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The company behind comics' former distribution monopoly continues to lose publishers (including Image Comics and Boom! Studios) even as other creditors sign on to investigate

Four publishers depart Diamond after the distributor announced it was filing bankruptcy, while the court names three creditors to form a committee to look into the company

News by Graeme McMillan, Editor

Published on Tue Feb 04 2025

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The fallout from the Chapter 11 filing of Diamond Comic Distributors continues to be felt across the entire pop culture industry, weeks after the company — which once held a literal monopoly on comic book periodical distribution in the US — announced that it was filing for bankruptcy.

In the past week, four different publishers have announced that they are cutting ties with Diamond and moving business to one of its primary competitors, even as three of the company’s largest creditors have been named as part of a committee to represent the wider consortium of debtors owed money from the failing distributor.

Boom! Studios, Vault Comics, Mad Cave Studios, and Silver Sprocket have each sent notice to comic book retailers that they will no longer be working with Diamond in light of the company’s bankruptcy. Of the four, three publishers — Vault, Mad Cave, and Silver Sprocket — will be moving to distribute via Lunar Distribution, although each publisher phrased the move in different terms: Silver Sprocket stated that it “is no longer sending new stock” to Diamond, although all standing orders through March 2025 will be fulfilled, while Mad Cave released a statement announcing “an exclusive partnership with Lunar Distribution for the [comic store] direct market.” Vault, meanwhile, only went so far as to announcing that it would “cancel all upcoming solicitations with Diamond Comic Distributors for the time being, effective immediately,” although it also described that move as a “pause.”

Boom! Studios informed retailers that it will be transitioning into distribution by Penguin Random House Publishing Services on April 1; that move did not come as a surprise, given that Boom! had previously announced a move to PRHPS at the beginning of July 2025, following Penguin Random House purchasing the publisher in July 2024.

Image Comics had previously announced that its product would not be available via Diamond following the Chapter 11 filing.

Beyond the core business of comic book distribution, Diamond also announced the formation of an Unsecured Creditors Committee on January 29, with Little Buddy Toys, Simon & Schuster, and Titan Publishing Group being placed on the committee. For those of us not well-versed in bankruptcy law — I’m purposefully including myself in that group — the committee is intended to act on behalf of all creditors, with the power to investigate the bankrupt company and its business operations, as well as contribute to a reoganization plan if applicable.

Little Buddy Toys is owed $694,628 by Diamond, as per the company’s bankruptcy paperwork; Simon & Schuster is owed $600,145, and Titan Publishing Group $357,417.

The bankruptcy proceedings for Diamond Comic Distributors continue apace, and Popverse will share new developments as they arise.

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Graeme McMillan: Popverse Editor Graeme McMillan (he/him) has been writing about comics, culture, and comics culture on the internet for close to two decades at this point, which is terrifying to admit. He completely understands if you have problems understanding his accent.