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Diamond Comic Distributors

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This article is about the American corporation. For the Indian comic book company, seeDiamond Comics.

Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc.(often calledDiamond Comics,DCD,or casuallyDiamond), is an Americancomic bookdistributorserving retailers inNorth Americaand worldwide. It transports comic books and graphic novels, as well as otherpopular cultureproducts such as toys, games, and apparel, from comic book publishers or suppliers toretailers.

Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc.
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryComics
Founded1982;42 years ago(1982)
Headquarters
Hunt Valley,Maryland
,
United States
Key people
  • Stephen A. Geppi,CEO
  • Chuck Parker,Exec VP and COO
  • Larry Swanson,VP Finance and CFO
  • Shawn Hamrick,VP Operations
  • Tim Lenaghan,VP Purchasing
  • Chris Powell,VP Retailer Services
  • Mike Schimmel,Sales Director
Productscomic book distribution
Revenue$500 million
Number of employees
540
ParentGeppi Family Enterprises
WebsiteDiamondComics

It is owned byGeppi Family Enterprises,which is also the parent company ofAlliance Game Distributors,Diamond Book Distributors, Diamond UK,Diamond Select Toys,Gemstone Publishing,E. Gerber Products, Diamond International Galleries, Hake's Americana & Collectibles, Morphy's Auctions, theGeppi's Entertainment Museum,andBaltimoremagazine.

Diamond is the publisher ofPreviews,a monthly catalog/magazine showcasing upcoming comic books, graphic novels, toys, and other pop-culture merchandise.

History

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In 1982, Baltimore-based comics retailer Steve Geppi founded Diamond Comic Distributors. Diamond became the successor to direct-sales pioneerPhil Seuling's distribution dream when it took overNew Media/Irjax's warehouses in 1982. Diamond further bought out early distributorBud Plant Inc.in 1988, and main rivalCapital City Distributionin 1996, to assume a near-monopoly on comics distribution, including exclusivity deals with the majorcomic book publishers.

Beginnings

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By 1981/82 Geppi had four comics retail locations and was already "doing a little informal distributing... for smaller retailers."[1]Geppi found himself "one of the biggest accounts" for New Media/Irjax,[1]and when the distributor "relocated to Florida, he asked Geppi to service more accounts for a bigger discount."[1]One of the "last loyal customers" when New Media began having fiscal difficulties, Geppi made a deal: "[t]he owner was going into retail," so Geppi agreed to provide New Media/Irjax with "free books for a period of time in return for his account list," buying parts of the company, and founding Diamond Comic Distribution.[1]

Geppi had been a sub-distributor for Hal Shuster's Irjax in the late 1970s.[2]In whatMile High Comics'Chuck Rozanskidescribes as an "incredibly risky and gutsy move," Geppi took over New Media/Irjax's "office and warehouse space" and, recalled Rozanski, had to "sort out the good customers from the bad overnight" negotiating with creditors to continue Shuster's distribution business as Diamond Comic Distribution.[3]Almost overnight, noted Rozanski, "[h]e went from being a retailer in Baltimore to having warehouses all over the place."[3]

Geppi named his new company 'Diamond' "after the imprintMarvel Comicsused on non-returnable comics, "and although the" publisher discontinued the symbol "months later, the name remained.[1]"Diamond grew an average of 40 percent a year," as comics retail took off.[1]

In 1983, Diamond hired an accounting firm, and in 1985 hired "no-nonsense CPA" Chuck Parker "as Diamond's first controller".[1]In 1994, Diamond employee Mark Herr noted that this move was Geppi's "best decision", as Parker "cares nothing about the comics. To him, it's dollars and cents."[1]Parker describes his role as "smooth[ing] the emotion out of some decisions. Steve [Geppi] is a visionary and a risk-taker... and I tend to be more conservative."[1]

