UDON has announced it has Halted All Shipments to Diamond Comics until Further Notice

UDON Entertainment and its sister-company Manga Classics Inc. have halted all shipments of product to Diamond Comic Distributors, until further notice. Any retailers with outstanding orders for new, upcoming, or even existing products should consider those orders cancelled. UDON and Manga Classics ask Retailers and Vendors to seek alternate sources (listed below) to obtain their wide variety of comic books, graphic novels, manga, art books, and other materials.

In January, Diamond announced it was declaring Chapter 11 and in May its assets were sold with the comic distribution and other parts sold to Ad Populum. What remains of old Diamond has yet to announce its plan to pay back its creditors.

In the announcement, UDON Chief of Operations Erik Ko stated:

With the current state of uncertainty and lack of communication from the new owners to both retailers as well as many publishers, we have to do what is best to serve our customers. We realize this is a deep inconvenience for many retailers, but we’re trying to do our best to serve our partners and fans, while minimizing risk and moving forward in an uncertain time.

UDON Entertainment is known for their line of Capcom licensed original comics based on Street Fighter, Drkstalkers, and Mega Man, and for manga and artbooks based on game and anime properties including Elden Ring, Persona, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and more. Manga Classics is a publisher of manga adaptations of classic novels, featuring authors from Jane Austen to Charles Dickens to William Shakespeare. Their newest title features Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. 

For “Direct Market” retailers (i.e. Comic Shops): 

All Diamond Comics Distribution pre-orders for previously solicited titles releasing in May-August 2025 can be ordered instead through Lunar Distribution.

One key title affected will be the forthcoming Mega Man Timelines #1, which will receive a new release date of June 25, 2025. 20% of UDON’s initial orders on the title came from Diamond Comics accounts. To cover new orders from any former Diamond customers switching over to Lunar, UDON will be producing a 25% overprint on all direct market editions of Mega Man Timelines #1 (ordering info below).

Also to retailers, please update your distribution information. For comic book products, retailers can find UDON’s monthly comics offered through Lunar and Universal (in future). For Graphic Novels, Manga, Art books, and Manga Classics titles, please order through our new distribution partner Simon and Schuster. 

A message to UDON’s Fans:

We’re sorry for all of the uncertainty and stress that the ongoing Diamond bankruptcy situation is causing you! We hope to continue to make our comics and books available to you with little-to-no interruption. The best thing you can do is remind your local comic shop that you want our comics, and that they are available through Lunar Distribution and Simon & Schuster! 

Source: Graphic Policy