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Post by Admin on Mar 29, 2020 4:03:32 GMT
www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/dc-details-how-comic-book-retailers-will-be-supported-coronavirus-outbreak-1287255DC Details How Comic Book Retailers Will Be Supported Amid Coronavirus Outbreak | Hollywood Reporter The 'Batman,' 'Justice League' publisher is making all releases between mid-March and the end of June fully returnable at no cost, and plans to look into adding new distribution methods. DC has released a statement explaining what the company will do to assist comic book retailers in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak that has, to all intents and purposes, shut down the comic book industry. Sent to retailers Saturday afternoon, the statement explains that all DC periodicals and books with in-store dates between March 18 and June 24 will be fully returnable, with the company covering shipping costs. Additionally, DC is "exploring a multi-distributor model" moving forward, " to provide us with the flexibility needed during this crisis to get new content to our readers on an ongoing basis.” The full statement can be read at the end of this post. The statement comes at the end of a week where Diamond Comic Distributors announced that it would not be shipping new product to comic book stores in North America for the foreseeable future, essentially closing down the print comic book market. In response, multiple publishers, including Image Comics, Dark Horse Comics and IDW, told The Hollywood Reporter that they would not be publishing digitally until print releases were available. DC’s statement follows statements statements from Image, Marvel and other publishers released before Diamond’s own, offering retailer assistance in the form of returnable releases, increased discounts or reworking release schedules so as to not overwhelm afflicted retailers experiencing reduced foot traffic or enforced closures. Retailers have other options available to them for aid; Lion Forge’s the Forge Fund and Mad Cave Studios’ crowdfunded retailer support fund are also active. Additionally, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund has released a guide to help retailers apply for Coronavirus Distastes Loan Assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration. The full statement as provided to retailers follows: To Direct Market Retailers: First, the entire team here at DC hopes that you, your family and your employees are staying safe and healthy during this very tough and precarious time. We know that you have been waiting for DC to comment on the state-of-affairs and to address any measures we will take to help our community lighten the burden of the disruption to our business, and we’ve been working hard on a long-term, solution-focused plan. Here is how we will help: Periodicals and books with in-store dates between March 18, 2020 and June 24, 2020 will be fully returnable. We’ll even provide credit for your separate return shipping of these items only. Additionally, because we anticipate that continued disruption to business operations will create regional volatility, DC is exploring a multi-distributor model to provide us with the flexibility needed during this crisis to get new content to our readers on an ongoing basis. In the short-term, we continue to engage in active conversations with Diamond to help us solve the distribution issues that have arisen and hope to get new product to stores that want or need it as soon as possible. We will provide additional informat1287071ion about how we’ll make that happen in the coming days. Thanks for your patience with us. DC will continue to monitor the situation, continue to speak with you directly, and continue to support you through the days ahead. You are the lifeblood of this industry. All best, The DC Team
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Post by Admin on Mar 29, 2020 4:05:44 GMT
bleedingcool.com/2020/03/28/dc-comics-distribution-methods-comics/DC Comics Will Use Other Distribution Methods To Get Comics to Stores Posted on March 28, 2020 | by Rich Johnston | Since the Diamond Comic Distributor shutdown and the closure of DC's printer Transcontinental in Canada, there has been much discussion wondering what DC and Marvel Comics would be doing, regarding comic books published this coming week. A number of publishers have declared they will suspend publication, print and digital, while many comic stores are also shut down. But DC Comics has remained resolutely silent regarding this issue. That changed tonight as they have now announced something very different to retailers. While they are making all comic books from over a week ago until the end of June returnable, it seems that DC Comics will not stop printing or distributing comics. They have sourced other printers, as we heard they may be, but also other means of distribution. As it stands, DC Comics is exclusive to the direct market through Diamond Comic Distributor but only it seems while Diamond are actually in the business of taking new product. To Direct Market Retailers: First, the entire