Milestone Moments
Much has happened to shape the comic industry in the last four decades, and Diamond Comic Distributors is proud to be at the center of that evolution. To celebrate our more than 40 years of service to comic book specialty retailers and vendors around the world, we present this timeline highlighting key milestones and achievements in our history.
2022
Celebrating Milestones
- Diamond celebrates 40 years of service to comic book specialty retailers and vendors around the world.
- Diamond’s Retailer Services Department celebrates 25 years of providing Diamond customers with centralized customer service for placing orders, reporting & resolving issues and more.
2021
Pullbox
- PULLBOX launches, a new online platform that lets consumers subscribe to comic book titles, preorder from the latest PREVIEWS catalog, and order any item available—all from their local comic shop!
2020
Shipping Box Redesign & ACH Payments
- Added corner protectors to 400ct boxes; Redesigned 50ct boxes
- Payment options expanded to include ACH payments
2016
Retailer Services Website Enhancements & Comicsuite Lite
- Diamond’s Retailer Services Website introduces a number of new features including a new FOC Upload Tool, Account-Specific Incentive Variant Quantity Information, Enhanced Reorder Search Features, and the ability to view Order History on the website’s Initial Order & Reorder Pages
- A scaled-down version of the ComicSuite point of sale system, ComicSuite Lite launches allowing order placement, subscription maintenance, subscription/special order pull list generation and more
2015
Olive Branch Expands, T-Boxes, New to Order, On-Order Notifications
- Diamond expands its Olive Branch operations, taking on 75,000 additional square feet of space adjacent to its main 600,000 square foot facility.
- Comic Folder T-Boxes are introduced to help retailers ship orders of up to approximately 20 comics or a standard size graphic novel or TP.
- New to Order is introduced to offer new products to retailers every day.
- On Order Notifications – an information column designed to help retailers reduce the potential for duplicating orders is added to the Initial Order Page of Diamond’s Retailer Services Website.
2014
Diamond UK Website Enhancements
- Diamond UK introduced improved website offering UK retailers the ability to create initial PREVIEWSorders, view invoices & account history, receive breaking news & product information, and much more.
2012
Halloween Comic Fest, Best Practices Awards, Incentives & Subsidies
- The first Halloween ComicFest is held
- Diamond inaugurates the Retail Best Practices Awards
- Diamond teams with leading suppliers to offer retailers incentives for expanding their businesses, as well as subsidies for purchasing RMH/ComicSuite Point-of-Sale equipment.
2011
Day-Early Delivery
- Diamond launches Day-Early Delivery.
2010
KidsComics.com
- Diamond launches kidscomics.com to direct young readers and their parents to kid-friendly comics and comic shops across the United States and Canada.
2008
PREVIEWSWorld.com & Olive Branch Opens
- PREVIEWSWorld.com launches
- Diamond’s Olive Branch Distribution Center opens with 600,000 square feet of space and a state-of-the-art Warehouse Management System.
2007
Comic Suite
- Diamond announces ComicSuite, its first Point-of-Sale software
2004
Final Order Cut Off
- The first Final Order Cut-off Form is posted on Diamond’s Retailer Services Website, allowing retailers to raise or lower their orders up until the publisher sets its print run.
2002
Free Comic Book Day, Diamond Book Distributors & Diamond Daily
- Diamond launches the first Free Comic Book Day in partnership with retailers and publishers
- Diamond Book Distributors is founded to service the growing demand for comics and graphic novels in the book trade.
- Diamond launches Diamond Daily, a daily e-newsletter that communicates news, product information, sales, and more.
2001
Retailer Summit & Reorders
- Diamond’s Retailer Services Website expands to include Reorders Online.
- Diamond holds inaugural Retailer Summit.
2000
Alliance Game Distributors, Diamond Bookshelf & Online Ordering
- Diamond acquires Alliance Games Distributors
- Diamond Bookshelf launches, offering librarians and education professionals information on how comics and graphic novels can be a positive addition to classrooms and libraries.
- Online Ordering becomes available on Diamond’s Retailer Services Website.
1999
Diamond Select Toys & Vendor Services Website
- Diamond Select Toys launches
- Vendor Services Website launch
1998
Retailer Services Website
- Retailer Services Website launch, a purpose-built suite of software and web services that has made retailers more efficient and profitable.
1997
One Call Does It All
- Diamond launches a centralized, personalized customer service center: “One Call Does It All” along with an Order Adjustment program, allowing retailers to change their orders when products’ prices or content change.
1996
Comic Shop Locator
- Diamond launches the Comic Shop Locator Service to aid comic fans looking for a local comic shop near them
- Diamond acquires its largest competitor, Capital City Distribution.
1994
Expansion
- Diamond acquires New York-based distributor Comics Unlimited, Ltd., giving Diamond 45% of the market.
- The Reorder Universe, which ultimately evolves into Diamond’s massive inventory hub, opens.
1992
Star System
- Diamond launches Star System, allowing retailers access to quick shipping of graphic novels and backlist products. Today, Diamond continues to maintain an extensive backlist of products from a wide variety of suppliers.
1991
Diamond UK
- Diamond moves into the UK market, acquiring Neptune Comic Distributors, Ltd and launching Diamond UK, Ltd.
1988
PREVIEWS & A National Footprint
- Diamond establishes a national presence with the acquisition of Bud Plant Inc., and begins publishing the PREVIEWS catalog.
1982
The Birth of Diamond Comic Distributors
- Transitioning from retailer to distributor, Steve Geppi incorporates Diamond Comic Distributors with one warehouse and 17 retail customers. Geppi named his new company 'Diamond' after the imprint used on non-returnable comics. Although the symbol was discontinued, the name remained.
