DC Comics Will Close Down in June

DC is shutting down Vertigo Label.

DC Comics suffers huge layoffs.

DC book retailers unite over DC's split from Diamond

I for one am not sad at all.

After 80 years of suing artists/writers to steal their intellectual properties and abysmal work for hire contracts that kept their employees at poverty wages, it looks like DC is about to reap what they have sown.

Isn't Marvel Comics on the same path? It seems to me Marvel is guilty of the same qualities DC is guilty of.

I can't say I'm surprised by this news. Disappointed, to be sure, but not surprised. It's always a shame to see something cool that's been around for decades go away. Even without all the behind-the-scenes foolishness and lousy story-telling, I could sort of see this coming. Many people seem eager to divest themselves of physical media in favor of digital only media. Sad.

This being said, I'll be brutally honest and admit I haven't bought a comic book since 1993. I became increasingly soured with the turn comics had been taking back in the days of Rob Lifeld and "no-adjectives" Spider-Man (Todd McFarlane with multiple cover variants of the first issue). My "comic" purchases since have been in the form of storylines I liked bound up as graphic novels - or book format reprints like the Marvel Essential series.

Still...sad to see printed comics going away. I wonder what that will do for the value of people's comics collections?

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Screaming Dean
Isn't Marvel Comics on the same path? It seems to me Marvel is guilty of the same qualities DC is guilty of.

Nah, Marvel made a ton of money on the MCU movies.

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Taarna
Nah, Marvel made a ton of money on the MCU movies.

Did Marvel make a lot of money on those movies or did Disney make money on those movies? Even if Marvel is doing better than DC, I suspect they are having similar problems since Disney has more than a few layoffs of their own. And if Disney is making good money on their Marvel movies it's more despite Disney and the way they're doing things. There have been massive complaints against Disney for the way they've changed Star Wars, and Marvel comics haven't sold too well either.

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Screaming Dean

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Taarna
Nah, Marvel made a ton of money on the MCU movies.

Did Marvel make a lot of money on those movies or did Disney make money on those movies? Even if Marvel is doing better than DC, I suspect they are having similar problems since Disney has more than a few layoffs of their own. And if Disney is making good money on their Marvel movies it's more despite Disney and the way they're doing things. There have been massive complaints against Disney for the way they've changed Star Wars, and Marvel comics haven't sold too well either.

Not to go into a great deal of information but...

1) I can guarantee Disney made the money on those films, Marvel received far less money and you can bet that absolutely none of it trickled down to the artists or writers.

2) You are correct, Marvel is walking the same exact footsteps that led DC to where they are now. Fortunately for Marvel, Disney has DEEP pockets and no matter how bad it gets for Marvel they will never bankrupt. If the situation deteriorates to badly, Disney would probably step in and replace everyone or just shut the comic department down. Disney has shown a propensity for protecting their legacies.

3) Disney is involved in multiple law suits with the Star Wars franchise, seems some writers and artists haven't been receiving their royalty payments and Disney has chosen to fight them in court rather than pay what they are supposedly owed.

4) None of this really matters because Disney is so f'ing huge that they could archive Star Wars and Marvel comics and survive without them. If Disney ever does fail one can probably assume that the entire US economy has failed or collapsed...

That is about all the boring details I have to offer.

Seems it didn't take long at all for Marvel to follow DC into oblivion. I'm sure the MCU will commence onwards without the pandering dinosaur Marvel Comics has become.

Unfortunately, the link isn't cooperating, seems the code for CMF has been mangled. Big surprise there.

Anyway, Marvel is cancelling quite a few series, Including: Star Wars, Morbius, MIA, Daily Bugle, Dr. Strange, Silver Surfer Black, Scream Curse of Carnage, Robert E. Howard's Dark Agnes, Ghost Rider, Valkyrie Jane Foster, X-Men: Dawn of X Saga.

Also a ton of second printings were canceled, including Cable.

The New Warriors comic never even arrived at retailers but instead had it's status altered from New Release to "not in stock" even though none were recorded as sold.

It's quite the list. To bad the damn link won't display.

P.S. Disney has posted their first YEARLY loss of $4.8 Billion dollars. Their first yearly loss since 1980.

After all of the stupidity going on in the comics industry for at least 20 years, I'm fine with DC and Marvel both going into the crapper. Image was always better than both put together, and I liked Dark Horse and Top Cow a lot when I was still buying comics.
Disney taking losses also demonstrates the fact of "Write woke, go broke".
I think Marvel's Civil War crossover comics is a perfect example of what's wrong with things today: A lot of people were on the side of Captain America, and a lot were on the side of Iron Man; kind of like how a lot of people are for their rights and liberties, and a lot of people want "safety over liberty". Benjamin Franklin was right... But the whole thing divided comics fans, just like the political crap in the US is dividing the country.
Which is why my friends in the army and I pretty much all stopped buying Marvel comics, and DC not long after.

Bloodbath 3.

DC is cutting more staff.

Their published comics lines are down to 34 from over 100 comics per month.

Current industry rumors are saying that DC will cut from 34 to only 12 comics per month before the end of the year.

Brick and mortar shops are now refusing to even carry DC Comics or stock them on their racks.

I cannot post the links because the CMF code is mangled.

I found some articles from November, if that's what you're referencing. None of them paint a pretty picture, and I'm really not enthused about this Future State stuff they're pushing until March.

I'm not one to normally call someone stupid, but if anyone buys into this scam they deserve what they get.

