Attached is a list of Wholesale Suppliers of comics and graphic novels.
Also attached is a list of Publishers/Imprints and the Distributors that carry them. (Note: Diamond carries most of these Publishers/Imprints. For brevity, this document lists only the non-Diamond publishers).
If you are a Publisher or a Distributor and would like to be added to this list, or if you see an error that you would like us to amend, please contact marco@comicspro.org.
Comic Books
The vast majority of comic book stores get their new comics from Diamond Comics International. Diamond is the only Distributor of mainstream comic books. Some publishers will also sell directly to comic book stores.
Graphic Novels
Diamond is the #1 distributor of graphic novels to comic book stores. In recent years, retailers have also been setting up secondary sources of distribution with other distributors (i.e. book store distributors) and with publishers directly.
Why are comic stores setting up secondary sources of distribution?
- To get items that Diamond doesn’t have.
- To get fast fulfillment (eg 2-3 days with free shipping).
- To sometimes order on a returnable basis.
- To get cost savings (especially on kids books or if the store has a high Diamond shipping bill. Diamond is one of the few distributors that doesn’t offer free shipping to qualifying orders).
- To get services that Book Market Distributors offer:
- 30 day terms
- Free displays
- Dedicated book market reps
- Other promotions
Further Reading
https://www.comicsbeat.com/tilting-at-windmills-275-diamond-and-graphic-novel-distribution – In this article from August 8, 2019, Brian Hibbs compares and contrasts various comic and graphic novel distribution options. He also lists some of the reasons that comic stores are setting up secondary sources of distribution. Finally, he focuses attention on Diamond and asks “Is Diamond keeping up with changes in graphic novel distribution?” This article is a must-read for those who want to understand today’s landscape of comic and graphic novel distribution.
