond/Ad Populum on that, saying that they are definitely still in the comics distribution business. Also, for that matter, Penguin Random House will continue to deal with Diamond UK, for all of those comic book publishers.