Expansion

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After starting his business through buying New Media/Irjax's warehouses and offices in 1982, Geppi's distribution company has bought out many other distribution companies since. Many fans "with little experience" started rival distribution companies only to "find they were in over their heads," allowing Geppi to "[buy] out the smart ones or pick... up the pieces after the stupid ones went out of business," according to Herr.[1]Diamond was aided in his efforts by the publishers themselves. In the early 1980s, Marvel and DC Comics provided trade terms favorable for larger distributors and those with efficient freight systems, effectively "play[ing] into the hands of the major distributors such as Capital and Diamond," and hastening the demise of smaller distributors.[2]

In 1988,Previews,Diamond's monthly magazine showcasing upcoming comic books was first published.[4]

Bud Plant Inc.

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Most notably, in 1988, Geppi bought up early mail-order distributor Bud Plant Inc.,[5]who had himself bought outCharles Abar Distributionin 1982.[6]Plant had, since 1970, been sellingunderground comics(a field which Geppi and fellow distributorBuddy Saundershad tended to steer clear of).[6]After making $19m in sales in 1987, Diamond bought West Coast distributor Plant's business[7]in 1988 "and went national"[1]thereby assuming control of "40 percent of thedirect-sales market."[6](Diamond and Capital City Distribution had control of at least 70% between them.)

Further expansion

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In 1990, Diamond acquired Oregon-basedSecond Genesis Distribution[4](whose operations folded in 1991).[8]Second Genesis had previously absorbed distributors Sunrise Distributors and Comex. One week after announcing the acquisition of Second Genesis, Diamond announced the acquisition of the Seattle-based sub-distributorDestiny Distribution.[4][9]Destiny had been started by Phil Pankow in the early 1980s, and was initially supplied byBud Plant.

In 1991, Diamond moved into theUKmarket, acquiringNeptune Comic Distributors Ltd.(to whom they had formerly supplied US comics for the UK market), in the process creatingDiamond UK.In 1993, Diamond acquired the single remaining dominant British distributorTitan Distributors,[10]thus cornering thedirect marketin the United Kingdom.[11]

In 1994, Diamond acquired Staten Island-based distributorComics Unlimited.[4]By this point, Diamond had "27 warehouses in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K., employ[ing] between 750 and 900 people;" operated its own trucking line; and controlled 45% of the market, making $222 million in sales.[1]

In 1996, Diamond launched the toll-free Comic Shop Locator service.[4]

Heroes World and Capital City

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In 1995, Marvel Comics challenged Diamond and main rival Capital City by buying the third largest distributor —Heroes World Distribution— and distributing its titles in-house after taking over fromCurtis Circulation.[12]On April 26, 1995, Diamond reacted by outbidding Capital City for exclusive deals with Marvel's main rivalsDC Comics,[13]Dark HorseandImageon July 24, andValiant Comicsin August.[14]Capital City's response saw it sign exclusive deals withKitchen Sink PressandViz Comics,but a year later faced the choice between bankruptcy and selling out. Diamond bought Capital City on July 26, 1996, assuming near-control of the comics distribution system.[12][15][16]The purchase price was not disclosed, but the acquisition brought an estimated $50 million in sales revenue to Diamond.[15]

In early 1997, when Marvel's Heroes World endeavor failed, Diamond also forged an exclusive deal with Marvel after the publisher's filing forChapter 11 bankruptcy protectionin December 1996.[17]— giving the company its own section of comics catalogPreviews(not least because the DC/Dark Horse/Image deal gave contractual prominence to those companies) — making "Geppi... the sole king of comics industry distribution in the summer of 1996."[3]

Antitrust litigation

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In 1997, Diamond's position in the comics industry, as "the sole source of most new comics products to comics specialty shops," ultimately saw the company become the subject of "an investigation by theU.S. Justice departmentfor possibleantitrustviolations. "[2]The Justice Department launched an antitrust investigation into the comics industry and the allegedmonopolyof Diamond Comics. The investigation was closed in November 2000, with no further action deemed necessary[18][19]on the basis that, although Diamond enjoyed a monopoly in the North American comic book direct market distribution, they did not enjoy a monopoly on book distribution (books including non-comic books).

