AENT Archives

Then the events that directly occurred after the auction, that saw winning bidder Alliance Entertainment or AENT pushed aside in preference to the back-up joint bidders Universal and Ad Populum, and for the first time, the reasons given by Diamond Comic Distributors, the debtors of the Chapter 11 bankruptcy for that rejection Well, Jason Teele[...]

At the auction of Diamond Comic Distributors as part of Chapter 11 bankruptcy procedures, the winning bidder was Alliance Entertainment or AENT, who paid over $70 million, higher than the next-best joint bidders of Ad Populum/Sparkle Pop and Universal Distributors But then, after announcing AENT as the winner, Diamond suddenly announced that the back-up bidders[...]

Here's a timeline if you want to catch up… 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[...]

Here's a timeline if you want to catch up… 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[...]

It was something that Alliance Entertainment (AENT) CEO and owner Bruce Ogilvie said in the Beyond Wednesdays podcast that caused so much fudd, that no one seemed to pick up on That, before Diamond Comic Distribution moved to Chapter 11 bankruptcy, that AENT had looked into buying Diamond Comics there and then, which would have[...]

With Alliance Entertainment (AED) suing Diamond/Ad Populum over allegations of fraud, and Diamond/Ad Populum suing AENT for allegations of breaking confidentiality and poaching staff, we have borne witness to some of the inner machinations of both parties And have been able to create a timeline, including the allegations each side made AE is Alliance Entertainment,[...]

In a series of statements introduced into the Alliance Entertainment/AENT and Ad Populum/Sparkle Pop lawsuits over the Diamond Comic Distributors Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, much has come down to AENT hiring a number of people from Diamond Comic Distribution Especially Mike Schimmel, former Vice President of Sales at Diamond, who has been there for twenty-one years,[...]

Mike is now Senior Vice President of Sales at Alliance Entertainment (AENT) as of a few weeks ago Bleeding Cool is continuing to cover the latest in AENT's response to the lawsuit made against them by Ad Populum/Sparkle Pop Which was over the many, many, many issues regarding the Diamond Comic Distributors (DCD) Chapter 11[...]

Bleeding Cool has already reported on Alliance Entertainment (AENT)'s legally filed response to Diamond Comic Distributors's new owner, Ad Populum/Sparkle Pop It concerns their lawsuit that claims AENT broke NDA agreements with Diamond as part of the Chapter 11 bankruptcy auction, as well as subsequently breaking agreements by poaching Diamond staff But there's more[...]

Alliance Entertainment (AENT) won that auction, with Universal Distribution and Ad Populum/Sparkle Pop coming second as joint bidders The courts (eventually) declared AENT the winner, but they suddenly pulled out, citing that they had been misled.  So the back-up bidders won the auction, with Ad Populum/Sparkle Pop taking Diamond Comic Distributors while Universal got other[...]

Ad Populum, under their subsidiary company Sparkle Pop, the new owners of Diamond Comic Distributors, have launched a lawsuit against Alliance Entertainment or AENT The suit alleges that AENT stole trade secrets from Diamond and poached employees during Diamond's Chapter 11 bankruptcy case This comes after AENT made a winning, if challenged and court-confirmed, bid[...]

With seven senior Diamond Comics staffers now at Alliance Entertainment or AENT. Matthew Demory, who had been at Diamond Comic Distributors for thirteen years, moving from Comics Brand Manager to Print team Assistant Manager, has just announced that he is now Product Manager/Buyer at AENT. Joe Lunday, formerly Director of E-commerce Sales at Diamond Comic Distributors, and[...]

This session was originally meant to look at the Alliance Entertainment (or AENT) purchase of Diamond Comics Of course, since that meeting was arranged, this has changed AENT has pulled out of the purchase and has filed a lawsuit alleging fraud and deception on Diamond's part over the contracts regarding Wizards Of The Coast A[...]

Alliance Entertainment, or AENT, is suing Diamond Comic Distributors over the details of how the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process played out In this process, they were named the highest bidder for Diamond, initially rejected by the debtors, confirmed by the courts, and then terminated the purchase agreement themselves.  The current lawsuit claims that Diamond "fraudulently[...]

Why did Alliance Entertainment or AENT terminate its agreed and won purchase of Diamond Comic Distributors? Under Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and based on court documents, there are only a few reasons it would be allowed to And Bleeding Cool is going to go through them all and share some of out thoughts on the matter. To[...]

Yesterday, Bleeding Cool ran the news that pop culture distributor Alliance Entertainment or AENT were cancelling their high eight-figure planned purchase of Diamond Comic Distributors, despite winning the Chapter 11 bankruptcy auction and having the courts confirm their right to purchase when Diamond's debtors stated they preferred a lower bidder, Universal Distribution/Ad Populum. Emily Boticas, Vice[...]

Alliance Entertainment or AENT has issued an SEC filing as a Notice Of Termination over their agreement won in Chapter 11 bankruptcy auction to buy  Diamond Comic Distributors. SEC filing screencap The filing states first that"On April 25, 2025, Thomas Finke advised the Board of Directors of Alliance Entertainment Holding Corporation (the "Company") that he is resigning[...]

Titan Comics Vs Diamond Comic Distributors over just what on Earth happens next, with bankruptcy, the US courts and contracts

Bankruptcy Court confirms that Alliance Entertainment, or AENT, has bought Diamond Comics at auction, but their lawsuit must be withdrawn

The Baltimore bankruptcy court declares that Alliance Entertainment/AENT is to be the new owner of Diamond Comic Distributors... for now

The winning bidder in the auction, music/DVD/merch distributor Alliance Entertainment, was then rejected by the debtors of Diamond in favour of a smaller combined bid from Canadian comics distributor Universal Entertainment and pop culture manufacturer and licensor Ad Populum, which would split the assets of Diamond Comic Distributors between them. Ad Populum, AENT, Diamond and Universal[...]

This is what we know, from the top, with links. Alliance Entertainment and Diamond Comic Distributors On the announcement of Chapter 11, Diamond started a 13-week bankruptcy process run by financial firm Raymond James, got finance to operate, and announced an auction for its assets. Those assets included Diamond Comic Distribution, Alliance Gaming Distribution, Diamond Select Toys, CGA[...]

Alliance Entertainment boss Bruce Ogilvie talks about why they bought Diamond Comic Distributors and his plans for the direct comics market.

As part of Bleeding Cool's reportage of the Diamond Comic Distributors' Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, including the agreed winning bid for the majority of the company from Alliance Entertainment or AENT, we noted the contracts that were being transferred from Diamond to Alliance Entertainment But it looks like this may be a rocky road ahead[...]