Big risks pay off sometimes, and an industry-shaking change doesn't seem to have bothered Publisher Jim Lee. DC Comics made headlines back in April when they signaled that they intending to break their exclusive shipping deal with Diamond Comic Distributors. This ostensibly brought an end to Diamond's quarter-century quasi-monopoly on the comics shipping business, and many, including local shop owners voiced concern that this business decision was a major risk in the uncertain environment brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Lee is still touting the company's decision and calling it a major windfall.
Since forming a new partnership with Lunar Distribution and UCS Comic Distributors, run by NYC's Midtown Comics and Fort Wayne, Indiana's Discount Comic Book Service to distribute their books during the initial shutdown phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, many called into question the wisdom of such a bombastic play. After all, distribution and shipping are major services to a publisher like DC, and Diamond Distributors had possessed a near monopoly of the entire service industry since running Marvel's start-up distributor World Heroes out of business in 1995.
And while the response was initially mixed, Lee told THR recently that "...not only has [our new shipping business model] exceeded our initial expectations, but the size and strength of the business is that same level or higher than pre-COVID," noting the success of recent story-arcs such as Batman's Joker War, which has consistently outsold Marvel's current crossover event Empyre. Indeed, he revealed that the recently released Batman: Three Jokers #1 had sold upwards of 300,000 copies, and several recent issues had required reprints in order to meet demand. Lee praised the partnership with Lunar and USC, saying:
This wasn’t about taking our distribution business and placing it the hands of two entities, it was about, "What can we do together to do things that were never contemplated before." Things that we would love to do to grow the physical market.
While this positive news came in the midst of a series of seemingly unwelcome events - including several series being cut short and the firing of many employees at DC Comics - this touting of recent sales would seem to suggest that the longtime comic label is not at risk of dissolution as some have feared. Lee's statement frames the switch away from Diamond as perhaps part of a larger business strategy rather than a knee-jerk response to the shutdown of the industry caused by COVID. If sales continue to rise, it may be a sign that it is safe for other publishers to follow DC in finding alternative methods of getting their product into the hands of readers.
Only time will tell, as DC Comics continues to try to maneuver through this newest hurdle presented to them by parent company AT&T.
Source: THR