Posted in: Comics, Current News | Tagged: diamond, Dren, Philbo

Dren Productions Want To Know If Diamond Shipped Their Recent Comics?

Dren Productions wants to know if Diamond Comics shipped their comics this week? As Philbo Distribution revealed to be on the prudish side

Comic book publisher Dren Productions, which specialises in fantasy, sci-fi and horror comics, has been featured a number of times on Bleeding Cool. And they have a question to ask comic book retailers and readers.

"Our latest books, Teddy Scares 1 & 2, Christine #1, and Flesh-Eating Cheerleaders #1 (2nd Print),should have released yesterday. We are hearing some disturbing reports that Diamond hasn't shipped them all out. So, we want to know … Did they actually arrive?"

Feel free to let them know. Because as of now, they will no longer be sending comic books to Diamond Comic Distributors for the now-all-too-familiar reasons.

"We are at a loss at this time. This latest order, mentioned above, was a very large order for us. We had reservations sending it to Diamond in the first place, and as of this moment, we still have not been paid for this order. We have reached out to Diamond several times to ask for the status of this payment, and those emails have been ignored. Our initial emails were simply to ask for acknowledgement of receipt of the invoice we sent, and they didn't even have the courtesy of responding to those."

"So, as of right now, we aren't going to be shipping anything more to Diamond until we are paid. This will include Alien Armageddon #3, AXA #1, and everything else that was solicited in the May Previews. And this really bothers us, because as some of you know, these two books mentioned here were previously solicited and also canceled, much for the same reason we are canceling them now, and we REALLY don't want to cancel these for a second time."

"Simply put, these are such large orders for us, if we print and send these, and don't get paid, it will literally bankrupt us. So, we are awaiting payment of this last order before we determine how best to proceed. Either way, it is pretty much a guarantee at this point that the books in this order will not arrive on time. I don't want to get into numbers, but between what Diamond currently owes us (since January), and the orders we've been forced to cancel, the amount we have lost this year to Diamond is a pretty high number."

"Unfortunately, anyone who has been following the news, knows that the new owners of Diamond have not been paying anyone, and that all of their biggest clients have been jumping ship. Just this week we've seen stories of Dynamite, Fantagraphics, and Titan, all pulling their books because of this same issue."

"We aren't going to be an exception to this. We keep hoping that some miracle will happen and that Diamond will get their act together, but we already have contingencies in place in case they don't. First and foremost, we do have our retailer portal, which we have mentioned in previous posts. You can always order direct from us."

"But we have also signed on with the new distributor, Philbo Distribution. This catalogue should be going live for orders in the next couple of days (and when it does, we will make a quick update here with a link to that catalogue). Philbo was gracious enough to allow us to relist the books from May and June Previews in here, as well as our July books. So, in case we aren't able to get these to you from Diamond, we will make sure that they are able to be gotten through Philbo Distribution. The one thing this distributor doesn't allow though are our naughty covers, which we know many of your customers enjoy. So, if you are going to want those, and Diamond falls through, the only place you will be able to get those is direct from us."

No naughty covers being distributed through Philbo? I thought Zenescope was going to Philbo as well? Clearly these are changes coming to the market… You can use these Diamond tabs to keep up with the latest on the bankruptcy situation at Bleeding Cool and find out how we got here, below.

