The disappointment of Brian Hibbs.

Brian Hibbs; I am extremely disappointed that Image is forcing us to buy our comics from
DCBS, the single largest competitor of all retailers everywhere. I am extremely
disappointed that Image is changing their on-sale date to Tuesday (we've got decades of
effort to brand Wednesdays). I am extremely disappointed that Image will ONLY have a
digital catalog (the overwhelming majority of subscribers have been clear they don't want
that). I am extremely disappointed that the publisher who said this
(https://www.cbr.com/image-comics-eric-stephenson-slams…/) switched to Lunar.
This is a big straw for me. I genuinely wonder if I want to continue to own a comic book
store after this news.

Kelly Anderson Heying, owner of Buy Me Toys & Comics in Mishawaka, Indiana:
Wednesday is so unique to our industry and I love it. We are sticking with Wednesday.

Benjamin Napier of Mansfield Comics & Manga in Mansfield Texas: On the opposite
side of the coin, as a retailer who is only 2 years deep, this is a big win for me as Diamond
damages almost 50% of my comics every single week, especially the image books. I cut all
my orders back by about 75% and I'm still being charged shipping costs equal to about 1/2
of my cost for my books every week. (About $600 worth of product msrp weekly, paying
$150-$175 in shipping per week, consistently. I had been hoping they would switch to
PRH, but this is still better than paying stupid money for damaged books every single
week.

Brian Hibbs: Our damages are well under 1% a week on average. Always have been.
Sorry yours are so high.

Benjamin Napier: You are basically confirming what I have always suspected which is
our orders were not high enough for them to care.

LS Kafka, Owner at Sour Cherry Comics, San Francisco: our damages were always
terrible and the shipping was crazy. i cancelled my diamond account last month because i
was sick of dealing with it and they had the audacity to 1.) try to CHARGE ME for
cancelling and 2.) they still REFUSE to refund me for damaged and missing books (over
$100) and now i am threatening legal action because they are claiming that i OWE THEM
because they didn't include FCBD charges on the invoice (the invoice which said "0.00" on
all FCBD books – changing that price after the fact – 2 weeks ! – is literally illegal in both
CA and MD consumer protection laws) so yeah. Fuck Diamond. i am going to watch them
go down in flames with GLEE. and i am going to support Lunar still existing because PRH
shouldn't have a monopoly on the DM – that's how Diamond got in the position to fuck
retailers over as much as they have. Lunar providing competition is vital.

Steve Nemeckay, Owner of Amazing Heroes, Union, New Jersey: Benjamin, 50%? I
think you are expecting something impossible with a paper periodical. The only damages I
report are trades, floppys with a ding hit the rack and sell. I have to much honest to god
work to do then look at every corner.
Benjamin Napier:  impossible for Diamond thus far, but not a problem for Lunar or PRH,
The market is speaking and I'm glad Image listened

Could Diamond be at risk of a lawsuit over its Free

Comic Book Day listings?
Brian Hibbs: Just reading back through this thread, and this thing stood out to me: are you
suggesting that you thought the FCBD titles were just free for you? Despite clear prices in
the catalog? It's been delayed billing for years now, and there are always several articles to
this note in Diamond Daily every year. I'm always fast to drop legal elbows, but in no way
is delayed billing illegal. Also: Lunar establishing a DIFFERENT monopoly on product
doesn't *actually* provide competition.

LS Kafka: lol i know they aren't supposed to be free but you understand consumer
protections laws right? they can't put "0.0" on an invoice with a product and then say 2
weeks later "btw you owe us money" that's literally illegal IDGAF if "that's the way it's
done." and i also don't care that i am supposed to just "know" that i "have to pay for FCBD
books" ?? if they have the idiocy to put 0 on a unit cost next to all the FCBD titles in an
invoice they're sending then yeah.. they need to comply with state and federal laws lol….
edit: so yeah, just btw delayed billing is illegal when you've already sent an invoice with a
unit price. hope that helps.

Brian Hibbs: You should fully sue them, then. Because, if you're right, that will be
hundreds of thousands of dollars for the class, and you should find a line of attorneys who
will be happy to take the case on contingency. I know, because I've already won my class
action suit.

LS Kafka: i mean like i assume you're registered with the city for having a point of
sale/register with weights and measures yes? and they test you every year? the DPH agent
comes in and picks 10 items to make sure that you charge the amount that they are priced?
did diamond not send you an invoice with 0.0 as unit cost with your FCBD books? was that
a typo on my invoice only? and yeah i mean if you have any attorneys you'd recommend i
would love to sue diamond it's literally been my dream since opening an account with them
because they've been so consistently terrible for me.

Brian Hibbs: when I sued Marvel, I just sent letters to about 10 class action lawyers.
Several got back to me, and I went with Nancy Ledy-Gurren. Looks like her partnership
has changed a little and can be found here: http://lgb-law.com. won one million dollars for
our class. Good luck!

Back to Image Comics and Lunar.

Kevin Johnson, owner of Universal Comics, North Canton, Ohio: I'm very happy Image
is switching. The shipping prices Diamond charges is criminal
Brian Hibbs: I'd be super fine with PRH or Universal. Lunar/DCBS is the enemy.

Frank Forte, publisher at Asylum Press: I thought Diamond said they were reducing
these costs over time

Brian Cronin of CBR: Reducing, yes, but still very high.