Books and games

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In addition to having cornered the American comics distribution market, Diamond includes a number of subsidiary and affiliated companies. UK and European comics distribution is served by Diamond UK, based in Runcorn, England.[20]

On August 31, 2000, Diamond Comic Distributors acquiredAlliance Game Distributors,North America's largest distributor of tabletop games.[21]

In 2002, Diamond consolidated its book trade into Diamond Book Distributors, marketinggraphic novelsandtrade paperbacksto bookstores includingBarnes & Noble,Ingram,Baker & Taylor,AmazonandBorders.[20]

2020 coronavirus shutdown

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On March 23, 2020, Geppi announced that Diamond would stop sending comics to retail shops until further notice and had instructed printers not to send any new shipments to the company, due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.Issues of comics with United States release dates of April 1 or later, and with United Kingdom release dates of March 25 or later, would not be shipped until normal operations resumed.[22]The shutdown took effect on April 1, 2020, and ended on May 20.[23]

DC Comics,Marvel Comics,IDW Publishing shift to other distributors

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On June 5, 2020, DC Comics announced that they would discontinue their distribution agreement with Diamond and that their books would now be distributed byPenguin Random Housefor theirgraphic novelsand by UCS Comic Distributors (subsidiary ofMidtown Comics) and Lunar Distribution (subsidiary of Discount Comic Book Service inFort Wayne,Indiana). While acknowledging how huge the decision was, DC reiterated that the move was intended to fortify and increase the viability of the comic bookdirect marketwhile also widening its fan base.[24]

On March 25, 2021, Marvel Comics announced they plan to shift their direct market distribution, for both monthly comics and graphic novels, to Penguin Random House. The change is scheduled to start on October 1, 2021, in a multi-year partnership. Unlike DC Comics' complete split, Marvel will still be giving stores the option to order comics from Diamond, but Diamond will be acting as a wholesaler rather than distributor.[25]

On September 17, 2021, IDW Publishing announced a new deal with Penguin Random House to distribute newly published and backlist comic book periodicals, trade collections, and graphic novels to the Direct Market comic shops beginning June 1, 2022. The deal is non-exclusive, allowing retailers to choose ordering from Penguin Random House directly or from Diamond as a wholesaler rather than a distributor in the US and the UK.[26]

Criticism

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In 1983, Diamond was criticized for taking exception to certain "adult" -themed titles and scenes, effectively causing the cancellation of a series calledVoid Indigofor its excessive violence.[citation needed]

In 1987, Geppi responded to "a graphic childbirth scene inMiracleman#9 [written byAlan Moore]. "Geppi wrote to retailers that:

"Diamond values its retailers too much to take chances on such a dangerous situation... We are notcensors.We no more want someone deciding for us than you do. We cannot, however, stand by and watch the marketplace become a dumping ground for every sort of graphic fantasy that someone wants to live out. We have an industry to protect; we have leases to abide by; we have a community image to maintain. "[3]

This call for retailers to refuse to stockMiracleman[27]led to accusations of censorship,[28]charges the company was forced to address when it criticized or refused to carry other titles, including books by Kitchen Sink Press,[29]andDave Simin 1988,[29][30][31][32]Jon Lewisin 1994,[33]andMike Dianain 1996.[34]

Diamond lost customers with this approach, however, "and eventually backed down."[1]Geppi recalls compromising, and accepting "that as a distributor, I owed the retailers the product they wanted."[1]In fact, in an attempt to prove Diamond did not practice censorship, the company joined DC Comics in 1993 to raise money for the industry'sFirst Amendmentadvocacy groupComic Book Legal Defense Fund.[35]

Because of its industry dominance, Diamond also faced charges it bullied publishers[36]and discriminated against small publishers. These charges first surfaced in 1988 when Diamond rejectedMatt Feazell's comicAnt Boy,[37][38]and in 1989 when it similarly decided not to carryAllen Freeman'sSlam Banganthology.[39]

