I have a lot of thoughts on this.
Mainly that Diamond, the only thing keeping comics alive, was also destined to be its main point of failure.
The reason Marvel, DC, Image, etc were so slow to roll out a proper digital presence was fear of Diamond. boingboing.net/2020/03/26/the…
Mainly that Diamond, the only thing keeping comics alive, was also destined to be its main point of failure.
The reason Marvel, DC, Image, etc were so slow to roll out a proper digital presence was fear of Diamond. boingboing.net/2020/03/26/the…
If the major comic book publishers undercut Diamond with digital sales, they would anger and financially damage their single sole distributor for print books.
It took a long time for digital comics to get where they are, and where they are is still kind of a mess.
It took a long time for digital comics to get where they are, and where they are is still kind of a mess.
Right now audiences can only be served by digital. It's the only way for publishers to keep making money off books right now.
But that means Diamond will lose money, and local comic shops will lose money, and I'm not sure how many of them are stable enough to absorb the blow.
But that means Diamond will lose money, and local comic shops will lose money, and I'm not sure how many of them are stable enough to absorb the blow.
Marvel and DC are fine. They have excellent sugar daddies: Mr. Mouse and Mr. Warner.
The smaller publishers are going to take a bigger hit; they don't have billion dollar backstops on call.
The smaller publishers are going to take a bigger hit; they don't have billion dollar backstops on call.
Local comic book shops are in serious trouble. They have no product. They have no customers. They hardly qualify as "essential" businesses. They're going to be shuttered for an extended period.
Every day is money customers don't give them, and money they don't pay Diamond.
Every day is money customers don't give them, and money they don't pay Diamond.
The long term effects are all going to depend on how long this drags on, but if it goes long enough it may cause companies to rethink their reliance on print books, and on Diamond distribution.
Marvel tried that once before. It was a disaster, destroyed the distribution chain across the industry, and resulted in Diamond remaining the only company willing and able to distribute comic books.
Disney would need to be willing to lose a lot of money.
Disney would need to be willing to lose a lot of money.
Yup, there is in fact an EXCELLENT documentary of the whole sad train wreck. sfdebris.com/videos/special…