DC Fan buy out but can't actually purchase IP?

Diamond publishing has shut down one of their North American facilities. They had three facilities but now only two remain.

Diamond has stated it is the fault of DC Comics, which isn't really true. DC just decided to go with a different publisher because they were sick of Diamond's BS and their monopoly over comics.

More stores are refusing to carry DC's Future State series, citing the $10.00 per issue sale point, which is f'ing ridiculous when you think about it, You can get TPBs starting at that price.

Not counting Future State, 75% of the current DC line up is Batman comics...

wouldn't be surprised if " 3rd party " publishers are allowed to produce and sell B or C tier DC characters. some day.

Frankly , the best comics out there are from independent comic companies ( or IMAGE ) like Black Mask, Valiant , or even some of the 1.50$ cover priced Alterna comics

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Necromancer
Diamond publishing has shut down one of their North American facilities. They had three facilities but now only two remain.

Diamond has stated it is the fault of DC Comics, which isn't really true. DC just decided to go with a different publisher because they were sick of Diamond's BS and their monopoly over comics.

More stores are refusing to carry DC's Future State series, citing the $10.00 per issue sale point, which is f'ing ridiculous when you think about it, You can get TPBs starting at that price.

Not counting Future State, 75% of the current DC line up is Batman comics...

Diamond's always acted the dictator and was a big contributor if not the primary reason many small companies folded as they actively set requirements that they knew the small people couldn't handle so that only the big two would get priority. After decades of that they've long needed their monopolistic setup eliminated so that they no longer get to decide who is and isn't able to remain in business.

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Nightmask

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Necromancer
Diamond publishing has shut down one of their North American facilities. They had three facilities but now only two remain.

Diamond has stated it is the fault of DC Comics, which isn't really true. DC just decided to go with a different publisher because they were sick of Diamond's BS and their monopoly over comics.

More stores are refusing to carry DC's Future State series, citing the $10.00 per issue sale point, which is f'ing ridiculous when you think about it, You can get TPBs starting at that price.

Not counting Future State, 75% of the current DC line up is Batman comics...

Diamond's always acted the dictator and was a big contributor if not the primary reason many small companies folded as they actively set requirements that they knew the small people couldn't handle so that only the big two would get priority. After decades of that they've long needed their monopolistic setup eliminated so that they no longer get to decide who is and isn't able to remain in business.

You are not going to see me lament the loss of Diamond, DC or even Marvel. These monopolies are entitled to and deserve every bit of bad karma coming their way.

Talking to my local comic pusher, Future State isn't selling well. Yes, DC split from Diamond and 75% of their lineup is Batman, but now DC comics arrive on Tuesdays instead of Wednesdays, so if you like the original cast, they show up a day early. At least the DCpocalypse hasn't happened yet, but it's still possible.

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Pel Morba
Talking to my local comic pusher, Future State isn't selling well. Yes, DC split from Diamond and 75% of their lineup is Batman, but now DC comics arrive on Tuesdays instead of Wednesdays, so if you like the original cast, they show up a day early. At least the DCpocalypse hasn't happened yet, but it's still possible.

It seems they have momentarily stabilized but they definitely have not recovered in any meaningful way. Without any recovery they most likely will begin declining again, their current lineup and model for business cannot support them indefinitely if they do not begin recovering their fans and selling product again.

Sooner or later, American comics are going to collapse unless they change their model for business and their infrastructures. Manga and self publishing/self print is going to bury the publishing houses of the past. It is just a matter of time.

I see quite a few Indy comic pop out like crazy and many are selling. Some are hot/can't find a few weeks after publication.
Marvel and DC have decline as their storyline and quality kind of suck, sweaty donkey balls after taste syndrome.

I think skyrocketed with White Widow, another Ms Meow took off, Someone is Killing the Children to name a few

Holy Cow!

Marvel has switched publishers to Penguin Random Publishing abandoning Diamond altogether.

Diamond had previously lost one of its three publishing centers when DC walked away.

This is a massive change in the industry. Looks like Diamond's days are numbered at this point.

On the plus side, retailers can now order Marvel direct in quantities that they desire instead of Diamond's monopoly forcing large quantities of product onto them.

The future outcome of all of this is going to be interesting to observe.

The death of Diamond can't come soon enough, they drove a lot of popular independent companies out of business deliberately due to their monopoly control over things. The Federal government should have stepped in and broke them up long ago.

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Nightmask
The death of Diamond can't come soon enough, they drove a lot of popular independent companies out of business deliberately due to their monopoly control over things. The Federal government should have stepped in and broke them up long ago.

I imagine they will still survive without comics, Diamond is a world wide publisher involved in many genres and mediums, but it would be awesome to see their stranglehold over comics shattered.

As i talk with a lot of comic book stores, they have stated that Diamond has been reduce, but not completely bereft of being a distributor. Though not knowing all the politics behind the move, it seems many titles are coming out damage and thus many have switched to other publishing companies.

To echo the esteemed Necromancer, "Holy Cow!". Marvel abandoning Diamond is welcome news, although it seems comic shops will have the option of ordering from Diamond as a wholesaler. Penguin Random is an interesting choice. Maybe our Marvel books will arrive on Tuesdays too!

And some are not getting what they ordered when they do the variant covers, if they have 2 they get one, if they have 3 or 4 they might get two of the covers or if they order 100 of each cover, might get 40 of one cover then 20 of the other. So if this is Diamond screwing up, then yeah, i can see why they are getting dropped.