After the industry consolidation of 1996, Diamond faced similar charges in 1996,[34]1999,[40]and 2000 (when smaller publishers likeFantagraphicsandDrawn & Quarterlylodged complaints).[41][42][43][44]

Publishing

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Diamond's monthly comics retail catalog,Previews,has been produced by Diamond for over 25 years for store owners and comic shop customers to order their products. It is additionally available for sale to customers to facilitate pre-orders from "pull and hold" or subscription customers who frequent comic shops on a regular basis. Comics publishers vie for space within the publication's pages, with Dark Horse, DC Comics, Image Comics, andIDW Publishingtaking precedence as "Premier" publishers. Marvel Comics has its own mini-catalog ofMarvel Previewsavailable separately, for contractual reasons.

Geppi is also owner ofGemstone Publishing Inc.,through which he publishesThe Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide.[45]Gemstone has also publishedRuss Cochran'sEC Comicsreprints,Disney comicsandBlue Bookprice guide in the past as well.

Baltimore

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In 1994, Geppi purchasedBaltimoremagazine,[46]"a 50,000-circulation monthly and one of the nation's oldest regional publications."[45]

Gemstone Publishing

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Main article:Gemstone Publishing

Geppi's publishing ventures in the comics field saw him create Gemstone Publishing Inc., which was formed in large part from other purchases. In 1992, Diamond boughtErnst Gerber Publishing(publisher-author of thePhoto-Journal Guide to Comics).[3]E. Gerber Products, LLC is a Diamond-affiliated company started by Gerber in 1977 which sellsMylarbags as well as "acid-free boxes and acid-free backing boards" for comics collectors to store their collection in.[20]In 1993, Geppi bought Russ Cochran Publishing.[3]Long-term EC Comics fan Cochran auctionedBill Gaines' personal file copies of EC publications, as well as most pages of original EC artwork (which, almost uniquely, Gaines had maintained ownership and possession of), before being granted the reprint rights to the EC back catalog itself. Geppi included Cochran's publications — and Cochran himself — under his new imprint, Gemstone Publishing.[45]

In 1994, Geppi bought Overstreet Publishing, taking up the publishing reins of official-Blue Book price guideThe Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide,and other related publications, bringing them under the Gemstone imprint.[3]Geppi's publishing activities with Gemstone Publishing consist primarily of reprints of classic titles and artworks, as well as publications (including professionalfanzines"pro-zines" ) focusing heavily on the history of the comics medium. Many Gemstone publications revolve aroundComic Book Marketplace-editor and EC-shepherd Russ Cochran.

EC Comics reprints

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Main articles:EC ComicsandEC Archives

Cochran, like Geppi, was a particular fan ofCarl Barks' Disney comics, and had previously-published EC reprints in association with Disney-reprinterGladstone Publishing.In the early 1990s, Geppi's Gemstone embarked on a full series of reprints of classic EC titles, starting with new reprints of the Cochran/Gladstone-reprints ofThe Haunt of Fear,The Vault of HorrorandWeird Science(all 1992). Gemstone also republished (in single issue and 'annual' — four issues per 'annual' — format) EC'sNew TrendandNew Directiontitles (with the exception ofMad) between 1992 and 2000.

In 2005, Gemstone added to Cochran's earlier-published oversize, hardback, black & white slip-cased "The Complete EC Library" collections with the completePicto-Fictioncollection, comprising the EC comics:Confessions Illustrated,Crime Illustrated,Shock IllustratedandTerror Illustrated,along with "18 previously unseen stories, never published before".[47]

In 2006, Gemstone began producing a more durable and luxurious series of hardback reprint collections; theEC Archives— similar to theDC ArchivesandMarvel Masterworksvolumes — which reprint in full-color hardback ('archival') format sequential compilations of the EC Comics titles. Designed by art director/designerMichael Kronenberg,a number of volumes have been released, with the entirety of theNew TrendandNew Directionplanned for eventual release.[48]These EC Archives volumes have drawn praise for their quality, and feature introductions by such notable EC fans asGeorge Lucas,Steven Spielberg,Joe DanteandPaul Levitz.

