Stickin' it to the little guy!!

[Captain]

I have just heard from some associates of mine in the comic publishing biz. As of March, Diamond ---who I'm sure you all know pretty much has a stranglehold on the distribution end of the comics industry---will be almost doubling their minimum required monthly sales of all products!

This move pretty much will kill off a large chunk of the independent publishers...leaving the market open to DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, Image, and to a lesser extent IDW. Even these publishers will be hit, as not all of their titles clear the new monthly minimum. Even Archie, once a minor powerhouse, doesnt meet the minimum sell with most of their titles!!!



The comics marketplace is about to get a lot smaller folks!!

[thunderbolt]

The paper comics market will get smaller, but downloads will grow. The whole floppy comic industry is a dinosaur that is trying to commit suicide.

[ctc]

>The whole floppy comic industry is a dinosaur that is trying to commit suicide.

Is Diamond still owned by Marvel? (It was Marvel, wasn't it?) If so I could see this as a way for them to try and thin the competition out. (And break Archie's deathgrip on the industry. Damn you Jughead!!!) Kinda like what happened in the late 80's with the independants.

Don C.

[thunderbolt]

Nahh, Marvel owned the other one. Capital City I think. It croaked when Marvel got too big for its britches.

[toys2cool]

well i'm surprised Comics are still even around to be honest

[goldenryan]

this is why i don't buy new comics. also they are too expentive and when you go to resell them you're lucky too get half of what u paid for. it just seem to me that comics don't have the charm and appeal as comics from the 60's and 70's.

[ctc]

>i'm surprised Comics are still even around to be honest

I'm not. Comics as a whole are doing really well. It's just Marvel and DC that have problems....

Don C.

[Earth 2 Chris]

At one point in the 90s, Diamond and Captial were the two big distributors. Marvel bought Heroes World, which was once the chain of stores and mail order distributor that sold Megos and other comic-related items through ads in Marvel and DC comics. Marvel went exclusive with their own distributor, which in turn lead DC, Dark Horse, and Image to choose sides. They chose Diamond, and Captial just went away.

Diamond changed their minimum order policy a few years back, which forced several REALLY small companies out of business. Shooting Star Comics, of which I was a part, couldn't really stay afloat without Diamond's pressence, so we eventually threw in the towel.

Chris

[Captain]

According to sources, Diamond wants to "do away with" up to 100 publishers. I dont mean they want them iced or anything...they just dont want to carry them anymore. Same deal with merchandise...diamond doesnt want to carry the small guys anymore. Know that Diamond makes so much of their own merchandise, I'm surprised they list anybody else anymore anyways!?

I know some publishers who have looked into downloads...theres no money in that at all for smaller/new/and unknown publishers. There are a few small distributors trying to edge there way into the comics business. Hopefully this move will draw them some more attention. Diamond can stick with the big group, and these new outfits can support the smaller publishers.

[The Bat]

Diamond changed their minimum order policy a few years back, which forced several REALLY small companies out of business. Shooting Star Comics, of which I was a part, couldn't really stay afloat without Diamond's pressence, so we eventually threw in the towel.

Chris

Wow Chris...that SUCKS!! I'm sorry to hear that.

[thunderbolt]

So Diamond is attempting to become the Walmart of the comics world and dictate product from the companies and leave us with a bland vanilla product. All it will do is drive the little guys to seek distribution thru Image or Dc or Marvel.

[Earth 2 Chris]

Wow Chris...that SUCKS!! I'm sorry to hear that.

Yeah...it happens. We gave it a shot. But since it was a group effort, no one went broke. We got out before it got too deep. And we are all still buds.

This won't help with breaking the dreaded event syndrome DC and Marvel can't seem to shake. For every title to meet the minimum order break, I'm sure these events will be pushed even more, and everything will be considered a "must buy".

To paraphase Syndrome in The Incredibles, whenever thing is an event...nothing is.

Chris

[ctc]

>According to sources, Diamond wants to "do away with" up to 100 publishers. I dont mean they want them iced or anything...they just dont want to carry them anymore.

That's a lot like what happened during the late 80's/early 90's. Distributors stopped carrying most of the independants.

Don C.

[johnmiic]

I must be the only person in then country who does not use Diamond for anything. It kills the fun of just walking in and buying something you want. If they disenfranchise even 2/3rds that amount of publishers-and they unite-they could become a challenger to Diamond's stranglehold. The undesired effect is Diamond will create an underdog competitor. Necessity is the mother of invention.

[thunderbolt]

^^^^ Yeah, but the store you go to uses Diamond, so there will be less selection there in the future.