State of Comics Statement on Vault Comics & Mad Cave Comics Publisher Distribution Changes
Following our previous announcement regarding Diamond Comic Distributors' Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, two major publishers, Mad Cave Studios and Vault Comics, have announced significant changes to their distribution. Vault Comics has canceled all upcoming solicitations with Diamond, though their Free Comic Book Day titles—Post Malone’s Big Rig FCBD Special and Def Leppard’s Hysteria FCBD Special—will still be available through Diamond. Retailers can continue ordering Vault’s titles through Lunar Distribution, Simon & Schuster, and direct sales. Some previously canceled titles will reappear on Lunar’s final order cutoff form with updated release dates.
Mad Cave Studios has appointed Lunar Distribution as its exclusive direct market distributor across all imprints, including Papercutz, Maverick, and Nakama Press. Retailers are encouraged to place orders through Lunar for upcoming releases like Pop Kill #1 and Blade Forger #1. Mad Cave President Mark Irwin emphasized their commitment to supporting retailers with reliable service, while Lunar Co-Owner Christna Merkler highlighted Mad Cave’s ability to produce compelling content for comic fans worldwide.
These moves come as part of a broader industry shift following Diamond’s financial struggles. Mad Cave joins Image Comics and BOOM! Studios in moving away from Diamond, with BOOM! expediting its transition to Penguin Random House Publisher Services by April 1, 2025. State of Comics remains committed to keeping our customers informed about order availability and industry changes. For updates, visit State of Comics.
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