Disney comics

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Main articles:Disney comicsandCarl Barks

In December 2002, it was announced that "Gemstone Publishing had signed the license to publishing Disney comics in North America," with ex-Gladstone Publishing editor-in-chief John Clark joining Gemstone in the same position over its Disney line.[49]Launched with a title forFree Comic Book Day2003, the line started soon after withWalt Disney's Comics and StoriesandWalt Disney's Uncle Scrooge,both described by Clark as "monthly 64-page prestige-format books at $6.95, which is the same price they were when last produced, in 1998."[49]Other titles followed, and Gemstone held their license until early 2009.[50]

Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide

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Main article:The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide

The (Official) Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, first published by Robert M. Overstreet in 1970 as one of the earliest authorities onAmericancomic bookindustry grading and collection values. Overstreet sold his company to Gemstone in 1994,[51]but continued to "serve as author and/or publisher of Geppi's Entertainment Publishing & Auctions' line of books."[52]Publication of thePrice Guidewas taken over by Gemstone in 1998, Gemstone took over publication, and the twenty-eighth edition to the present have been (co-)published by Geppi's Gemstone publications.[53]TheGuide's 39th edition was published by Gemstone Publishing in 2009.

Overstreet also produced a variety of smaller publications updating his yearly guides on a monthly schedule. The most recent of these –Overstreet's Comic Price Review– began publication from Gemstone in July 2003, and was a monthly publication designed to update the yearly price guide more regularly, as well as provide articles, analysis and various lists of comics prices.

Gemstone published more than a hundred issues of the magazineComic Book Marketplace,a monthly magazine for comics fans focusing heavily on theGoldenandSilverages, while more popular magazines (such asWizard) skew more recent in focus.

Future

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In early 2009, the future of Gemstone Publishing was unclear, after reports of unpaid printing bills, particularly from the EC Archives.[54]In April, Geppi responded to the uncertainty, noting that while there had been "a reduction in staff at Gemstone," such moves did "not signal the end of Gemstone Publishing."[55]

In 2008, Diamond introduced ComicSuite, an add-on application for Microsoft Dynamics’ Retail Management System (RMS) software. Together, ComicSuite & RMS give specialty storeowners a point-of-sale (POS) system specifically geared towards their unique business model, offering a host of exclusive features that grant you direct communication with Diamond databases, making it easier than ever before to place orders, track inventory and maintain “pull-and-hold” subscriptions for your customers. "

Geppi Family Enterprises subsidiaries

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In 1995, Geppi founded Diamond International Galleries, which acquired Hake'sAmericana&Collectiblesauction house(2004), and in 2005, Pennsylvania-based Morphy Auctions.[56]In 1999, Geppi founded Diamond Select Toys, and in 2006 he foundedGeppi's Entertainment Museumin Baltimore.

Geppi reorganized its holdings into Geppi Family Enterprises in 2015.

Alliance Game Distributors

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Alliance Game Distributorsis North America's largest distributor of tabletop games -role-playing games,collectible card games,miniature wargames,board games,and related merchandise - and the publisher ofGame Trade Magazine.[21]Alliance was acquired by Diamond in August 2000,[21]two years after being formed by the merger of game distributorsChessexandThe Armory.[57]

Diamond Select Toys & Collectibles

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Main article:Diamond Select Toys

Envisioned to create collectibles for children and adults, DST was founded in 1999 and has since licensed a variety of pop culture properties, including Marvel Comics,Transformers,G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero,Star Wars,Star Trek,Stargate,Ghostbusters,Halo,Buffy the Vampire Slayer,Indiana Jones,Battlestar Galactica,24andBack to the Future.While they also make action figures in a variety of sizes, as well as banks, busts, statues and prop replicas, many of their licensed properties are released in the form ofMinimates,which has helped make Minimates one of the most prolific and diverse block figure toy lines in the world. In 2007, after years of partnership, Diamond Select Toys made a move to acquire select assets of New York-based design house Art Asylum,[58]the creators of Minimates and DST has since developed Minimates based on its own concepts, under the brands Minimates M.A.X. and Calico Jack's Pirate Raiders.

