the Lottery Party XIII

the Myth of Diamonds

posted on January 28th, 2009 in Articles & Columns
by Richard Caldwell, Managing Editor

The bi-weekly schedule for this column seems to pass quicker and quicker nowadays. Seems like it was just two weeks ago…

By now, I trust everyone has heard something or other concerning the recent decisions made by Diamond Comic Distributors. A quick synopsis of what’s at stake? Don’t mind if I do.

Diamond, the zenith global distributor of English-language comic books, has held the industry in a monopoly since the dissolution of its last relevant competition some ten years back. As their numbers for 2008 were a bloody 4% lower than their numbers for 2007, and with assorted publishers announcing raised pricing this year, Diamond has seen fit to raise the purchase order benchmark required in advance from retailers from $1500 to $2500. This, effective with the company’s March edition of the Previews catalogue, will be the new minimum for a title to be carried by them.

Also, they have elected to drop the Adult materials insert from their print catalogues, which I see as a finely sublime statement on how much power the Christian Right still truly holds over all Western media. If not for sex, none of us would be here, but I digress. And who says comics are just for kids? Thank you, Steve Geppi.

What this means, to gear back on track, is that unless numerous independent and small press publishers can maintain the new demands for higher sales figures, they will need to look outside of DCD’s powerbase for national and global distribution. Self-publishing is now officially synonymous with self-distributing.

In their defense, Diamond has actually lost money in recent years under our glorious economy by allowing many retailers to be fronted on orders. Unfortunately, this act of corporate generosity has equated to many indebted stores closing up shoppe for good.

Realistically, and especially in light of the continuing recession, many creators do so as hobbyists. Supplies cost money. Printing costs money. Marketing costs money. With no alternatives to Diamond’s reach, many comics will be forced to cease publication altogether.

Following the message boards and blogospheres of the past week, I see alot of fear. Strangely, I see even more denial of where all of this seems headed. Is this the end? Our medium has enough of an inferiority complex to have won a plethora of rugged scar tissue over the years. We change, but we survive. The restructuring of Diamond’s business plan is indicative of things to come, though.
So what can anyone do about this? What WILL happen?

Obviously, we need more national representatives than just the monopoly of Diamond Comic Distributors. Yes, the m-word is perfectly applicable and appropriate, as no other industry in the world grants so much power to the middleman, with the possible exceptions of District of Columbia lobbyists and gun-running Middle Eastern-obsessed war profiteers. Competition can be very healthy. Whatever you think of Diamond, their actions are another undeniable push towards the undesired death of floppy monthlies.

The larger publishers constantly signing exclusive deals with DCD is not helping. The big two paying superstars what they do, whether you like it or not, IS affecting your cover prices as well. For the smaller fish to endure, the smaller distributors will need to step up to the plate. I would like to see many of them join together like kindred spirits. Remember how the Avengers first joined together to fight the common threat of Loki’s machinations? They each maintained their respective side things, but the team was, from then on, extant and there to accomplish what the members individually could not. Strength. In. Unity.

So, to name names and to steal some of DCD’s thunder-
http://www.havendistro.com and http://www.milehighcomics.com and http://westfieldcomics.com, I am looking in your directions. For online distribution of print comics, there is http://comixpress.com and http://www.indyplanet.com/catalog. For packaging (among many other) services I highly recommend http://www.the-pack.biz/index.htm.
I also foresee many indie publishers making more of a jump to online presentations for their books. For online distributions of digital media (digital comics, e-books, webcomix, etc.), I suggest the good folks at http://www.literatemachine.com.

Certain of the small publishers who already distribute themselves are open to distributing others, such as Last Gasp and Slave Labor. We need more of this.

Lots and lots more.

Not a great way to start the year.

richardcaldwell@comicnews.info