The Business of Comics Podcast for February 6, 2026
Publishers are continuing to re-position themselves in the wake of the Diamond Bankruptcy. This week the Business of Comics looks at the direct and indirect impact of this fall out and what it means for independent publishers in 2026.
Reader Question
Is there any other system that is replacing Diamond, or for the moment is there no option in sight?
There are a number of different options available for an independent publisher now, and we’ll go over a few specific options in a minute, but the overall decision tree when it comes to distribution looks something like this;
Make sure your comics belong in the direct market in the first place. I’ve said this several times over the years: not every comic belongs in a comic book shop. Your book belongs in the places where your potential readers buy things. If you identify your ideal reader and your competition, you might find that your potential readers back crowdfunding campaigns, buy books online, or at conventions, in bookstores, or someplace completely different. If that’s the case, then you don’t have to worry about a Diamond replacement, because you didn’t need Diamond in the first place.
Now, if you realize that your potential readers are in the direct market, there are several options you can choose from.
You can reach out to local shops in your area and try to sell your books directly on consignment, assuming that they carry independent publishers.
You can try working with another publisher who already has direct market distribution.
You can try to get an account with a newer distributor.
You can try to get an account with one of the major distributors like Lunar, Penguin, or Universal.
Whichever option you choose, make sure that you understand your rights, revenue, responsibilities, and recovery before you sign the contract. Also, make sure you understand not only how much you make per book, but when you’ll actually get paid and how many books you need to sell to make a profit.
News
Dynamite and Coffin Agree to Crowdfunding and Distribution (Comics Beat) Coffin is one of the small publishers battened about by the Diamond bankruptcy. Now, Dynamite and Coffin have come to an agreement to publish limited-time reprint collections and merchandise, starting with a Kickstarter campaign showcasing Evil Ernie.
This is an example of working with a publisher who already has direct market distribution. The difference here is that they are combining crowdfunding and direct market sales, which can ultimately increase revenue for both companies. Since crowdfunding is an established release window for independent comics, it makes sense for every independent publisher to consider Kickstarter as the first step in their distribution plans, no matter what they decide to do afterwards.
IPG Guns for Graphic Novel Publishers in the Post Diamond Collapse (Publisher’s Weekly): IPG has quickly signed a slew of new partnerships with small graphic novel publishers who were cut out of the Lunar deal or otherwise lost in the fray.
This is an example of the new distributor option. IPG has a significant history in the book market, but quite a few comic book shops and independent publishers see them as a viable alternative to both Diamond and the larger players like PRH and Lunar who don’t have the capacity or the interest in smaller publishers.
Zenescope Inks Distribution Deal with Universal (ICV2). Having a strong distributor delivering our comics and graphic novels into the U.S. market again is a major step forward for us and creates new opportunities for both Zenescope and comic retailers nationwide.
Oni Press Signs with Penguin Random House (ICV2) PRHPS will replace Oni’s current distributors, Lunar Distribution for the direct market and Simon & Schuster for the book channel.
These two deals represent the major distributor option, which is a viable choice for mid level publishers who didn’t jump ship from Diamond early enough or need more support than the newer distributors can give them. Smaller independents might not have this option available to them right now, but moves are still being made, so it pay attention to what opportunities might arise in the future.
DSTLRY Hits the Pause Button (Comics Beat) The statement notes that the titles are paused not cancelled, with the break giving them time to “regroup, reset, and return with a more stable, consistent publishing rhythm.”
This is an option I didn’t mention in the beginning, but a publisher hit with the financial realities of distribution might pause or cease operations completely. This move highlights the fact that independents looking for a creator-owned deal in 2026 need to consider distribution as part of the calculation when going with a particular publisher. If you sign with a publisher who doesn’t have solid distribution for your target market, or they don’t have a clear distribution path at all, you could be signing a deal with a company that can’t release your book.
Amazon May Have Laid Off the Remainder of Comixology (Comics Beat) The tech giant announced 16,000 layoffs yesterday, and we’re hearing that most of the remaining Comixology staff may have been among them. Amazon also announced that the layoffs were made possible by the use of AI
As if the world of comic book distribution wasn’t chaotic enough, Amazon might have put the last nail in the coffin on one of the major digital distributors in North America, and to make matters worse, they might have used AI to do it. While several new digital players have entered into the market over the past five years, and especially in the past nine months, digital distribution is currently just as fractured as the print side of the business, so it requires just as much analysis and flexibility from independent publishers.
Trends in Comic Book Censorship (Book Riot) Comics are thriving as a format, and they are continuing to grow in numbers, as well as in accolades. That puts them in the target of those eager to revoke the rights of their fellow Americans–and especially young people–to read what they want to read and to hinder access to a wide array of materials in public and public school libraries.
Comic book censorship is related to the broader topic of distribution because it directly impacts libraries, which have been a growing distribution channel for comics over the past ten years. The reality is that there are more libraries in American than comic book shops and the profit margins on library comics can be higher than direct market sales. But libraries are also ground zero for the political and social conflicts being played out in our culture. Independent publishers, especially ones telling stories about marginalized groups, can find a home for their comics in libraries, but you’re going to have to be willing to fight for that spot.
Side note: I run a program supporting comics that are fighting against censorship, so if you have questions about that, please check out the Comic Book Advocate.
Jim Lee Manga Comments (Comic Book Resources) [In Japan] the medium is a core part of mass market literature, and there's quite literally something for everyone.
Finally, let’s unpack a comparison the legendary Jim Lee made comparing the current state of manga compared to comics being published by DC, Marvel, and many other American publishers. The major critique of Western comics is the overemphasis on superheroes to the exclusion of other story genres. By contrast, manga, and to a certain extent BD comics in Europe, are far more diverse in genre and demographic range.
The article points out that this wasn’t always the case, since American comics up until the 1950’s also focused on dozens of genres, and superhero comics were only a small part of that.
What the article doesn’t point out is why. American comic book publishers didn’t just wake up one day and become addicted to superhero comics. This was a period of intense censorship in the wake of McCarthy’s 2nd Red Scare, when books like Seduction of the Innocent painted all comics as subversive and dangerous to the American public. This was the genesis of the Comics Code and the false narrative that only children could read comics. That’s where the overemphasis on superhero comics came from. It is a stigma that has lasted for more than 70 years, and it’s still something that comic book creators in America have to deal with, in ways that French and Japanese publishers never had to.
Independent comic book creators need to keep in mind that their story isn’t just competing for attention from social media, streaming television, and video games. It is pushing back against ingrained hypocritical narratives that have plagued the industry for decades. That doesn’t mean you can’t have a successful independent comic. It means that publishing comics is a hard business that has nothing to do with the quality of your comic.
If you have a question, comment, criticism, or joke related to The Business of Comics, please leave a comment.
If you are working on a deal for your comic, or if you need ongoing legal support for your comic book business, please contact me for a free consultation.
Until next time, get off the internet and go make some comics.
Gamal
PLEASE NOTE: THIS BLOG POST IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR LEGAL ADVICE. IF YOU HAVE A CONTENT, LICENSING OR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ISSUE, DISCUSS IT WITH YOUR LEGAL ADVISOR OR CONTACT C3 FOR A FREE CONSULTATION.
