Part 5/11:
These creator accounts highlight a pattern of financial instability endemic to smaller publishers relying on pre-orders, print-on-demand, and the direct market. The pandemic exacerbated these issues; Diamond Comic Distributors cut off or delayed shipments at the pandemic's onset, leaving many publishers and shops without revenue. Action Lab appears to have been vulnerable, with some creators alleging the company is "hand-to-mouth," reliant on delayed payments from distributors, or even lacking funds altogether.