Posted in: Comics | Tagged: DSTLRY, james tynion iv, scott snyder, si spurrier

Dstlry Puts Its Comics Publication On Pause

Dstlry puts its comics publication on pause, including White Boat, City Beneath Her Feet, Endeavour, Galactic and Mischief Of Magpies

Published Thu, 05 Feb 2026 09:57:11 -0600

by Rich Johnston

Last updated Thu, 05 Feb 2026 10:17:35 -0600

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Article Summary

Dstlry announces a publishing pause, delaying upcoming comic releases through early 2026.
The pause follows major distributor changes, including Diamond's bankruptcy and a move to Penguin Random House.
Popular titles like City Beneath Her Feet and White Boat are delayed but not cancelled.
Dstlry remains committed to creator-first publishing and promises a more stable release schedule soon.

Last month, I asked Dstlry representatives why they hadn't solicited any new titles for March 2026. They told me it was a pause month. But then they didn't have any listed for April 2026 either. And the books that were due for January and February seemed to have fallen off the system. Dstlry has now issued a statement, couighing to the delays, in an open letter titled "A Short Publishing Pause and What's Next"

The City Beneath Her Feet #3 Dstlry solicits

"Since launching in 2023, DSTLRY has existed to prioritize creators, reward quality, and offer readers something truly exceptional, both in storytelling and presentation. Our first full year in publishing, 2024, produced some truly amazing comics that we're incredibly proud of. We launched standout series that immediately earned critical recognition, and Somna took home the Eisner for Best New Series, a first for any debut-year publisher. Last year unfortunately brought more hurdles than consistency. Our distributor, Diamond, filed for bankruptcy, derailing our publishing schedule and preventing us from shipping our titles to the direct market (to name a few of the effects). DSTLRY books are now distributed by Penguin Random House to comic shops and the book market, a big step forward, but the transition created release gaps and added complexity to how and when books reach shelves. All of these obstacles, and our commitment to release these books with the thought and resources they deserve, have led us to this moment where we need to take a short pause in publishing. Not because creators are behind (many issues are done or nearly complete), but because publishing is more than than releasing inspired stories. Good publishing entails the right strategy for timing, marketing, printing, and distribution. And we want to make sure these books land with the impact they deserve. The following titles have been delayed:"

City Beneath Her Feet #3 – James Tynion IV, Elsa Charretier, Jordie Bellaire, and Aditay Bidikar – January 14, 2026

Endeavour #3 – Stephanie Phillips, Marc Laming – February 2026, originally for

Galactic #2 – Curt Pires, Amilcar Pinna – January 2026

Mischief of Magpies #1 – Simon Spurrier, Matías Bergara – April 2026

White Boat #3 – Scott Snyder, Francesco Francavilla – December 2025

"Again, these issues are delayed, not cancelled. This pause is about building the systems and stability to deliver on our promise. We've always said great comics can't be rushed. But we also know consistency matters: to readers, to retailers, and to the creators we're here to support. If you're frustrated, we understand. So are we. We love these comics and we love these creators. We hear you on message boards and on social media. We're going to feverishly work to guarantee a release schedule of the best comics published with minimal delay. This pause lets us regroup, reset, and return with a more stable, consistent publishing rhythm. Additionally, we're working to bring back several previously announced series that were caught in the Diamond-to-PRH shuffle. These remain a priority and we'll look to re-solicited these as soon as release paths are confirmed. Thanks for sticking with us. More updates to follow."

Dates above added by BC. In 2022, after seeing David Steinberger and Chip Mosher taking certain meetings at Thought Bubble in Harrogate, I thought I had a scoop and asked, "Chip Mosher & David Steinberger to Announce ComiXology Killer in 2023?" I was wrong. By a whole two years. Instead, they were doing creator deals to found Dstlry, pronounced "distillery", a creator-owned American boutique comic book publisher founded in 2023 by Comixology veterans David Steinberger and Chip Mosher that aimed to redefine creator-owned comics by blending high-quality physical editions with digital collectables, with big name launches from the likes of Chip Zdarsky, Mirka Andolfo, Becky Cloonan, Scott Snyder, Jock, Brian Azzarello, Eduardo Risso, Stephanie Phillips, Tula Lotay and more. The company emphasises creator-first models, premium formats, and allowing readers to buy, read, and even resell digital comics and collectables through their marketplace. Their physical comics are in larger, magazine-style formats with wraparound covers and high production values. They famously quit Lunar Distribution for Diamond Comic Distributors two months before Diamond declared bankruptcy, before moving to Penguin Random House. Their digital side has integrated with sister company Neon Ichiban for reading and collecting. That is when they get around to publishing again.

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