Kevin Johnson: they were supposed to but I'm not seeing it

Krayz Joe Rider, comic book reader: I will be ordering less, if any, Image. I am too old
for this digital sh*t! I've been using Previews and Advanced Comics since the late 1970's-
early 1980's.
Same sh*t happened with DC when they fumbled leaving Previews. I was down to two
monthly titles, and have only now been adding more as I browse their monthly physical
catalog!.. If you make your potential customers jump through hoops to find your product,
that is never a good thing. Again, a monthly physical preview may be a cost, but Image will
be the only major comic publisher without one. We'll see after September if it makes a
difference…

Steve Nemeckay: New comics are Wednesday at Amazing Heroes. My customers like me
and the service and are willing to wait a day.

John Jackson Miller, founder of ComicChron: Contrary to at least one report I've seen,
Geppi is saying Diamond has an Image wholesale deal coming, for what that's worth.

Brian Hibbs: It will be "just like" the Marvel one — a 10% or so lower discount and
overpriced shipping, making it impossible to make an actual profit.

Carl Pietrantonio, longstanding comics reader, writer and expert: Truly, *as a
customer*, I despise digital catalogs. I use them when I have to, for example while
traveling for an extended time, but I *much* prefer to sit and read through a physical
catalog. Definitely might impact some of my purchasing.

Larry Young, publisher: I always think it's hilarious when companies whose product is
analog makes ordering digital-only. I always think it's hilarious when companies whose
product is analog makes ordering digital-only.

Joe Field, of Flying Colors Comics Comics, Concord, California: The medium is the
message… and always has been. I wish they'd get that simple and timeless point.

Then there was the Dynamite Comics diversion.

Jackson Brantley, of Fanboy Comics in Wilmington, North Carolina: Curious if Boom
Studio can keep Diamond alive
Brian Hibbs: And Dynamite, heh. It seems to me to be very likely that the days of "full
service" stores is now going to be numbered.

Jackson Brantley: no really, this Red Sonja relaunch is going to be the one…

Leef Smith, owner of Mission: Comics & Art, in San Francisco: seems unlikely

Nick Barrucci, publisher and owner of Dynamite Entertainment: It is disappointing

too, when we are brought up, to be the butt of your comments. You have employees whom
you care about? Well we have 25 employees and over 80 freelancers working for us. And
they all have families to support. I don't think I've said anything negatively about you or
anyone who does not support us as much as others. It would not be cool. What's the saying?
"Do unto others as you would have them do to you."? And as with Brian Hibbs, I would say
very disappointing that this kind of public stance is acceptable. Would you feel good if any
publisher were to diss you for not ordering and supporting them? I hope that no one disses
you in public and hurts Fanboy Comics or your or your families ability to make money.
Again, "Do unto others as you would like them to do to you."

Brian Hibbs: There is a Cold numbers reality involved — for many stores that I know,
Boom and Dynamite alone are not going to be enough of a rational reason to keep giving
Diamond business. It was, in a practical sense, Image's volume that keeps what I suspect
are a good many accounts doing business with Diamond in 2023 — I can see scores of
stores saying that with Image going, they intend to not order from Diamond any longer in
the private retailer groups. I don't believe that there is the *slightest* amount of "diss"
involved in making this observation! Sorry if you thought there was — I regret the
unwanted blowback that Dynamite and Boom are likely to feel from this.

Nick Barrucci: And I quote <And Dynamite, heh>. Was the "heh" necessary? And then
this <<Brian Hibbs no really, this Red Sonja relaunch is going to be the one…>> where
you hit the laughing emoji. You are going out of your way to make fun of us or our
business. There's no other way to see it. There's a difference between making a black and
white statement of "I don't think that X or Y publisher can maintain sales" or pick your
words, and throwing out a "heh" or laughing at a new launch series. As I said, there are a
lot of employees and freelancers who count on us, and there are also retailers who do well
enough with us that a loss would hurt them.

Brian Hibbs: Again, sorry you are offended. I stand by my reaction to the humor of the
notion of the tenth (or so) Dynamite relaunch of RED SONJA as being the thing that's
going to help *Diamond* retain business that is looking to leave with Image's departure. As
I said: I regret the blowback you're going to end up getting from what Image chose to do,
and how that will impact Diamond's customer retention. Take that as sincere, or don't. IF I
DON'T LAUGH I WILL HAVE TO CRY.

 Nick Barrucci: I will take this as sincere. Just the other two, the "heh" and smiling emoji
are something that cuts. Simple as that. If a publisher did something like that, "Sure, x
retailer who supports THAT line will save that publisher" and the retailer was called out,
how would that be received? Poorly, as it should be. There's a lot going on and hard
decisions to be made. There's a lot of peoples livelyhood on the line on all levels.

Danica LeBlanc, owner at Variant Edition Graphic Novels & Comics of Edmonton,
Alberta: Edit: "Sorry I offended you" The way you wrote yours sounds really passive
aggressive, and I want to make sure you're communicating your apology as clearly as
possible.

Nick Barrucci: There's a lot going on, and this is happening fast and furious. And I can
appreciate your doing what you need to do. But when we're doing initiatives like making
our first issues returnable, hiring new creators we've never hired before and being fortunate
to expand the creators we work with, and trying to continue to grow and bring you comics
you can sell. It's very difficult. But it's the job. But when you say it the way you did, you
slight the creators, the editorial, and everyone working on the series. And it is honestly
exhausting. And I chimed in because it hurts a lot of people. I don't care about myself, but
there are a lot of creators and it's deflating during a challenging time. We would never
slight retailers saying anything like "you're x for ordering those books" or anything similar.
We need to get through this together. We are a community. We only succeed if we lift each
other. Yes, rationally and with good business sense, but we shouldn't have to slight each
other. Again, we have faith in Red Sonja, and it's why we're making #1 returnable with just
a minimum of 20 copies being ordered.