Diamond International Galleries

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In 1995, Geppi "opened Diamond International Galleries," a showplace for comics and collectibles, part of Geppi's attempts to "see... collectibles attain serious respect."[56]Nine years later, Diamond International Galleries purchased "one of the country’s first, and most respected, collectibles auction houses: Hake's Americana & Collectibles."[56]In 2005, Geppi added the "Denver,Pennsylvania-based Morphy Auctions "to his growing stable of parts of the collectibles market, which already included publishing the main comics price guide:The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide.[56]

Geppi describes his International Galleries as being "at the heart of many significant opportunities to preserve, promote and present historical comic character collectibles," an endeavor that led to his establishing Geppi's Entertainment Museum.[20]Geppi's galleries showcase much of his private collection, including comics,movie posters,toys, original artwork by individuals including "Carl Barks,Gustav Tengren(sic),Alex Ross,Murphy Anderson,Joe Shuster,Joe SimonandCharles Schulz."[20]

Diamond International Galleries has assisted "in such projects as DC'sArchive series,"as well as hosting industry events.[20]

Geppi's Entertainment Museum

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Main article:Geppi's Entertainment Museum

Geppi's Entertainment Museum was a museum inBaltimore,Maryland,tracing the history ofpop culturein American over the last four hundred years. Its collections included comic books,magazines,movies,newspapers,television,radioandvideo gamememorabilia,including comic books, movie posters, toys, buttons, badges,cerealboxes,trading cards,dolls and figurines. The majority of the exhibits came from Geppi's private collection, while Geppi's daughter Melissa "Missy" Geppi-Bowersox became the executive vice-president of the museum in 2007, after Wendy Kelman left the museum on August 31, 2007, to start her own tourism consulting firm.[59]The museum's curator was Dr. Arnold T. Blumberg, former editor at Geppi's Gemstone Publishing. The museum closed in June 2018. Geppi donated much of his collection to theLibrary of Congress.[60]

