Do we still need Diamond Comic Distributors?

Above: A couple of panels from Scott Kurtz’s PvP.

I’ve never had any problems with Diamond Comic Distributors. But, I know some small press guys and gals who have had problems with Diamond Comic Distributors.

The Direct Market was a big help to comics back in the late 1970s and 1980s. But, now, having only one comic book distributor shipping to comic book stores and with the advent of profitable downloadable digital comics, do we still need Diamond Comic Distributors?

PvP creator Scott Kurtz doesn’t think so:

You know, I sold PvP in comic book shops for seven years and I love all the retailers I met. But it makes no sense for me as an independent creator to sell my books to readers through a publisher/distributor/retailer chain when I can just sell directly to them. Diamond is a huge pain in the ass and they take 60% of my cover price. Because my business model skewed to the online side of things, and I decided to do what’s best for my business and my livelihood, now I’m an enemy of brick and mortar stores.

And seeing Diamond Comic Distributors trying to get a piece of digital comics' sales really makes me laugh. They’re seeing the writing on the wall (so to speak). For years, the larger comic book publishers didn’t care about webcomics. But, now that there’s a way to make money from downloadable digital comics, they’re all over that.

Spoon!!!

Above: Les Mcclaine’s cover artwork for the all-new THE TICK NEW SERIES #1.

I’ve enjoyed Les Mcclaine’s comics for years now. I especially like his LIFE WITH LESLIE comic. I’m also a fan of the Tick. When I read that Les would be working on a new Tick comic, I just knew that I would end up purchasing THE TICK NEW SERIES #1.

From Les Mcclaine’s blog:

The Tick: All-New #1 written by Benito Cereno, drawn by me. It’s a new ongoing series, with us as the creative team. Oh, we’ve got such plans.

And…

It’s gonna be good and we want it to do real well. Also, Arthur has some pretty shapely legs on that cover.

Les Mcclaine did an excellent job with the art. Benito Cereno (Jamie Groover) wrote some very witty dialogue. Also, the story includes an "Uncanny X-Mas" party at the Comet Club, the annoying Barry, a milk-drinking Man-Eating Cow, Arthur at the Sidekick’s Lounge, and a snow-peeing Chairface Chippendale. How could any Tick fan not dig any of that?

My only complaint, and it’s a minor one, is the cover price. $4.95 for a 32-page (23 pages of story) full-color comic book? I suppose, in this age of Diamond Comic Distributors, independent publishers can only survive with higher cover prices.

If you’re a fan of THE TICK animated series or other Tick comics, then you’ll love THE TICK NEW SERIES #1. Don’t be a Barry, pick up this comic!

I give THE TICK NEW SERIES #1 four out of five NM’s:

Troubles for Diamond???

Cartoonist D.J. Coffman has written an eye-opening article on possible new problems with Diamond Comic Distributors…

Three of the stories of creators not being paid by KNOWN publishers leads back to the excuse given that DIAMOND COMICS owes the publisher money. The first time I heard this excuse I thought it was bogus... but the second and third time I heard it from totally different creators who don't even know each other, it made me start to worry something was up with Diamond.

Diamond Comic Distributors is THE only distributor of comic books to retailers in the Direct Market. I had no idea that Diamond MIGHT be in such financial trouble. It’s certainly bad news for retailers. Publishers will find a way to get their books out there if anything bad should happen to Diamond. I like the Amazon suggestion. There’s also the option of the non-returnable bookstore market. Still, if Diamond should fall, it’s comics’ own fault. The Direct Market is broken. We need other viable options for distribution. But, there’s very little change being done. If Diamond Comic Distributors should fold, what would that mean for the comic book market?