While not addressing the shockwaves caused by DC cutting ties with Diamond Comic Distributors directly, Friday IDW Publishing issued a pledge of support for Direct Market comic book shop owners on one of the most volatile days in industry history.
The San Diego, CA-based publisher announced it is extending returnability for at least another seven weeks, in an effort to help alleviate financial risk for retailers caught in the middle of the sudden distribution upheaval.
"In a year of comic market volatility and uncertainty, IDW is pledging its support for Direct Market comic retailers by extending full returnability on all new releases through at least the end of July, and removing all associated fees for the foreseeable future," reads the publisher's pledge. "These moves help to provide comic specialty shops a risk-free opportunity to stock new launches and other key IDW releases -- allowing retailers to order with confidence and effectively gauge customer demand."
IDW is also pledging to "aggressively promote store traffic via social media initiatives, email messaging to subscribers, and additional means of customer outreach."
“Comic shops are the frontlines of the comic industry, where word-of-mouth, spinner racks, and staff hand-selling make all the difference in a comic book’s success,” says Chris Ryall, IDW’s President, Publisher, and CCO in a statement. “It’s our responsibility as publisher to make that process as low-stress as possible for our partners in the retail community. During a time like this, making it easier to stock our books is really the least we can do.”