See also

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Citations

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  1. ^abcdefghijklmnWarshaw, Michael with illustration byNeal Adams,"From Mailman to Tycoon,"Success(June, 1994), pp. 28–32
  2. ^abcDuin, Steve andRichardson, Mike(ed.s) "Direct Distribution"inComics Between the Panels(Dark Horse Publishing,1998)ISBN1-56971-344-8,p. 126-130
  3. ^abcdefgDuin, Steve andRichardson, Mike(ed.s) "Diamond Comic Distributors" inComics Between the Panels(Dark Horse Publishing,1998)ISBN1-56971-344-8,p. 125-126
  4. ^abcde"Diamond Timeline Chronicles 30 Years of Service & Success,"Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. official website. Accessed Feb. 10, 2015.
  5. ^"Bud Plant Sells Out to Diamond,"The Comics Journal#124 (August 1988), pp. 9–10.
  6. ^abcDuin, Steve andRichardson, Mike(ed.s) "Bud Plant" inComics Between the Panels(Dark Horse Publishing,1998)ISBN1-56971-344-8,p. 356-357
  7. ^Plant maintains a mail-order and Internet presence in art books, trade paperbacks and rare books, however. Duin, Steve andRichardson, Mike(ed.s) "Bud Plant" inComics Between the Panels(Dark Horse Publishing,1998)ISBN1-56971-344-8,p. 356-357
  8. ^"Second Genesis Delaying Its Exodus,"The Comics Journal#140 (February 1991), p. 13.
  9. ^"Newswatch: Independent Meets Its Destiny,"The Comics Journal#139 (December 1990), pp. 12–13.
  10. ^"NewsWatch: Diamond Acquires Titan Distributors,"The Comics Journal#154 (Nov. 1992), p. 14.
  11. ^"Newswatch: Diamond Acquires Titan Distributors,"The Comics Journal#162 (Oct. 1993), pp. 35-36.
  12. ^abDuin, Steve;Richardson, Mike(1998). "Capital City".Comics Between the Panels.Milwaukie, Oregon:Dark Horse Publishing.p. 69.ISBN1-56971-344-8.
  13. ^Dallas, Keith; Sacks, Jason (2018).American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1990s.Raleigh, North Carolina:TwoMorrows Publishing.p. 167.ISBN9781605490847.RetrievedOctober 1,2020– viaGoogle Books.
  14. ^"Newswatch: Tip 11: Go Exclusive with Diamond"The Comics Journal#185 (March 1996), p. 27.
  15. ^ab"Diamond Comic Distributors acquires Capital City Distribution; Comic distribution industry stabilized by purchase"(Press release). Diamond Comics Distributors.Business Wire.July 26, 1996 – viaBNET.
  16. ^Hancock, Jay (July 27, 1996)."Geppi's Diamond Comics buys a faltering rival distributor Acquisition posted $50 million in sales".The Baltimore Sun.RetrievedOctober 2,2020.
  17. ^"Hello Again: Marvel Goes with Diamond,"The Comics Journal#193 (February 1997), pp. 9–10.
  18. ^"Comic Book Resources > The Comic Brief > DOJ concludes investigation of Diamond Comic Distributors".Archived fromthe originalon 2006-03-22.Retrieved2009-05-29.
  19. ^Dean, Michael, "Will DC Buy Diamond?" forThe Comics Journal,April 5, 2002. Accessed March 6, 2009
  20. ^abcdefDiamond Comics Distributors, Inc. "Affiliated Companies".Accessed March 5, 2009
  21. ^abcAdams, Paul (September 1, 2000)."Geppi, the comics king, is buying Alliance Games".The Baltimore Sun.
  22. ^"Largest US comics distributor won’t ship new books ‘until further notice’ due to coronavirus"Polygon. Accessed Mar. 24, 2020.
  23. ^"Comics will start shipping to shops again on May 20"Polygon. Accessed Nov. 16, 2021.
  24. ^"DC Cuts Ties with Diamond Comic Distributors"Hollywoodreporter. Accessed June 5, 2020.
  25. ^Schedeen, Jesse (March 25, 2021)."Marvel Comics Shifts to New Distributor in Industry-Rattling Move - IGN".IGN.RetrievedMarch 25,2021.
  26. ^"IDW Goes Exclusive With Penguin Random House, Diamond Responds"Bleedingcool. Accessed September 18, 2021.
  27. ^"Geppi of Diamond Calls on Retailers to Voice Objections to Publishers,"The Comics Journal#113 (December 1986), pp. 12–14.
  28. ^"Diamond Policies Questioned,"The Comics Journal#116 (July 1987), pp. 18–20.