Jackson Brantley: My store carries everything Dynamite publishes, and while I am

personally a fan of Red Sonja my sales numbers are my sales numbers. I take it you work at
Dynamite in some capacity? It is impressive that you guys have hung in there as long as
you have, and I sincerely hope you can find an escape from the sinking ship of Diamond
Comics.

Rob Salkowitz, author, who works for Forbes: Nick doesn't work for Dynamite;
Dynamite works for Nick.

Jackson Brantley: Oh, interesting.

Nick Barrucci: I wish! I'm responsible for over 25 employees, and 80 freelancers on any
given month. That's a lot of responsibility. Hence commenting at 10:36 at night to try and
give insight.

Regan Clem: I hope your sales are showing that your efforts are working because they are
working in my store. We'll complain about so many covers. I'm wondering if selling cover
art is a main revenue stream for you all. Which if that is what is needed to keep things
rolling, go for it. But I also have one person who buys every cover of a few books. That
adds up.

There were the former comic store owners.

Thomas Gaul, formerly of Pop Comics, Anahaeim, California: Every day I'm more and
more glad I got out when I did.

Joel Pollack, formerly of Big Planet Comics, Washington DC: I retired on Jan. 1. I
operated Big Planet Comics exactly half my life. The last three years were brutal.

And the issue that Lunar Comics is DCBS by another

name.
Shawn Hudachko, owner of Comics Elite and Artists Elite Comics, who publish
exclusively through Lunar Comics:  Maybe part of the problem is you're so stuck on
Lunar being the enemy because the same people own an online store. The impact DCBS
has/had on me selling weekly books was zero to none. Never once did I think "Id only be
doing better if it wasnt for that damn DCBS"
Stop complaining about things that have zero impact on you and maybe focus on the fact
that you're barely surviving and make changes where you can control them in your
business.

LS Kafka: this, literally. playing to the bottom of the barrel will always result in losing.
people who only want discounts are going to always go wherever it's cheaper. people who
are loyal to your brand + store because of all the various reasons that it is unique and fun
will continue to support.

Brian Hibbs: Over the 34 years I have been open, we've directly had scores of customers
directly and specifically say they were switching business to DCBS purely for the discount,
so please believe me when I tell you that you are incorrect there. I can enumerate the losses
that DCBS and Half-Priced trades have cost us; this is not merely supposition.

Krayz Joe Rider: Shawn, did you read Brian's posts on how this DOES affect him, with
less discounts, higher shipping, and the like? As a customer of my LCS, yeah, nothing
changes. I get my comics, but to shrink a retailers profit margins? I was a retailer during the
distributor f**kery in the 1990's, and it increased my cost significantly, increased my
workload, but did NOT increase my sales as Capitol/Heroes World/ and Dimond did their
self destructive dance…

Brian Hibbs: Shawn is also a retailer, and from what I can tell, he does a pretty massive
business in segments like variant covers, so this impacts him less than reader-focused stores
like mine.

Shawn Hudachko: You are correct. I very quickly realized that I was not able to keep up
with the massive discounts some people were offering so I decided early on to focus my
business in a different part of the comic world. I decided to not complain about it and make
a change in my business. Lunar and DCBS are 2 different companies owned by the same
people. Merc Publishing and Comics Elite are 2 companies ran by the same people. I
promise you Lunar is not out there plotting against you. Focus on growing your business.
Brian Hibbs: I appreciate your helpful intention here, but I assure you that I am never ever
focused on anything but.

Jo Hansen, comic store employee:  if you lose a customer you should try to get new
customers, turning casual visits into repeat customers is key. I feel like if you have a comic
shop for 34 years you are bound to lose a few customers just due to the linear nature of time
and its effects on humans.

Brian Hibbs: *eyeroll*

Andy Liegl, owner of Brave New World Comics at Santa Clarite, California: This.

Jo Hansen: that's a new one! usually it's just a "you're wrong because I said so"

John Cunningham, former DC Comics Senior VP, Sales And Marketing: Who are
these chuds trying to lecture you on how to run a goddamn store? FFS…

Brian Hibbs: Shawn makes way way way more money at comics retail than I ever will!

Carr D'Angelo, owner of Earth-2 Comics: Yeah, but aren't you just a little curious to see
Hibbs' Whatnot show?

Jacob Motsinger of Memory Lane Comics, in Wilmington, North Carolina: I'm

holding my own in the battle against giant retail, and do my best to excel at the things they
can't offer. It's working. I have a profitable business with an awesome staff making a good
wage and spend very little time thinking about Amazon or DCBS. I try to focus on the
things I can change and keep pushing forward. That doesn't change the fact that these
companies are constantly devaluing the product that our customers are buying, and it is
100% a problem that can't just be ignored

LS Kafka: it is a problem that has to be ignored because it is a battle you will never win as
a brick and mortar retailer. you just simply always have to focus on the customers who
appreciate just going into a store in person and looking around

Jacob Motsinger: Are you a member of ComicsPro? Banded together WE are a giant. We
have more pull than you think and don't have to ignore these issues

LS Kafka: lol ComicsPRO is more like a pyramid scheme than a union

Would a Diamond monopoly really be better?