• On the announcement of Chapter 11 on the 14th of January, Diamond started a 13-week bankruptcy process run by financial firm Raymond James, got financing to operate, and announced an auction for its assets.
• Those assets included Diamond Comic Distribution, Alliance Gaming Distribution, Diamond Select Toys, CGA and Diamond UK
• Universal Distribution was named the Stalking Horse bidder for Alliance Games and Diamond UK, which required a purchase commitment of thirty-nine million dollars, but with certain discounts and privileges for taking that position.
• The auction took place, and it went late. There was food and breakfast billed for.
• And Alliance Entertainment, or AENT, was named the top bidder for the assets of $72,245,000, though not for Diamond UK. This was widely announced, including by Diamond themselves.
• Then we learned that a joint bid by Universal Distribution and Ad Populum came second and was named the back-up bid, with a bid of $69,130,000. With Universal getting Alliance Gaming and Diamond UK, and Ad Populum getting Diamond Comics, Diamond Select Toys and everything else. Basic Fun was third with fifty million.
•  Bruce Ogilvie, AENT chairman, was invited onto a podcast with comic book retailers Dennis Barger and Jesse James after, apparently, watching my performance on the Beyond Wednesdays podcast in which he talked about AENT and Diamond.
• A court hearing with the Honorable Judge Rice in Courtroom 9-D at the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland at 10 am was intended to ensure the legality of the bid and the process.
• But instead, over that weekend, the debtors declared that they had chosen the back-up bid from Universal and Ad Populum instead of AENT, despite AENT having bid more. No reason was given.
• AENT filed a lawsuit regarding this decision.
• It took the bankruptcy court to reverse that decision and state that AENT, with the higher bid, had won, though they would have to withdraw their lawsuit.
• AENT has terminated their winning bid and purchase.
• Universal Distribution and Ad Populum were back in the running
• Diamond declared "business as usual" but the courts threatened Chapter 7 over late paperwork.
• AENT sued Diamond, claiming fraud
• Diamond says it's all in hand and went back to court, wanting to be owned by Universal and Ad Populum.
• Sale of Diamond to Universal and Ad Populum was approved by the courts.
• Though Ad Populum paid more than we thought.
• Podcast blamed/credited with the current state of affairs
• Diamond tells Skyrush to stop claiming they won CGA.
• As part of court filings, Diamond released details for every comic store on account.
• We have some finality.
• Ad Populum and Universal Distribution officially acquire Diamond and related assets.
• The layoffs have begun.
• And continue.
• Diamond Select Toys has closed
• Diamond try and reassure retailers over ComicSuite
• Courts withdraw Chapter 7 bankruptcy threat
• We look at the future of Diamond Previews again
• PRH pulls out of Diamond entirely
• Well, not entirely, the UK can stay.
• Hermes Press says Diamond doesn't want to distribute their comics anymore… or anyone's.
• But Diamond pushes back on that, as they publish a new Previews.
• And they assure comic book stores that everything is going to be fine. Honest.
• Then send a letter to publishers which looks like it isn't
• Now they are looking for more money and longer to pay it back.
• Dynamite would like half a million now, please.
• Udon and Manga Classic have now cancelled all Diamond orders.
• Then so did Drem Productions
• And PRH starts to close their special retailer joining offer
• Diamond gets a fourth wave of funding and deadlines.
• Philbo Distribution launches.
• Alliance Entertainment hire seven senior Diamond staffers.
• Universal Distribution rumoured to be hiring Diamond staffers to enter the US market.
• Massive Distribution expands within Lunar
• Diamond has cancelled all their PRH orders.
• There are problems with Ad Populum's first payments to comics publishers
• Ad Populum sues AENT alleging breaches of confidentiality and staff poaching.
• Ad Populum still ghosting publishers.
• Bankruptcy timeline revealed it began in July 2024
• Diamond ends cash on delivery sales
• Hermes Press hires Steve Leaf
• Diamond responds to Dynamite
• Diamond closes No Cost Orders, sends out reminder emails to comic book stores
• Boom Studios makes layoffs.
• Zenescope pulls out of Diamond.
• AENT Says Diamond Claim They Poached Staff "Fails As A Matter Of Law"
• It's Claimed New Diamond Owner Said He's "Playing Chicken With Idiots"
• Mike Schimmel Talks, Under Oath, About The Diamond Comics Firings
• Dynamite jumps to Lunar Distribution
• Diamond takes Previews digital only
• Universal Distribution to distribute in the USA as well as Canada, starting with DC Comics
• Conflicting Statements Over Diamond, AENT And Ad Populum Lawsuits
• This Week, There Are Only Five Comics On Diamond's FOC
• Robert Gorin, Chief Restructuring Officer Of Diamond Comics, And Geek
• Titan Has Not Received Payments From Diamond Comics, Stops Supplying
• Fantagraphics Says That Diamond Is Holding Their Comics Hostage
• Kathy Govier, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, Out At Diamond
• Confirmed, AENT Tried To Buy Diamond In October To Avoid Bankruptcy
• Dynamite Pulls Their Comics Out From Diamond Comic Distributors
• Diamond Moves To Liquidate All Consigned Comics "Held Hostage"
• FairSquare Graphics Calls Diamond "Thieves & Bandits", Brings Receipts
• Ultimate Comics Chain Refuses To Buy Diamond Liquidation Stock

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