Penguin Random House becomes Marvel's exclusive book market distributor in 2023

Marvel's relationship with comic book shops and now the book market is evolving as its relationship with Peng🔜uin Random House expands

Marvel and Penguin Random House
(Image credit: Marvel / Penguin Random House)

A little more than a year after shocking the comic book community by leaving Diamond Comic Distributors for Penguin Random House Publisher Services (PRHPS) in the comic book Direct Market of specialty co💮mics shops (see below), Marvel and PRHPS have announced all of Marvel's newly published and backlist edition๊s and graphic novels will be distributed exclusively to Book Market retailers by PRHPS beginning April 1, 2023.

The deal is described as an "exclusivܫe worldwide multi-year sales and distribution ag💯reement."

Marvel's Book Market distribution is currently handled by Hachette Book Group, which will continue to distribute Marvel titles untꦛil April 2023. 


Original story follows...

Marve꧙l Comics has found a new distributor to get its comics into comic shops: Penguin Random House.

Marvel 💦has entered into an exclusive multi-year deal with Penguin Random House's distribution arm to deliver its comic books, trade collections, and graphic novels to the comic shop market (the Direct Market) beginning on October 1.

"After a thorough analysis of the market environment, Marvel has chosen Penguin Random House Publisher Services (PRHPS) as its distribution partner to create a sustainable, productive supply chain and enhanced infrastructure for Marvel publica꧒tions that will benefit comics retailers and fans alike for years to come," reads Marvel's announcement. "Penguin Random House is known for its state-of-the-art multi-ranging services that enable independent booksellers to increase efficiency and profitability."

What does this mean for Marve🎉l's longstanding Direct Market distributor Diamond, which it had been ex𝕴clusive with since 1997? Direct Market retailers can still order their Marvel comics through Diamond, although Diamond would be acting as a wholesaler to the Direct Market, ordering Marvel products through PRHPS.

From 1997 to 2020, Diamond Comic Distributors has been the primary (and nigh-exclusive) regular distributor of comic books to comic shops. After a COVID-19 led shutdown of their distribution in March 2020, 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:DC broke away from Diamond andඣ partnered with new distributors for comic shops.

Diamond Comic Distributors

(Image credit: Diamond Comic Distributors)

"Comics are the core of the Marvel Universe, and we are confident this new partnership will continue to grow and evolve this resilient industry," Marvel Entertainment president Dan Buckley says in the🌱 announcement. "We look forward to advancing our capabilities with PRHPS to serve our fans and the Direct Market," Buckley says. "We thank Diamond for their many years of support and partnership as we continue our relationship with them in other areas."

Marvel ♛will continue to partner with Hachette Book Group for distribution of its trade collections and graphic n📖ovels to the booktrade market.

"Marvel's entire history is built on telling great stories. And as we've seen for decades, those stories go hand in hand with equippinꦉg the comic shops who share them. Marvel and Pe🐼nguin Random House stand by that vision, and we are excited to build and expand those opportunities for our talent, retailers, and fans," says Buckley.

PRHPS already distributes comics to the booktrade, but this would be their first major foray into the Direct Market. Their booktrade client list includes DC, Archie Comics, IDW Publishing, Dark Horse Comics, and Kodansha Comics. It's pos🍸sible those booktrade clients of PRHPS could consider ওusing it for the Direct Market as it enters this new arena.

"This is ꩲan exciting time for comics, and we're thrilled to partner with Marvel in taking the next steps to support the growth of the marketplace, together with our Direct Market retail partners," says PRHPS's president Jeff Abraham. "Based on the foundation of our relationships with physical retailers, we're confident in the significa🍃nt growth of the comic book industry and welcome the opportunity to further collaborate with and invest PRHPS' resources in the Direct Market. 

"Combining the standard-setting supply chain and sales capabilities of PRH🎃 with Marvel's renowned universe of stories and characters, we expect to reach even more fans of its art꧙ists and writers throughout the world."

Unlike DC when it similarly switched distribution partners in 2020, Marvel is sღticking to its usual Wedne🐽sday release date.

Marvel's first releases for P🅰RHPS will be solicited for o♈rder starting May 26.

Marvel's digital distribution appears unchanged. Check out our list of the best digital comics readers for Android and iOS devices.

澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Michael Doran

I'm not just the Newsarama founder and editor-in-chief, I'm also a reader. And that reference is just a little bit older than the beginning of my Newsarama journey. I founded what would become the comic book news site in 1996, and except for a brief sojourn at Marvel Comics as its marketing and communications manager in 2003, I've been writing about new comic b𒊎ook titles, creative changes, and occasionally offering my perspective on important industry events and developments for the 25 years since. Despite many changes to Newsarama, my passion for the medium of comic books and the characters makes the last quarter-century (it's crazy to see that in writing) time spent doing what I love most.

With contributions from