Gabe Yocum of Reed Pop, former of Midtown Comics in New York and Take 2
comcis publisher, I offer these questions because I'm honestly curious- if diamond still
held the monopoly they did, and all the other issues brick and mortar shops have had, they
continue to have, is that better than Lunar taking over the business from DC and Image?
Don't get me wrong- I understand the fervor about Lunar being parented by competition; I
simply want to figure out if there exists a world where a real solution exists where everyone
still makes money. In my fraction of a fraction of time In The industry I've watched and
read Brian Hibbs shine a spotlight on problems and offer common sense solutions, but most
importantly, continue to ask hard questions and speak truth to power. I'm exhausted
watching, lord knows he's gotta be. Is the fight unwinnable? If Lunar wasn't owned by
DCBS how much more palatable is this change?

Brian Hibbs: We haven't changed anything essential about the "monopoly", is the thing —
there's still only one place to buy DC and Image from, for example. And adding that second
monopoly doesn't generate a single new customer. All it does is increase costs for the
average working retailer, be it time/labor, direct discount, shipping, whatever.

Regan Clem, owner of Summit Sports, Comics & Games, Fort Wayne, Indiana:
Publishers don't have to deal with a monopoly. They get to shop around and get the best
deal. Retailers still deal only with monopolies. One place to get Image. One place to get
Marvel. One place to get Boom. We'll have two places to get DC it looks like. That will be
the only non-monopolistic relationship we will then have as Lunar and Universal will be
competing for our dollars. But I don't know if publishers can afford to go with multiple
distributors. That would be what would make distributors compete to provide retailers with
the best service and prices. Is that even feasible? What if publishers had distributors
competing to make them happy every month. And those same distributors also were
competing to win over retailers. And everyone was trying to expand the market. Lunar has
done a good job. Set the gold standard in shipping. Rarely has damages. DCBS has been
not just an online competitor with me but also a brick and mortar competitor for a while.
People worry about the data they now have, which I can come up with ways to use that data
to gain customers. Not saying they do, but the option is right there.

Colin McMahon of Pittsburgh Comics in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: The problem we

are having right now is we are working more for less. 3 weekly orders. Extra reorders due
to multiple sources. 3 weekly shipments. Each company has their own systems, own way of
doing things. This one is just clicking a box. This one is sending a picture and saying
please. This one I'll have next week. This one will be 2. It's so much more busywork
keeping track of things, making sure you're not ordering something twice, seeing if a
backorder has been canceled. It's hours a week of extra work. Extra aggravation. Less time
actually enjoying what we do. That's the biggest thing for me. They tried to spin 1)working
more on Sunday 2)putting books out on Tuesday and 3)sending our customers to DCBS's
website to see the digital catalog as positives for us. None of those things are a positive. It's
more work. And there is no benefit to us. Maybe less shipping. Maybe less damages. Ok.
I'd rather have the hours back.

Avi Ehrlich, publisher of Silver Sprocket Press: my publishing house is very small, but
our distributors (Diamond, Lunar, Ingram) are very much in competition with each other to
provide retailers with reasons to order from them and not the others. The only reason to go
*exclusive* with anyone would be a significant amount of extra $ or marketing attention,
seems very risky where I sit.
Regan Clem: Your small publishing house is picking up in my stores. Dare I say it was
because of Lunar though. Because it was.

Then there was this Bleeding Cool article from 3 years

ago, "Hugely Sociopathic Decisions".
Joe Field: I would be very interested to know what changed for Image since Eric made the
fairly incendiary comments about DC leaving Diamond three years ago? Now I know one
answer to that is "everything changed the last three years" but I feel like there's a ton of
behind the scenes financial gyrations that are not casting Diamond in a good light. For the
record, I want a healthy comics specialty market and I believe a healthy Diamond is part of
that. But I also don't want to be over-funding that health.

LS Kafka: lunar offered them a deal they couldn't refuse lol it is as simple as that. they get
tiered discount like DC

Brian Hibbs: I believe that there are multiple elements in play that we're not publically
aware of, so odds seem low "it is as simple as that". I also don't know that I think that
individually tiered discounts for Image will be all that good of a deal for most retailers
given the general inconsistency of sales across the line, though until they reveal those
charts, we're all just guessing at best.

LS Kafka: it won't be a good deal for retailers but it's a good deal for the publisher since it
will probably incentivize a good amount of retailers to order more just to keep the discount
and that will definitely translate to image selling more, for a bit at least. and if they keep
their stories worth buying then they might be able to just hack it. i also suggest talking to
your sales reps more because i've been hearing bits and pieces from them about this move
(and others) for a minute so… a little birdie told me that image and boom might eventually
move over to PRH but that you will probably see boom at PRH first (as early as next
spring) bc they have a kill clause in their contract that if image leaves they can too

So what's really going on?

Rob Salkowitz: Do you think Lunar's lack of transparency (eg no sales charts) has
anything to do with it?

John Jackson Miller: Image historically looked on the charts very favorably, since their
whole purpose was to attract retailers' attention to promising series they might be missing
out on. (I highly doubt that sort of thing ever motivated any dollars-and-cents decision of
this scope, in any event.)