  29. ^ab"Diamond Backs Down,"The Comics Journal#121 (April 1988), 7.
  30. ^"Diamond Distributors Clashes With Aardvark-Vanaheim,"The Comics Journal#122 (March 1988), p. 7.
  31. ^"A-V, Diamond Clash Again,"The Comics Journal#122 (June 1988), pp. 20–21.
  32. ^"Diamond Loosens Up,"The Comics Journal#122 (June 1988), pp. 20.
  33. ^"Newswatch: Diamond Refuses to Distribute Xeric WinnerTrue Swamp,"The Comics Journal#166 (February 1994), p. 39.
  34. ^ab"What's the Story Behind Diamond's Rejection of Mike Diana?: Three Diana Comics Rejected in 1996: Publishers and Distributor give Different Reasons; Accusation of Bias against Small Publishers"The Comics Journal#192 (December 1996), pp. 7–10.
  35. ^"Diamond and DC Raise Money for CBLDF,"The Comics Journal#160 (June 1993), p. 18.
  36. ^Stump, Greg. "News Watch: Paranoia? Some Retailers Fear Diamond,"The Comics Journal#199 (October 1997), p. 12.
  37. ^"Diamond Rejects Ant Boy"The Comics Journal#124 (August 1988), pp. 15–16.
  38. ^Baisden, Greg. "Diamond AcceptsAnt Boy"The Comics Journal#125 (October 1988), pp. 17–18.
  39. ^"Diamond Distributors RejectsSlam Bang"The Comics Journal#132 (November 1989), pp. 14–15.
  40. ^Spurgeon, Tom with Craig McKenney. "Diamond and the Small Press, Part II: Breaking the Cycle: Rick Veitch Leaves Diamond Behind,"The Comics Journal#21 (November 1999), pp. 16–19.
  41. ^Stroup, Tim and Mark Thompson. "Comic Distribution Headaches,"Gauntlet: Exploring the Limits of Free Expression#19 (2000), pp. 19–23.
  42. ^Spurgeon, Tom. "Is Diamond Necessary? Small Arts Comics Publishers and their Relationship with Diamond Comic Distributors,"The Comics Journal#222 (April 2000), pp. 20–26.
  43. ^Spurgeon, Tom. "The View from the Bottom: Do Small Arts Publishers See Diamond as a Help or a Hindrance?,"The Comics Journal#225 (July 2000), pp. 12–17.
  44. ^Spurgeon, Tom. "Dealing with Diamond: the Big-Little Publishers and the Big-Big Distributor,"The Comics Journal#228 (November 2000), pp. 11–16.
  45. ^abcGeppi's Entertainment Museum Press Room: "Geppi's Entertainment Museum President/CEO Stephen A. Geppi Bio".Accessed March 5, 2009
  46. ^"Newswatch: Geppi BuysBaltimore,"The Comics Journal#174 (February 1995), p. 29.
  47. ^The Book Palace's "Complete EC Library" pagesArchived2009-06-14 at theWayback Machine.Accessed 12 March 2008.
  48. ^Michael Kronenberg posting at MarvelMasterworksFansite.Yuku, July 26, 2008.Accessed September 1, 2008
  49. ^ab"Starting Over — The Return of the Disney Comics" online in Diamond'sScoop,January 25, 2003.Accessed March 5, 2008
  50. ^"Gemstone Ends Disney License < Disney Comics Worldwide Blog".
  51. ^"Newswatch: Overstreet Purchase Causes Stir,"The Comics Journal#172 (November 1994), pp. 37–38.
  52. ^"Robert M. Overstreet" bio atGeppi's Entertainment.Accessed April 7, 2009ArchivedJuly 18, 2009, at theWayback Machine
  53. ^Comics Research.org's "Collecting Guides".Accessed March 7, 2009
  54. ^Heidi MacDonald, "Steve Geppi’s debt woes growing" inThe Beat,February 18, 2009.Accessed March 5, 2009ArchivedJuly 14, 2012, atarchive.today
  55. ^"Rumors about Gemstone Publishing?"inScoop,April 18, 2009
  56. ^abcd"Sneak Preview Geppi's Entertainment Museum at Camden Yards – Baltimore, Maryland,"The Journal of Antiques and Collectibles(September 2006)Archived2008-07-05 at theWayback Machine.Accessed March 5, 2009
  57. ^"Chessex and The Armory Form Alliance".Pyramid.Steve Jackson Games.October 2, 1998.
  58. ^"Diamond Select Acquires Art Asylum"
  59. ^Dash, Julehka (2007-09-14)."Geppi's daughter takes reins of his new museum".Baltimore Business Journal.Retrieved2008-07-22.
  60. ^Kaltenbach, Chris (30 May 2018)."Geppi's Entertainment Museum to close as comic and art collection heads to Library of Congress".The Baltimore Sun.Retrieved27 July2018.

General references

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