Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Diamond Hemorrhaging Clients, Massive Taking on Indies, Dark Horse Laying off Staff, IDW's Future Uncertain, and More Comic Industry News

A lot is happening in the comic-book industry. I mean, a lot. Ever since Diamond announced its Chapter 11 bankruptcy it hasn't been able to reorganize so much as lose a ton of clients to PRH or Lunar. If Diamond can't find someone to help take on their debt/purchase them then they could shut down as soon as April 1st. Will there even be much left to buy at this rate, however? Everyone seems to be jumping ship who is able and one interesting note is the publisher known as Massive is joining Lunar and adding a sub-distribution program known as, "Massive Indies." Designed to help smaller publishers who are currently stuck with Diamond (PRH or Lunar can be selective in who they take on, after all) it will allow them to have titles distributed with assistance from Massive as a bit of a workaround. It is an interesting idea for publishers struggling to survive--and it seems even bigger ones are feeling a crunch.

Dark Horse used to be privately owned, was bought by Embracer (a company that focused more on video-games), and had been chugging along. However, they just started implementing sweeping layoffs related to, "market conditions, economic factors," redundancies, and other corporate-speak for positions that basically cost more than Embracder thinks they make/are worth. A decline in sales, the ongoing threat of tariffs (that comes and goes at Trump's whim), and Embracer's own business issues have apparently made it necessary for Dark Horse to cut a lot of staff to survive. At least it looks like Dark Horse will survive, as some publishers have a grimmer possible future.

IDW has pushed back on a recent auditor's report that expressed, "Substantial doubt," about the publisher's future. Apparently, some of this relates to who owes money to whom from back when IDW was with Diamond and how PRH is like Rhianna in her song, "Bitch Better Have My Money," and wants its funds from anybody who can pay them--and Diamond can't, so IDW's gotta put some cash forth. IDW has claimed they are working things out with PRH and all will be fine, but whether that's true or its a case of a ship sinking and the captain trying to keep everyone calm while he/she sneaks off to a private escape craft remains to be seen. Clearly, a lot of is happening in the comic-book biz, much of it worrisome. I sincerely hope that everyone will be able to remain in business and that as few jobs as possible will be lost from bankruptcies, layoffs, etc. Optimism can only carry us so far, however.

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