Disappointing news for Honor Brigade fans

Zapow · January 19, 2008, 07:22:28 AM

I received the news yesterday from a sales manager at Diamond that they wouldn't be distributing Honor Brigade anymore due to low numbers.

This was not totally unexpected. Since the beginning of my distribution deal there have always been problems ordering the book from Diamond. These complications usually resulted in me selling the books directly either off my site or at conventions.

This led me to the decision a while ago that after the HB mini-series I would no longer publish my own books. Instead I planned to transition Spinner Rack Comics to a production studio and seek out larger publishers to handle any distribution deals.

After #6 I planned not to have any more deals with Diamond. What I didn't expect was for Diamond to drop Honor Brigade before the series ended and not fulfil their orders for the last issue. The comic shops and fans expecting the book to hit shelves the first week in Febuary are being left high and dry by Diamond. That doesn't seem like a great way to do business but when you're a monopoly I guess it doesn't matter.

What does this mean for the readers? It means that for the time being I'm you're main source of Honor Brigade books. That's not entirely bad. I'm never out of stock, you'll get books in a timely fashion, and I'll even sign copies to make them worth like an extra five cents.

If you're a shop owner who ordered HB #6, contact me. I'll fill your order myself at whatever rate Diamond offered you. I'll also fill any back orders for the other HB books you may need. If you never ordered books from me because you were worried about the orders actually being filled, now is your chance to start. I have books, you want them, there shouldn't be any roadblocks to getting the product in your hands.

So this is not the death of Spinner Rack Comics or the end of me putting out new books. It's an annoying bump in the road.

Creating and publishing Honor Brigade was never about selling huge numbers. It was meant as a learning experience for Brad & myself, it was meant to establish the start of hopefully a large body of work, and it was meant to make fun all-ages stories that people enjoy. I feel that we've accomplished all those goals.

And with that, I'll leave you with a brand new page of art from Everyday Heroes, cuz once a pimp...always a pimp.;)

Uncle Yuan · January 19, 2008, 09:25:57 AM

I'm sorry the deal fell through for you. Thankfully I've always bought directly from you so the impact, to me at least, is minimal.

Zapow · January 19, 2008, 09:36:55 AM

Quote from: Uncle Yuan on January 19, 2008, 09:25:57 AM
I'm sorry the deal fell through for you. Thankfully I've always bought directly from you so the impact, to me at least, is minimal.

That was actually the biggest cause of the deal falling through. Too many people bought directly from me. If all the people who bought from me ordered through a shop we would have had the required numbers.

The other biggest factor are the people trade-waiting. This happens with bigger publishers too...their sales per monthly issues take a hit. They can absorb it more readily than a small publisher that needs to meet a required number to keep distribution going.

GhostMachine · January 19, 2008, 09:40:06 AM

Zap, does this put the kibosh on the trade paperback you planned on doing?

I'll definitely be ordering #6 from you; I also need to order #1. I put in my order well in time, but the shop didn't get #1 in....

Mr. Hamrick · January 19, 2008, 11:22:55 AM

i couldn't get the shop i frequent to get any of the titles in.

the trade would be nice

Outcast · January 19, 2008, 03:57:27 PM

:o......

:(. I'm sure Stan Lee has had his fair share of situations like these when he was still new. Hopefully things will eventually change for the better.

GGiant · January 19, 2008, 04:19:13 PM

:(

Zapow · January 19, 2008, 04:25:38 PM

Quote from: GhostMachine on January 19, 2008, 09:40:06 AM
Zap, does this put the kibosh on the trade paperback you planned on doing?

I'll definitely be ordering #6 from you; I also need to order #1. I put in my order well in time, but the shop didn't get #1 in....

The trade is still a go. I'll either find another publisher or publish it myself. Spinner Rack is still in fine shape and we sold books before the deal with Diamond. We're still good.

BentonGrey · January 19, 2008, 06:19:52 PM

Hey Zap, I'm glad you guys are still in the game, even without Diamond. I tried to order HB through my local shop, but they gave me a bunch of grief about special orders (part of the reason I switched shops to a vastly better place across town). Let us know when you get a new deal with another publisher, and I'll have the new shop order 'em for me.

Zapow · January 20, 2008, 01:12:53 AM

Quote from: BentonGrey on January 19, 2008, 06:19:52 PM
Hey Zap, I'm glad you guys are still in the game, even without Diamond. I tried to order HB through my local shop, but they gave me a bunch of grief about special orders (part of the reason I switched shops to a vastly better place across town). Let us know when you get a new deal with another publisher, and I'll have the new shop order 'em for me.

Just to clarify, any new publisher would be for new material, not Honor Brigade. Those you'd have to get from me.

BentonGrey · January 20, 2008, 09:52:16 AM

Yeah, I know, but I want to support y'alls future projects as well.

style · January 21, 2008, 07:14:05 AM

Diamond doesn't know what they are letting go. I have all the issues except the last and the 1st. And thats be cause as you said Zap Diamond sucked at thier distrubution. But Hopefully you are thinking of a new deal some where else. If you didn't get these issues THEY ARE MOST DEFFINATELY A MUST READ!!!!

The Hitman · January 22, 2008, 10:26:27 PM

Dang Diamond! Truth be told, I've never liked dealing with them, even from way back. Oh well, it's their loss, and you guys were doing fine before them anyways. I'll be ordering HB #6, another #1, and eventually the trade (possibly a couple) here soon.

And I'll let my shop guy know when you have a new publisher, so's I can get my hands on Everyday Heroes, and anything else Spinner Rack!

stumpy · January 29, 2008, 03:58:21 AM

Sorry to hear that your deal with Diamond is through. I was wondering what had happened. My local guy (who is really the only comics guy around, now that I am out in the sticks) kept telling me he had ordered them, but that they must not have come in. I don't know if he was shining me on or if there was some other snafu.

But, I will be getting the last few issues through you and I am glad you will be going ahead with the trade. It's a great book and it will be even more impressive in color. You and Brad have every right to be proud of it.

(BTW, I just went to the "buy online" page at the Spinner Rack web site and had some trouble. I'll try again later.)