Lee Hester, of Lee's Comics in Mountain View, California: I haven't had a brick and
mortar store since 2020, but I still watch all the changes with great interest.
The disappointment of Brian Hibbs.
Brian Hibbs; I am extremely disappointed that Image is forcing us to buy our comics from
DCBS, the single largest competitor of all retailers everywhere. I am extremely
disappointed that Image is changing their on-sale date to Tuesday (we've got decades of
effort to brand Wednesdays). I am extremely disappointed that Image will ONLY have a
digital catalog (the overwhelming majority of subscribers have been clear they don't want
that). I am extremely disappointed that the publisher who said this
(https://www.cbr.com/image-comics-eric-stephenson-slams…/) switched to Lunar.
This is a big straw for me. I genuinely wonder if I want to continue to own a comic book
store after this news.

Kelly Anderson Heying, owner of Buy Me Toys & Comics in Mishawaka, Indiana:
Wednesday is so unique to our industry and I love it. We are sticking with Wednesday.

Benjamin Napier of Mansfield Comics & Manga in Mansfield Texas: On the opposite
side of the coin, as a retailer who is only 2 years deep, this is a big win for me as Diamond
damages almost 50% of my comics every single week, especially the image books. I cut all
my orders back by about 75% and I'm still being charged shipping costs equal to about 1/2
of my cost for my books every week. (About $600 worth of product msrp weekly, paying
$150-$175 in shipping per week, consistently. I had been hoping they would switch to
PRH, but this is still better than paying stupid money for damaged books every single
week.

Brian Hibbs: Our damages are well under 1% a week on average. Always have been.
Sorry yours are so high.

Benjamin Napier: You are basically confirming what I have always suspected which is
our orders were not high enough for them to care.

LS Kafka, Owner at Sour Cherry Comics, San Francisco: our damages were always
terrible and the shipping was crazy. i cancelled my diamond account last month because i
was sick of dealing with it and they had the audacity to 1.) try to CHARGE ME for
cancelling and 2.) they still REFUSE to refund me for damaged and missing books (over
$100) and now i am threatening legal action because they are claiming that i OWE THEM
because they didn't include FCBD charges on the invoice (the invoice which said "0.00" on
all FCBD books – changing that price after the fact – 2 weeks ! – is literally illegal in both
CA and MD consumer protection laws) so yeah. Fuck Diamond. i am going to watch them
go down in flames with GLEE. and i am going to support Lunar still existing because PRH
shouldn't have a monopoly on the DM – that's how Diamond got in the position to fuck
retailers over as much as they have. Lunar providing competition is vital.

Steve Nemeckay, Owner of Amazing Heroes, Union, New Jersey: Benjamin, 50%? I
think you are expecting something impossible with a paper periodical. The only damages I
report are trades, floppys with a ding hit the rack and sell. I have to much honest to god
work to do then look at every corner.
Benjamin Napier:  impossible for Diamond thus far, but not a problem for Lunar or PRH,
The market is speaking and I'm glad Image listened

Could Diamond be at risk of a lawsuit over its Free

Comic Book Day listings?
Brian Hibbs: Just reading back through this thread, and this thing stood out to me: are you
suggesting that you thought the FCBD titles were just free for you? Despite clear prices in
the catalog? It's been delayed billing for years now, and there are always several articles to
this note in Diamond Daily every year. I'm always fast to drop legal elbows, but in no way
is delayed billing illegal. Also: Lunar establishing a DIFFERENT monopoly on product
doesn't *actually* provide competition.

LS Kafka: lol i know they aren't supposed to be free but you understand consumer
protections laws right? they can't put "0.0" on an invoice with a product and then say 2
weeks later "btw you owe us money" that's literally illegal IDGAF if "that's the way it's
done." and i also don't care that i am supposed to just "know" that i "have to pay for FCBD
books" ?? if they have the idiocy to put 0 on a unit cost next to all the FCBD titles in an
invoice they're sending then yeah.. they need to comply with state and federal laws lol….
edit: so yeah, just btw delayed billing is illegal when you've already sent an invoice with a
unit price. hope that helps.

Brian Hibbs: You should fully sue them, then. Because, if you're right, that will be
hundreds of thousands of dollars for the class, and you should find a line of attorneys who
will be happy to take the case on contingency. I know, because I've already won my class
action suit.

LS Kafka: i mean like i assume you're registered with the city for having a point of
sale/register with weights and measures yes? and they test you every year? the DPH agent
comes in and picks 10 items to make sure that you charge the amount that they are priced?
did diamond not send you an invoice with 0.0 as unit cost with your FCBD books? was that
a typo on my invoice only? and yeah i mean if you have any attorneys you'd recommend i
would love to sue diamond it's literally been my dream since opening an account with them
because they've been so consistently terrible for me.

Brian Hibbs: when I sued Marvel, I just sent letters to about 10 class action lawyers.
Several got back to me, and I went with Nancy Ledy-Gurren. Looks like her partnership
has changed a little and can be found here: http://lgb-law.com. won one million dollars for
our class. Good luck!

Back to Image Comics and Lunar.

Kevin Johnson, owner of Universal Comics, North Canton, Ohio: I'm very happy Image
is switching. The shipping prices Diamond charges is criminal
Brian Hibbs: I'd be super fine with PRH or Universal. Lunar/DCBS is the enemy.

Frank Forte, publisher at Asylum Press: I thought Diamond said they were reducing
these costs over time

Brian Cronin of CBR: Reducing, yes, but still very high.

