Penguin Random House Will Distribute Marvel Comics To Comics Stores
In a move that will likely transform the distribution of comics periodicals in North America, Penguin Random House Publisher Services has reached an agreement with Marvel to distribute its periodical comics and graphic novels to the comics shop market, also known as the direct market... PRHPS officially begins its distribution to direct market retailers for Marvel titles on October 1. The move marks a major change in the U.S. comics distribution market, which Diamond Comic Distributors has long dominated... PRHPS will offer Marvel comics to direct market retailers on nonreturnable wholesale terms... Marvel's new agreement with PRHPS follows the unexpected departure of DC from Diamond in 2020.
Marvel Distribution Deal Part Of Long-Term Strategy For PRHPS
PRHPS believes it can help comic stores be more successful by adapting its learnings from the independent bookstore channel, which until Covid was thriving in the midst of competition from Amazon, mass merchants, and specialty retail chains, and which has proven surprisingly resilient even in the face of pandemic closures. In general terms, the learnings from the indie bookstore channel include the lesson that distributor investments in information technology, logistics, sales and service, and trade credit produce healthier retailers and more business.
Key Read: What's Behind Marvel's Move To PRH?
Marvel Comics Shifts To New Distributor In Industry-Rattling Move
["I can say purely as a private individual that Diamond has, for a long time, been unwilling or unable to modernize and support and grow the biz as needed for a healthy direct channel. And may not even be solvent. It would be imprudent for any publisher to not have a distribution contingency plan."]
Diamond Comic Distributors Loses Second Major Client In A Year