post in : Comics , Current News| Tagged : diamond , Penguin Random House
Who will buy Diamond Comic Distributors ? Bleeding Cool looks at the stolon and riders in this race and note down the betting odds …
Article Summary
Talking to industry insider over the past few week , Diamond Comic Distributors declare Chapter 11 bankruptcyafter the last few years has not all surprised masses , but it ’s squeaky bum sentence for everyone working there and the vendors and retailers being service by them . There is , however , an outlook from many that Diamond will find a suitable buyer and fall through this , albeit in a smaller build . It might be attractive to a buyer look to compete in the comic marketplace . To expand their current operation . To solidify a unchanging distribution branch for their own product by owning it . Or to gain new access to a new client base . However , it is also worth mention that Diamond Comic Distributors has provide numerous services to the industry that would be hard to replicate if they do n’t make it through this . Even if they do , there ’s no guarantee that either the bankruptcy court or a newfangled owner would patronage them ( a ) funding Free Comic Book Day , ( b ) carrying small publishers , ( c ) doing business with small retailers , ( d ) fund the comic shop locator Robert William Service , Free Comic Book Day . and twelve of other things that they do . But who might be in the running ? Here are a few suggestions and a tone at the moon curser and riders being talk about right now .
1. Universal Distribution, 5/2 Favourite
Canadian distributor , already having site stalking horse cavalry bidding for Diamond UK and Alliance Games Distribution , the two still profitable arms ofSteve Geppi ’s Geppi Family Enterprises aggregation of companies . They have been deal comics in Canada for age , they may be considerably placed to buy Diamond and go it as close to as it melt now . Though the incoming taxis / tariffs may perplex thing further .
2. Lunar Distribution/DCBS, 3/2
Once , as DCBS , Lunar was Diamond Comic Distributors ' enceinte customer . Then , as the single Image and DC distributor , they became Diamond ’s large customer . And they are owe a lot of money . Lunar has been unable or unwilling to take on other publisher of recent , as evidenced by Antarctic Press . But if they were able-bodied to get the finances and bribe Diamond ’s assets , they would belike be better placed to take reward of it than anyone else . Diamond also owes them half a million .
3. Penguin Random House, 2/1
Diamond owes them more than anyone else , nine million dollars , even if they are attempt to get the publishers of the comics in question to pony up . They have also had some struggles with the specialisation for comic Scripture distribution and may treasure the expertness . And honestly ? grease one’s palms Diamond would just be a rounding error error for the openhanded publisher on the satellite .
4. UCS Distribution/Midtown Comics, 3/1
The other DC Comics distributor , formed from Midtown Comics but who stepped forth , leaving Lunar with the DC monopoly , is coming back . They already cover with mailorder distribution for Marvel and DC Comics subscription copies and have a large operation in New York .
5. Simon & Schuster, 5/1
Simon & Schuster is also owe a lot of money and is on the board of Unsecured Creditors . But I ’m listing them here to make up other book distributors like Hachette and Turnaround , who distribute with Diamond on and off , and might also esteem a direction to reach the lineal market of risible book stores … directly ,
6. Steve Geppi and family, 6/1
Diamond may be bankrupt , but Steve Geppi , who has sake in many companionship , is not . It is always possible that he or one of the many member of the Geppi syndicate who would have been involved in his businesses for so long might reacquire Diamond at pennies on the clam as far as its debt is come to . Whether people would admit that realness is alone different , though .
7. Transcontinental Inc, 10/1
The Canadian printing machine owed much by Diamond for the printing of the Previews catalogue , but it has already stepped up when it comes tocovering potential tariff rises on the Canadian borderfor embark comic ledger to the USA . How about add together a major distributor hub in the USA for all of the printed materials they produce ?
8. Amazon, 15/1
I think , they can always apply another warehouse , right ? And they could integrate Diamond ’s organisation into their own . Or , like Comixology , pretend that ’s what they are doing and then just absorb it all into whatever they were doing anyway .
9. Whatnot, 20/1
Any gaming / pop civilization retailer , on or offline , like Games Workshop , Gamestop , Funko , Hot Topic , Nintendo Store , or anyone who wants to firm up a soda pop culture retail market by owning the means of distribution .
10. Marvel, 20/1
They ’ve done it before , do they fancy another guess at Heroes World ? Or how about fellow funny account book publisher DC Comics , they once had the option to buy Diamond . Or how about Mad Cave , they ’ve bought everything else .
11. Elon Musk, 30/1
Or any eccentric person with far too much money and niggling enough sense . This is like buying a football game team , only somewhat more geeky . It gives you an inst seat at the table and maybe a place to start buying distribution right for Marvel and DC back . But if you were in that position … would n’t you just bribe Marvel or DC instead ?
12. Forbidden Planet, 40/1
Once upon a clip , Titan Books / Forbidden Planet sold their distribution ship’s company , Titan distributor , to Steve Geppi , who rename it Diamond UK . I empathize that there was some interest in Titan reacquiring Diamond UK or even Diamond as a whole , but it did n’t last for long .
13. China, 100/1
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