Kevin Johnson: they were supposed to but I'm not seeing it

Krayz Joe Rider, comic book reader: I will be ordering less, if any, Image. I am too old
for this digital sh*t! I've been using Previews and Advanced Comics since the late 1970's-
early 1980's.
Same sh*t happened with DC when they fumbled leaving Previews. I was down to two
monthly titles, and have only now been adding more as I browse their monthly physical
catalog!.. If you make your potential customers jump through hoops to find your product,
that is never a good thing. Again, a monthly physical preview may be a cost, but Image will
be the only major comic publisher without one. We'll see after September if it makes a
difference…

Steve Nemeckay: New comics are Wednesday at Amazing Heroes. My customers like me
and the service and are willing to wait a day.

John Jackson Miller, founder of ComicChron: Contrary to at least one report I've seen,
Geppi is saying Diamond has an Image wholesale deal coming, for what that's worth.

Brian Hibbs: It will be "just like" the Marvel one — a 10% or so lower discount and
overpriced shipping, making it impossible to make an actual profit.

Carl Pietrantonio, longstanding comics reader, writer and expert: Truly, *as a
customer*, I despise digital catalogs. I use them when I have to, for example while
traveling for an extended time, but I *much* prefer to sit and read through a physical
catalog. Definitely might impact some of my purchasing.

Larry Young, publisher: I always think it's hilarious when companies whose product is
analog makes ordering digital-only. I always think it's hilarious when companies whose
product is analog makes ordering digital-only.

Joe Field, of Flying Colors Comics Comics, Concord, California: The medium is the
message… and always has been. I wish they'd get that simple and timeless point.

Then there was the Dynamite Comics diversion.

Jackson Brantley, of Fanboy Comics in Wilmington, North Carolina: Curious if Boom
Studio can keep Diamond alive
Brian Hibbs: And Dynamite, heh. It seems to me to be very likely that the days of "full
service" stores is now going to be numbered.

Jackson Brantley: no really, this Red Sonja relaunch is going to be the one…

Leef Smith, owner of Mission: Comics & Art, in San Francisco: seems unlikely

Nick Barrucci, publisher and owner of Dynamite Entertainment: It is disappointing

too, when we are brought up, to be the butt of your comments. You have employees whom
you care about? Well we have 25 employees and over 80 freelancers working for us. And
they all have families to support. I don't think I've said anything negatively about you or
anyone who does not support us as much as others. It would not be cool. What's the saying?
"Do unto others as you would have them do to you."? And as with Brian Hibbs, I would say
very disappointing that this kind of public stance is acceptable. Would you feel good if any
publisher were to diss you for not ordering and supporting them? I hope that no one disses
you in public and hurts Fanboy Comics or your or your families ability to make money.
Again, "Do unto others as you would like them to do to you."

Brian Hibbs: There is a Cold numbers reality involved — for many stores that I know,
Boom and Dynamite alone are not going to be enough of a rational reason to keep giving
Diamond business. It was, in a practical sense, Image's volume that keeps what I suspect
are a good many accounts doing business with Diamond in 2023 — I can see scores of
stores saying that with Image going, they intend to not order from Diamond any longer in
the private retailer groups. I don't believe that there is the *slightest* amount of "diss"
involved in making this observation! Sorry if you thought there was — I regret the
unwanted blowback that Dynamite and Boom are likely to feel from this.

Nick Barrucci: And I quote <And Dynamite, heh>. Was the "heh" necessary? And then
this <<Brian Hibbs no really, this Red Sonja relaunch is going to be the one…>> where
you hit the laughing emoji. You are going out of your way to make fun of us or our
business. There's no other way to see it. There's a difference between making a black and
white statement of "I don't think that X or Y publisher can maintain sales" or pick your
words, and throwing out a "heh" or laughing at a new launch series. As I said, there are a
lot of employees and freelancers who count on us, and there are also retailers who do well
enough with us that a loss would hurt them.

Brian Hibbs: Again, sorry you are offended. I stand by my reaction to the humor of the
notion of the tenth (or so) Dynamite relaunch of RED SONJA as being the thing that's
going to help *Diamond* retain business that is looking to leave with Image's departure. As
I said: I regret the blowback you're going to end up getting from what Image chose to do,
and how that will impact Diamond's customer retention. Take that as sincere, or don't. IF I
DON'T LAUGH I WILL HAVE TO CRY.

 Nick Barrucci: I will take this as sincere. Just the other two, the "heh" and smiling emoji
are something that cuts. Simple as that. If a publisher did something like that, "Sure, x
retailer who supports THAT line will save that publisher" and the retailer was called out,
how would that be received? Poorly, as it should be. There's a lot going on and hard
decisions to be made. There's a lot of peoples livelyhood on the line on all levels.

Danica LeBlanc, owner at Variant Edition Graphic Novels & Comics of Edmonton,
Alberta: Edit: "Sorry I offended you" The way you wrote yours sounds really passive
aggressive, and I want to make sure you're communicating your apology as clearly as
possible.

Nick Barrucci: There's a lot going on, and this is happening fast and furious. And I can
appreciate your doing what you need to do. But when we're doing initiatives like making
our first issues returnable, hiring new creators we've never hired before and being fortunate
to expand the creators we work with, and trying to continue to grow and bring you comics
you can sell. It's very difficult. But it's the job. But when you say it the way you did, you
slight the creators, the editorial, and everyone working on the series. And it is honestly
exhausting. And I chimed in because it hurts a lot of people. I don't care about myself, but
there are a lot of creators and it's deflating during a challenging time. We would never
slight retailers saying anything like "you're x for ordering those books" or anything similar.
We need to get through this together. We are a community. We only succeed if we lift each
other. Yes, rationally and with good business sense, but we shouldn't have to slight each
other. Again, we have faith in Red Sonja, and it's why we're making #1 returnable with just
a minimum of 20 copies being ordered.

