ComixTribe Announces Distribution Deal with Diamond

On the backs of works such as The Red Ten, Scam and The Standard, ComixTribe is cornering the market on use of the word "the" in titles. That's not really an announcement worth heralding though. The fact that they've just reached a partnership with Diamond Comics Distributors is something to crow about.

"We're thrilled to be working with Diamond," said ComixTribe publisher and THE RED TEN scribe, Tyler James. "With the help of maverick retailers who took a chance on our books, we were able to demonstrate that our comics could find a readership and deserved shelf space. Diamond took notice."

Both The Red Ten #1 and Scam #1 were launched in a handful of shops before taking off with the New England Comics Retailers Alliance (NECRA). That microdistribution network expanded to 50 retailers by the time The Red Ten #2 hit stores. That number will no doubt increase exponentially thanks to the latest agreement.

"We can't speak highly enough of the retailers we worked with. Whether they stocked five copies of our books or 500, we've always believed that every single retailer, and every single reader counts. I promise to keep that in mind as we now have a fighting chance to get stocked in retailers nationwide," said James. The Diamond deal will mean ComixTribe books can be ordered alongside the biggest titles from Marvel, DC, Image, and the rest.

Now, with great news sometimes come great downsides. The downside here is that new issues of Scam and The Red Ten will be delayed until the series have had a chance to distribute through Diamond. ComixTribe's Diamond debut book will be a relaunch of Scam #1 which will be appearing in the June issue of Previews, for sale in August.

"I'm beyond honored that SCAM will be the Diamond debut book for ComixTribe," said writer/artist Joe Mulvey. "I'm thrilled people everywhere will have a chance to pick it up at their local shops. And for those readers who already have, I promise SCAM #2 will be worth the wait."

ComixTribe also announced that they will continue to keep their micro-distribution network in place. Certain titles will be offered directly to the micro-distribution network, including the North American retail debut of The Standard by John Lees and Jonathan Rector and the limited run of Oxymoron #1 by Jason Ciaramella.

"While we're excited to be working with Diamond, we think that there still is an incredible opportunity for short run, exclusive, micro-distributed titles in the comics market. As a publisher, we see micro-distribution as an opportunity to market test new properties, or reward shops with exclusive books. And I think retailers also see a value in having an elite selection of books, and stocking books virtually no one else has," says James.

Full press release below.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ComixTribe Signs Deal with Diamond, Keeps Micro-Distribution Network Intact

April 19, 2012 -- Newburyport, MA -- Independent publisher ComixTribe announced today a partnership with Diamond Comics Distributors, Inc. to distribute its creator-owned titles including SCAM, THE RED TEN, and others in development.  The upstart publisher had previously made headlines by circumventing the traditional direct market distribution system and still managing to ship thousands of books directly to more than 50 retail partners. The Diamond deal will give the year-old publisher a direct pipeline to virtually every comic shop on the planet.    
"We're thrilled to be working with Diamond," said ComixTribe publisher and THE RED TEN scribe, Tyler James.  "With the help of maverick retailers who took a chance on our books, we were able to demonstrate that our comics could find a readership and deserved shelf space.  Diamond took notice."  Last November, ComixTribe humbly launched its first title THE RED TEN #1 in a handful of shops, before expanding thanks to a partnership with the New England Comics Retailers Alliance (NECRA.)  Joe Mulvey's SCAM #1 built on that momentum, selling out of its first printing of 777 copies 10 days before going on sale in just 21 retailers.  The second issue of THE RED TEN in February was ComixTribe's widest release to date, and it's microdistribution network was comprised of more than 50 retailers when they inked the Diamond deal.  

"We can't speak highly enough of the retailers we worked with.  Whether they stocked five copies of our books or 500, we've always believed that every single retailer, and every single reader counts.  I promise to keep that in mind as we now have a fighting chance to get stocked in retailers nationwide," said James.  The Diamond deal will mean ComixTribe books can be ordered alongside the biggest titles from Marvel, DC, Image, and the rest.  
 
The Downside...
 
The one drawback to this opportunity is that new issues of SCAM and THE RED TEN will be delayed until the series has had a chance to distribute through Diamond.  ComixTribe's Diamond debut book will be a relaunch of SCAM #1 which will be appearing in the June issue of Previews, for sale in August.  SCAM is “X-Men meets Oceans 11″ and involves a team of super-powered grifters on the biggest con of their lives...taking down a Vegas casino and getting revenge on a former teammate who double-crossed them. A remastered version of THE RED TEN #1 will appear in the August previews, for sale in October. The series will then release on a bi-monthly schedule.

"I'm beyond honored that SCAM will be the Diamond debut book for ComixTribe," said writer/artist Joe Mulvey.  "I'm thrilled people everywhere will have a chance to pick it up at their local shops.  And for those readers who already have, I promise SCAM #2 will be worth the wait."
 
The Presses are Broken on SCAM and THE RED TEN 
 
Because ComixTribe is going back to press with a Diamond order in July, no more books for these series will be printed between now and this summer, and the books will soon be pulled from their online shop.  "First prints of SCAM and THE RED TEN have sold to collectors on Ebay for as high as $25-$59 dollars, so hopefully there's an opportunity for any of these micro-distributed, limited run issues still out there to increase in value in advance of the Diamond relaunch," said James.  
 
"We Still See an Opportunity for Micro-Distribution"      

ComixTribe also announced that they will continue to keep their micro-distribution network in place.  "While we're excited to be working with Diamond, we think that there still is an incredible opportunity for short run, exclusive, micro-distributed titles in the comics market.  As a publisher, we see micro-distribution as an opportunity to market test new properties, or reward shops with exclusive books.  And I think retailers also see a value in having an elite selection of books, and stocking books virtually no one else has," says James. 
 
For this reason, ComixTribe has announced that it will continue to offer certain new titles directly to its micro-distribution network, including the North American retail debut of THE STANDARD by John Lees and Jonathan Rector, and a super limited run of THE RED TEN spin-off OXYMORON #1, featuring a script by Eisner-nominated writer Jason Ciaramella (THE CAPE) later this year. 

Check out our ComixTribe Retailers

 
Retailers: Interested in ComixTribe Micro-Distribution Network?

ComixTribe has a limited number of spots left for retailers interested in carrying our books.  These spots will be filled first-come, first-serve, so if you are a progressive retailer looking to support quality creator-owned books, contact tyler.james@comixtribe.com (or DM @tylerjamescomic at Twitter) immediately.  

 
About ComixTribe

ComixTribe is a publisher of creator-owned comics, including SCAM, The Red TenEPICTears of the DragonThe Standard,  and Runners.  In addition to being a publishing imprint, ComixTribe is also an online community, with the mission statement: Creators helping creators make better comics. ComixTribe also sponsors the annual 30 Characters Challenge, an online art event where participants challenge themselves to create 30 brand new characters in just 30 days, one for every day of November. Visit ComixTribe.com or email publisher Tyler James (tyler.james@comixtribe.com) to learn more. 

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