Diamond, Radical Publishing announce exclusive distribution deal

by CBR News Team, Editor

Fri, May 2nd, 2008 at 12:55PM PST

Official Press Release

Diamond Comic Distributors, the world’s largest distributor of English-language comics, today announced it has signed a special distribution agreement with Radical Publishing to exclusively distribute their products to comic book, game, and specialty store markets worldwide. Diamond was also awarded the rights to exclusively distribute Radical Publishing’s new releases to the book market under the banner of its sister company, Diamond Book Distributors.

“We met with Diamond after we had meetings with the top publishing companies in New York to discuss releasing our books to the national book trade", said Radical Publishing president Barry Levine. "Their advances into this market were amazing, fortified by their handling some major releases and their unmatched knowledge of the market, made it difficult to continue looking elsewhere. Having plans for several different imprints we needed a tough, determined company that could handle our mass market needs. Bill Schanes proved to us that they were the company to handle our titles beyond the Direct Sale market and our communications with their sales team couldn't be better."

Radical Comics will be releasing periodical mini-series beginning in May, with the release of their first issues of Hercules: The Thracian Wars and Caliber: First Canon of Justice in a deluxe, full color, 32-page, prestige format, for only $1. Future issues will be in standard format and will retail for $2.99. Radical Books will collect all the issues and republish them into deluxe, oversize, hardcover trades with additional pages of commentary from the creator, as well as extra character and production design illustrations. Radical is bringing the best in writing, storytelling and fully-painted cover and interior artwork to the global comic book market by prominent international talents such as Yoshitaka Amano, John Bolton, Luis Royo, Jim Steranko, Steve Niles, Ian Edginton, Steve Moore, Sam Sarkar, Stjepan Sejic, Dave Wilkins, Steve Pugh, James Heffron, Tomm Coker, Clayton Crain, Bill Sienkiewicz, Weta Workshop, Imaginary Friends Studios, and many more.

In addition to comic books, Radical will also publish art book collections, most notably Yoshitaki Amano's Mateki: The Magic Flute, which will include 128 pages of original artwork, being released this June for $29.95. Starting in August, Radical Publishing will be introducing several more comic books to the marketplace in 2008. The first of which will be Freedom Formula, created by Edmund Shern of Imaginary Friends Studios, set to debut at the 2008 San Diego Comic-Con. Followed by Steve Niles’ City of Dust in September and then Aladdin in October, being written by Ian Edginton.

"We are delighted at the opportunity to work with Radical Publishing and foresee great market potential for their graphic novel line,” said Diamond Vice President of Purchasing, Bill Schanes. “Their continued effort to provide top-quality products is an asset we value, and we’re greatly looking forward to working with them to promote and sell this line of books.”

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