team here at DC hopes that you, your family and your employees are staying safe and healthy during this very tough and precarious time. We know that you have been waiting for DC to comment on the state-of-affairs and to address any measures we will take to help our community lighten the burden of the disruption to our business, and we've been working hard on a long-term, solution-focused plan. Here is how we will help: Periodicals and books with in-store dates between March 18, 2020 and June 24, 2020 will be fully returnable. We'll even provide credit for your separate return shipping of these items only. Additionally, because we anticipate that continued disruption to business operations will create regional volatility, DC is exploring a multi-distributor model to provide us with the flexibility needed during this crisis to get new content to our readers on an ongoing basis. In the short-term, we continue to engage in active conversations with Diamond to help us solve the distribution issues that have arisen and hope to get new product to stores that want or need it as soon as possible. We will provide additional information about how we'll make that happen in the coming days. Thanks for your patience with us. DC will continue to monitor the situation, continue to speak with you directly, and continue to support you through the days ahead. You are the lifeblood of this industry. All best, The DC Team
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Post by Admin on Mar 29, 2020 4:07:53 GMT
bleedingcool.com/2020/03/28/dc-publish-selection-of-digital-comics-wednesday-april-1st/DC Publish Selection of Digital Comics, Wednesday April 1st Posted on March 28, 2020 | by Rich Johnston | Bleeding Cool just ran DC's statement to comic book retailers, confirming that they will be seeking alternative distribution (and presumably printing as well) during the current coronavirus pandemic shutdown that has seen Diamond Comic Distributors close, their printers Transcontinental close and thousands of comic book stores and bookstores close. As well as getting certain comics to certain comic books stores that are: a) in the USA, b) in states that haven't entirely shut down and c) operating mail-order services, DC has confirmed to Bleeding Cool that they will also continue digital distribution, with a handful of titles being digitally distributed this Wednesday on the DC app, ComiXology, Amazon Kindle and the like. Which titles will be chosen are still unclear, but the original plan for this Wednesday would have included the following. I understand the selection hasn't been entirely settled upon yet. Here is the pre-coronavirus pandemic list as we had it when last we looked. Might it include a certain cover feature of Punchline? Batman #13 (Dollar Comics) 2nd Batman #89 (3rd Printing) 2nd Batman #92 Batman #92 (1 in 25 Punchline Jimenez Card Stock Cover) * Batman #92 (Card Stock Artgerm Cover) * Batman: Last Knight On Earth Batman: The Golden Age Vol. 8 (Omnibus) Daphne Byrne #4 Daphne Byrne #4 (Variant Cover) * Freedom Fighters: Rise of a Nation Gotham High Green Lantern #1 (Dollar Comics) 2nd Harley Quinn #72 Harley Quinn #72 (Frank Cho Cover) * Justice League #44 Justice League #44 (Variant Cover) * Justice League of America: A Celebration of 60 Years Justice League: Odyssey #20 Justice League: Odyssey #20 (Skan Cover) * Lois Lane #10 Lois Lane #10 (Tula Lotay Cover) * Metal Men #6 Metal Men #6 (George Perez Cover) * Nightwing #70 (2nd Printing) 2nd Strange Adventures #2 Strange Adventures #2 (Evan Shaner Cover) * Swamp Thing by Nancy A. Collins (Omnibus) The Dreaming #20 The Last God #3 (2nd Printing) 2nd Transmetropolitan Book 3 Wonder Woman Vol. 2: Love Is A Battlefield Year of the Villain: Hell Arisen #3 (3rd Printing) 2nd gen:LOCK #6
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Post by Admin on Mar 29, 2020 4:23:50 GMT
www.cbr.com/dc-multi-distributor-model-return-policy-change/DC Outlines Temporary Distribution Plans, With Fully Returnable Product DC informed comic book retailers that it will be exploring a multi-distributor model for new content, along with a major new return policy. BY BRIAN CRONIN MAR 28, 2020 DC issued a letter to comic book retailers on Saturday night announcing plans to find a new, multi-distribuor model for delivering new content to readers going forward following Diamond Comic Distributions halting the release of new print comics, which, in turn, followed the news of DC's printer shutting down, as well. