Diamond Halts Shipments of All New Comics Due to #Coronavirus Pandemic https://t.co/lI5zCrCXgf pic.twitter.com/m0oz840ZLb
— Comic Book Resources (@CBR) March 23, 2020
Diamond Comic Distributors announced today that it is suspending all new orders from being shipped from its warehouses to comic book stores across the country. Diamond is the go-to distributor for almost every major comic book company in America.
Products currently on hand at the warehouse and set to be released on Wednesday will be shipped to stores that still have the ability to remain open. Any comics set for release next week and beyond will not be shipped to stores, or even printed if they have not been already.
Comic companies have been helping stores affected by the virus by offering steep order discounts and free returnability, while writers and artists have boosted stores that offer delivery sevices through their social media accounts.
Free Comic Book Day, a huge day for the industry, will now happen sometime this summer instead of May 2. Marvel and DC have used FCBD to tease upcoming summer events and stories, so it's anyone's guess whether those events will be pushed back or new content will be rush-created instead.
Companies have yet to announce whether they will continue on schedule with digital releases or put everything on pause until the pandemic is over.
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