1970s DC comic for distribution
Credit: Carmine Infantino/Vince Colletta (DC)
DC has sent a letter to Direct Market comic book shops explaining their new “multi-distributor” shipping model.
“Our goal is to get new comics into shops that are able to sell as soon as possible. We expect regional inconsistencies as to whether stores will be allowed to open up or remain shut down, and want to ensure we can continue providing comics to stores that can operate during these times,” explains the DC letter. “We recognize that many stores are not open for business at this time, but we’ve also heard from many retailers who are open and/or providing mail order, curbside pickup, or delivery, and we need to provide them with product.”
Diamond Comic Distributors has DC’s exclusive distributor to the Direct Market for the past 25 years, but with the distribution’s call to shutdown operations in light of the coronavirus pandemic the publisher worked out terms with two of Diamond’s biggest retailers – Discount Comic Book Service and Midtown Comics, which were still operational – to work as distributors themselves to comic shops, beginning this Tuesday.
The publisher re-assures retailer that it can still order DC comics through Diamond – whenever they resume operations.
“You can choose between three distributors for periodicals: Diamond Comic Distributors, Lunar Distribution, and UCS Comic Distributors,” DC explains. “If you are ready and willing to receive product starting Tuesday, April 28, you can order from either UCS or Lunar. You have the freedom to work with either of these distributors or wait until Diamond Comic Distributors starts shipping again.”
Diamond has stated that it aims to resume distribution in mid- to late May – and while it later listed a May 20 resumption date, has told retailers and Newsarama that’s not a firm date and is considered a placeholder.
But for those retailers who ordered through Diamond, they need to re-check their orders as some have been zero’ed out according to DC.
“We received feedback from many retailers and can confirm that all order quantities for titles for the original ship weeks of April 1, April 8, April 15, and April 22 not fulfilled by Diamond will be reset to zero,” DC says. “We have discussed this with Diamond and they have agreed to this reset.”
DC previously said these orders were canceled, but Diamond later refuted that. Be that as it may, DC recommends retailers check their orders for all April titles, as well as those for May 5 and May 12.
“All order quantities for books on sale Tuesdays April 28, May 5, and May 12 will need to be updated via Diamond’s upcoming FOC or the other distributors’ ordering systems,” DC continues. “We’re doing this to ensure you don’t receive double orders (should you choose to order books from one of our new distribution partners) or to allow you to confirm the orders you originally placed in Diamond’s ordering system. Your original orders were placed well in advance of the stay-at-home directives and we understand you may need to make adjustments that best suit your customers’ needs.
“To be clear, the affected orders include all DC product including comics, graphic novels, and collectibles.”