With DC moving towards its third week with no new comic books (most retailers last shipped new weekly content on March 28, DC included), the publisher has announced a plan to resume shipping new titles on April 28 utilizing a new distribution system based around prominent mail order retailers Midtown Comics and DCBS.
But reaction from retailers has been mixed, with some praising DC’s choice to resume shipping and others questioning whether the move will do more longterm harm than good as many retailers remain closed for business due to coronavirus quarantine regulations.
Joe Field of Concord, CA’s Flying Colors Comics laid out some of his issues with the plan, citing in particular the new distribution system’s reliance on Midtown and DCBS, who some retailers view as direct competitors.
“A lot isn’t known yet, but a lot is being asked of retailers at a time when we’re all very vulnerable. DC called this a ‘solution-focused plan’ but it initially feels like more chaos than a carefully and responsibly crafted plan,” Field explained. “We don’t know what discount and terms we’ll get from these new distributors. We do know that handing over our sales information to directly competing deep discounters is not attractive or workable.”
“DC did say all product will still be available through Diamond and that seems to be the more responsible course of action for most retailers, given current circumstances regarding COVID,” he stated. “And if I’m getting something wrong here, it’s because the communication is incomplete, ill-timed and rather inconsiderate.”
Phil Boyle of Florida-based retailer chain Coliseum of Comics laid out his opinion on the plan more bluntly, stating “This is the most damaging and horrible decision DC could have made.”
Conversely, Jenn Haines, owner of The Dragon, which operates three stores in Guelph, Ontario which are currently open only for mail order business praised the decision.
“I think businesses should be able to adapt into the forms that they need. If DCBS and Midtown built a successful business that includes a large mail-order component, so be it. I don’t begrudge them success,” Haines said. “Look, DC is trying hard to get us our books. I don’t think we have time for all this right now in this industry. We don’t need drama. We need to come together as an industry. We need to build each other up, not tear each other down.”
“I do intend to order product. I’ll be checking what my subscribers need and order to those numbers,” she concluded. “I’m ordering from Lunar. Diamond cannot direct-ship into Canada right now.”
Retailer Ryan Higgins of Sunnyvale, CA’s Comics Conspiracy echoed Haines’ decision to stock DC product, stating “It’s probably the best situation we could have hoped for, short of Diamond shipping books at the same time.”
“It’s a slow roll out which will gives stores the ability to work with reduced staff or process orders from home. Holding back Batman #92 is probably the best idea until we’re all on the same playing field,” Higgins continued. “Selling five copies of Daphne Byrne isn’t going to save the industry, but it’s needed to keep customer engaged with comics and their local shops.”
Batman writer James Tynion IV subsequently announced Batman #92 will go on sale sometime in June.
“As for DCBS and Midtown handling the distribution, who cares. It’s like when retailers complain about Amazon,” he concluded. “These places already have your customer’s info, every customer knows about them, and yet they still shop with you. Open the account, order the comics your customers want. DC is doing the right thing.”
Still, Field summed up some of the overall worries he feels for the industry at large – and DC in particular.
“I wonder if all DC/WB/AT&T staffers will be in their offices full time by the end of April when they expect retailers to be in our shops full time to handle this new product?” Field wrote. “Some shipping lanes are still closed. Many areas of the country are shut down until mid-May at the earliest…and most comic retailers are not able to operate near 100%.”
“I wonder if WB movies will be in theaters by April 28 (they won’t). Why expect more of comic book retailers than the company does of its movie wing?
“Why is there so much more pressure on DC Comics than there is on WB?” Field questioned. “Thinking about that, that’s why I’m hoping there’s another shoe to drop. Maybe this is a corporate tactic to move DC/WB/AT&T further away from the comics specialty market. Maybe DC is content with two mail order houses selling all their periodicals so they can then move all their book product to Random House?”
“I’m hoping the relationship between DC and Diamond can be healed, not just because it’s good for those two companies but because it’s good for the entire comics specialty channel,” Field concluded. “Still hoping there are more and better moves left in this gut-wrenching chess game.”