Part 2/13:
At the heart of the financial turmoil are the direct sales market—mainstream comics sold through distributors like Diamond Comic Distributors. This channel has long been the industry’s backbone, but it's now in decline, with many comic shops closing and sales stagnating or dropping sharply. A recent article highlights the clashes between comic stores and Diamond, especially as the industry begins to reopen after pandemic-related restrictions. Retailers allege that Diamond has increased shipping costs during this period, which erodes their already thin profit margins.