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is affecting comic book retailers all over the country and DC has also announced a dramatic change to its return policy in the short-term, designed to help those stores who are now stuck with DC product on their shelves. Here is the full letter that DC sent to the retailers: "To Direct Market Retailers: First, the entire team here at DC hopes that you, your family and your employees are staying safe and healthy during this very tough and precarious time. We know that you have been waiting for DC to comment on the state-of-affairs and to address any measures we will take to help our community lighten the burden of the disruption to our business, and we’ve been working hard on a long-term, solution-focused plan. Here is how we will help: Periodicals and books with in-store dates between March 18, 2020 and June 24, 2020 will be fully returnable. We’ll even provide credit for your separate return shipping of these items only. Additionally, because we anticipate that continued disruption to business operations will create regional volatility, DC is exploring a multi-distributor model to provide us with the flexibility needed during this crisis to get new content to our readers on an ongoing basis. In the short-term, we continue to engage in active conversations with Diamond to help us solve the distribution issues that have arisen and hope to get new product to stores that want or need it as soon as possible. We will provide additional information about how we’ll make that happen in the coming days. Thanks for your patience with us. DC will continue to monitor the situation, continue to speak with you directly, and continue to support you through the days ahead. You are the lifeblood of this industry. All best, The DC Team " Diamond Comic Distributions has been the exclusive distributor of DC for over two decades, and is also the exclusive distributor of Marvel, Image, Dark Horse and many other comic book companies. A "multi-distributor" model would be a major change for DC. The stores certainly will be happy about that dramatic temporary change to DC's returnability program, with the company even covering the shipping costs. DC has not yet announced whether it will be releasing new digital releases of the print comic book releases that were scheduled to be released on April 1st, but this "multi-distributor" model might involved digital as one of those models. After all, it is important to note that DC specifically said "content" rather than print comics. However, it is clear that the company is also trying to find ways to get product to retail stores, as well. Comic stores in the United States are in very different situations right now, with many states forcing non-essential stores to close, while other states still allow comic book stores to remain open. DC mentions wanting to avoid "regional volatility," so it will be interesting to see how the company can avoid that with whatever plan it ultimately unveils.
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Post by Admin on Mar 29, 2020 23:50:44 GMT
icv2.com/articles/news/view/45517/dc-exploring-multi-distributor-model-comic-storesDC EXPLORING 'MULTI-DISTRIBUTOR MODEL' FOR COMIC STORES As They 'Engage in Active Conversation with Diamond' March 29, 2020 Posted by Milton Griepp on March 29, 2020 @ 1:48 pm CT In response to the coronavirus crisis, DC is exploring distributors in addition to Diamond Comic Distributors to get product to comic stores, the company said in an e-mail to retailers from “the DC Team” on Saturday. “ ecause we anticipate that continued disruption to business operations will create regional volatility, DC is exploring a multi-distributor model to provide us with the flexibility needed during this crisis to get new content to our readers on an ongoing basis,” the letter said.
It appears that DC is also trying to find ways for Diamond to re-activate its distribution network, which has been shut down for the past week (see “Diamond Halting Distribution of New Product”). “In the short-term, we continue to engage in active conversations with Diamond to help us solve the distribution issues that have arisen and hope to get new product to stores that want or need it as soon as possible,” the retailer communication said. “We will provide additional information about how we’ll make that happen in the coming days.”
DC also said that comics shipped between March 18 and June 24 will be fully returnable.
DC had been quiet since the U.S. shutdown began, as competitors beginning with Image and Dynamite (see “Image, Dynamite Taking Returns”), and then followed by Marvel (see “Marvel Cuts Wholesale Prices”) and mid-level publishers such as BOOM!, IDW (see “BOOM!, IDW Announce Retailer Support Measures”) and Dark Horse (see “Dark Horse Announces Covid-19 Publishing Plans”) announced various retailer support measures. The slow response led some to question “where is DC Comics during this pandemic" (see “Peter DeFelice of Pyramid Comics and Cards on Covid-19 and Retailing”).
Diamond has had distribution rights for periodical comics to the comic store channel since the mid-90s, when then-DC Publisher Paul Levitz struck a deal with Diamond (which included an option to purchase) in response to Marvel’s purchase of Heroes World. Marvel had acquired Heroes World, a regional distributor based in New Jersey, to handle its comic distribution to the Direct Market. The moves by Marvel and DC began a paradigm shift that created a distribution landscape in the comics business that has been stable for a quarter century. That stability, it appears, may soon end as a global pandemic leads companies to re-visit their core assumptions about how business is done.
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