Jackson Brantley: My store carries everything Dynamite publishes, and while I am

personally a fan of Red Sonja my sales numbers are my sales numbers. I take it you work at
Dynamite in some capacity? It is impressive that you guys have hung in there as long as
you have, and I sincerely hope you can find an escape from the sinking ship of Diamond
Comics.

Rob Salkowitz, author, who works for Forbes: Nick doesn't work for Dynamite;
Dynamite works for Nick.

Jackson Brantley: Oh, interesting.

Nick Barrucci: I wish! I'm responsible for over 25 employees, and 80 freelancers on any
given month. That's a lot of responsibility. Hence commenting at 10:36 at night to try and
give insight.

Regan Clem: I hope your sales are showing that your efforts are working because they are
working in my store. We'll complain about so many covers. I'm wondering if selling cover
art is a main revenue stream for you all. Which if that is what is needed to keep things
rolling, go for it. But I also have one person who buys every cover of a few books. That
adds up.

There were the former comic store owners.

Thomas Gaul, formerly of Pop Comics, Anahaeim, California: Every day I'm more and
more glad I got out when I did.

Joel Pollack, formerly of Big Planet Comics, Washington DC: I retired on Jan. 1. I
operated Big Planet Comics exactly half my life. The last three years were brutal.

And the issue that Lunar Comics is DCBS by another

name.
Shawn Hudachko, owner of Comics Elite and Artists Elite Comics, who publish
exclusively through Lunar Comics:  Maybe part of the problem is you're so stuck on
Lunar being the enemy because the same people own an online store. The impact DCBS
has/had on me selling weekly books was zero to none. Never once did I think "Id only be
doing better if it wasnt for that damn DCBS"
Stop complaining about things that have zero impact on you and maybe focus on the fact
that you're barely surviving and make changes where you can control them in your
business.

LS Kafka: this, literally. playing to the bottom of the barrel will always result in losing.
people who only want discounts are going to always go wherever it's cheaper. people who
are loyal to your brand + store because of all the various reasons that it is unique and fun
will continue to support.

Brian Hibbs: Over the 34 years I have been open, we've directly had scores of customers
directly and specifically say they were switching business to DCBS purely for the discount,
so please believe me when I tell you that you are incorrect there. I can enumerate the losses
that DCBS and Half-Priced trades have cost us; this is not merely supposition.

Krayz Joe Rider: Shawn, did you read Brian's posts on how this DOES affect him, with
less discounts, higher shipping, and the like? As a customer of my LCS, yeah, nothing
changes. I get my comics, but to shrink a retailers profit margins? I was a retailer during the
distributor f**kery in the 1990's, and it increased my cost significantly, increased my
workload, but did NOT increase my sales as Capitol/Heroes World/ and Dimond did their
self destructive dance…

Brian Hibbs: Shawn is also a retailer, and from what I can tell, he does a pretty massive
business in segments like variant covers, so this impacts him less than reader-focused stores
like mine.

Shawn Hudachko: You are correct. I very quickly realized that I was not able to keep up
with the massive discounts some people were offering so I decided early on to focus my
business in a different part of the comic world. I decided to not complain about it and make
a change in my business. Lunar and DCBS are 2 different companies owned by the same
people. Merc Publishing and Comics Elite are 2 companies ran by the same people. I
promise you Lunar is not out there plotting against you. Focus on growing your business.
Brian Hibbs: I appreciate your helpful intention here, but I assure you that I am never ever
focused on anything but.

Jo Hansen, comic store employee:  if you lose a customer you should try to get new
customers, turning casual visits into repeat customers is key. I feel like if you have a comic
shop for 34 years you are bound to lose a few customers just due to the linear nature of time
and its effects on humans.

Brian Hibbs: *eyeroll*

Andy Liegl, owner of Brave New World Comics at Santa Clarite, California: This.

Jo Hansen: that's a new one! usually it's just a "you're wrong because I said so"

John Cunningham, former DC Comics Senior VP, Sales And Marketing: Who are
these chuds trying to lecture you on how to run a goddamn store? FFS…

Brian Hibbs: Shawn makes way way way more money at comics retail than I ever will!

Carr D'Angelo, owner of Earth-2 Comics: Yeah, but aren't you just a little curious to see
Hibbs' Whatnot show?

Jacob Motsinger of Memory Lane Comics, in Wilmington, North Carolina: I'm

holding my own in the battle against giant retail, and do my best to excel at the things they
can't offer. It's working. I have a profitable business with an awesome staff making a good
wage and spend very little time thinking about Amazon or DCBS. I try to focus on the
things I can change and keep pushing forward. That doesn't change the fact that these
companies are constantly devaluing the product that our customers are buying, and it is
100% a problem that can't just be ignored

LS Kafka: it is a problem that has to be ignored because it is a battle you will never win as
a brick and mortar retailer. you just simply always have to focus on the customers who
appreciate just going into a store in person and looking around

Jacob Motsinger: Are you a member of ComicsPro? Banded together WE are a giant. We
have more pull than you think and don't have to ignore these issues

LS Kafka: lol ComicsPRO is more like a pyramid scheme than a union

Would a Diamond monopoly really be better?

Gabe Yocum of Reed Pop, former of Midtown Comics in New York and Take 2
comcis publisher, I offer these questions because I'm honestly curious- if diamond still
held the monopoly they did, and all the other issues brick and mortar shops have had, they
continue to have, is that better than Lunar taking over the business from DC and Image?
Don't get me wrong- I understand the fervor about Lunar being parented by competition; I
simply want to figure out if there exists a world where a real solution exists where everyone
still makes money. In my fraction of a fraction of time In The industry I've watched and
read Brian Hibbs shine a spotlight on problems and offer common sense solutions, but most
importantly, continue to ask hard questions and speak truth to power. I'm exhausted
watching, lord knows he's gotta be. Is the fight unwinnable? If Lunar wasn't owned by
DCBS how much more palatable is this change?

Brian Hibbs: We haven't changed anything essential about the "monopoly", is the thing —
there's still only one place to buy DC and Image from, for example. And adding that second
monopoly doesn't generate a single new customer. All it does is increase costs for the
average working retailer, be it time/labor, direct discount, shipping, whatever.

Regan Clem, owner of Summit Sports, Comics & Games, Fort Wayne, Indiana:
Publishers don't have to deal with a monopoly. They get to shop around and get the best
deal. Retailers still deal only with monopolies. One place to get Image. One place to get
Marvel. One place to get Boom. We'll have two places to get DC it looks like. That will be
the only non-monopolistic relationship we will then have as Lunar and Universal will be
competing for our dollars. But I don't know if publishers can afford to go with multiple
distributors. That would be what would make distributors compete to provide retailers with
the best service and prices. Is that even feasible? What if publishers had distributors
competing to make them happy every month. And those same distributors also were
competing to win over retailers. And everyone was trying to expand the market. Lunar has
done a good job. Set the gold standard in shipping. Rarely has damages. DCBS has been
not just an online competitor with me but also a brick and mortar competitor for a while.
People worry about the data they now have, which I can come up with ways to use that data
to gain customers. Not saying they do, but the option is right there.

Colin McMahon of Pittsburgh Comics in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: The problem we

are having right now is we are working more for less. 3 weekly orders. Extra reorders due
to multiple sources. 3 weekly shipments. Each company has their own systems, own way of
doing things. This one is just clicking a box. This one is sending a picture and saying
please. This one I'll have next week. This one will be 2. It's so much more busywork
keeping track of things, making sure you're not ordering something twice, seeing if a
backorder has been canceled. It's hours a week of extra work. Extra aggravation. Less time
actually enjoying what we do. That's the biggest thing for me. They tried to spin 1)working
more on Sunday 2)putting books out on Tuesday and 3)sending our customers to DCBS's
website to see the digital catalog as positives for us. None of those things are a positive. It's
more work. And there is no benefit to us. Maybe less shipping. Maybe less damages. Ok.
I'd rather have the hours back.

Avi Ehrlich, publisher of Silver Sprocket Press: my publishing house is very small, but
our distributors (Diamond, Lunar, Ingram) are very much in competition with each other to
provide retailers with reasons to order from them and not the others. The only reason to go
*exclusive* with anyone would be a significant amount of extra $ or marketing attention,
seems very risky where I sit.
Regan Clem: Your small publishing house is picking up in my stores. Dare I say it was
because of Lunar though. Because it was.

Then there was this Bleeding Cool article from 3 years

ago, "Hugely Sociopathic Decisions".
Joe Field: I would be very interested to know what changed for Image since Eric made the
fairly incendiary comments about DC leaving Diamond three years ago? Now I know one
answer to that is "everything changed the last three years" but I feel like there's a ton of
behind the scenes financial gyrations that are not casting Diamond in a good light. For the
record, I want a healthy comics specialty market and I believe a healthy Diamond is part of
that. But I also don't want to be over-funding that health.

LS Kafka: lunar offered them a deal they couldn't refuse lol it is as simple as that. they get
tiered discount like DC

Brian Hibbs: I believe that there are multiple elements in play that we're not publically
aware of, so odds seem low "it is as simple as that". I also don't know that I think that
individually tiered discounts for Image will be all that good of a deal for most retailers
given the general inconsistency of sales across the line, though until they reveal those
charts, we're all just guessing at best.

LS Kafka: it won't be a good deal for retailers but it's a good deal for the publisher since it
will probably incentivize a good amount of retailers to order more just to keep the discount
and that will definitely translate to image selling more, for a bit at least. and if they keep
their stories worth buying then they might be able to just hack it. i also suggest talking to
your sales reps more because i've been hearing bits and pieces from them about this move
(and others) for a minute so… a little birdie told me that image and boom might eventually
move over to PRH but that you will probably see boom at PRH first (as early as next
spring) bc they have a kill clause in their contract that if image leaves they can too

So what's really going on?

Rob Salkowitz: Do you think Lunar's lack of transparency (eg no sales charts) has
anything to do with it?

John Jackson Miller: Image historically looked on the charts very favorably, since their
whole purpose was to attract retailers' attention to promising series they might be missing
out on. (I highly doubt that sort of thing ever motivated any dollars-and-cents decision of
this scope, in any event.)

Lee Hester, of Lee's Comics in Mountain View, California: I haven't had a brick and
mortar store since 2020, but I still watch all the changes with great interest.