Press Release: 18 September 2002
Abiogenesis Press, publishers of the Strangehaven graphic novel series is very happy to announce that they have signed an exclusive distribution deal for the US bookstore market with Diamond Book Distributors.
Publisher and creator Millidge said, “Strangehaven was originally conceived to appeal to the general book-reading public and I’ve always made every effort to ensure that it can be enjoyed by both the comics newbie and the comics connoisseur. Subject matter, artwork and page layout are intended to make a mature, complex mystery accessible to the widest possible readership.
“I’m extremely happy to have signed a deal with Diamond for the bookstore trade which I believe will help Strangehaven to broaden its reader base beyond its cult comics niche to the regular book market which I believe to be its natural home.
“Diamond Book Distributors offered me a great deal which should benefit all parties from publisher to distributor to retail to consumer”
Diamond Book Distributors have also recently signed up top graphic novel publishers Top Shelf, Image and Dark Horse to their roster on an exclusive basis. DBD distribute to all areas of the book trade including Borders, Walden Books, Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, Ingram, Baker & Taylor, Virgin and Tower Records among many others, as well as enjoying relationships with the library marketplace, YALSA and filling STOP orders.
In the wake of the collapse of LPC, through whom Abiogenesis’ books were distributed (via Top Shelf Productions, Inc.) to the US book trade, Strangehaven has been without a book distributor. Abiogenesis will now deal directly with Diamond for the book trade and will continue to do so for the direct comics market, but Top Shelf will continue to represent Abiogenesis in the US for mail order and conventions as well as acting as Gary Spencer Millidge’s personal agent.
You can read Diamond’s official press release below:
DIAMOND BOOK DISTRIBUTORS – NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Vice President of Sales and Marketing Kuo-Yu Liang
September 16, 2002
Abiogenesis Press Selects Diamond for Bookstore Distribution
Diamond Book Distributors has announced that it has been named the exclusive U.S. and non-exclusive worldwide distributor of Abiogenesis Press’s English-language graphic novels to the bookstore, library, warehouse club, and mass merchandise markets.
Located in London, England, Abiogenesis Press was founded by creator Gary Spencer Millidge for the publication of his award winning series, Strangehaven. Based in magic and mysticism, the acclaimed series has received rave reviews from such diverse publications as The Washington Post, Comics International, Tripwire, Wizard: The Comics Magazine, and others. Noted writer Alan Moore described the series as “soap opera noir.”
“When it comes to shining a realistic light on the worlds of fantasy, few do it better than Gary Spencer Millidge and Abiogenesis Press,” said Diamond Vice President of Purchasing Bill Schanes. “It’s an honor to add them to the Diamond Book Distributors family.”
“Strangehaven was originally conceived to appeal to the general book-reading public and I’ve always made every effort to ensure that it can be enjoyed by both the comics newbie and the comics connoisseur. Subject matter, artwork and page layout are intended to make a mature, complex mystery accessible to the widest possible readership,” said Abiogenesis Press publisher Gary Spencer Millidge. “I’m extremely happy to have signed a deal with Diamond for the bookstore trade which I believe help Strangehaven to broaden its reader base beyond its cult comics niche to the regular book market which I believe to be its natural home. The Strangehaven series of “soap opera noir” graphic novels is planned to run at least four volumes.”
Diamond’s Sales Team will begin working with bookstores, book wholesalers, warehouse clubs, mass merchandisers, and libraries to place Abiogenesis’s graphic novels across the country. “Thanks to the success of films such as Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, titles like Strangehaven are hot commodities in the mainstream bookstore market,” Schanes added, “and we look forward to helping Abiogenesis find optimal placement for its products in that venue.”
1966 Greenspring Drive, Suite 300 o Timonium, MD 21093
Phone (410) 560-7100 o FAX: (410) 560-7148o www.diamondcomics.com
DIAMOND BOOK DISTRIBUTORS (DBD) is a division of Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc., the world’s largest distributor of English-language comic books and related merchandise. Under the guidance of Vice President of Sales and Marketing Kuo-Yu Lang, an 18-year veteran of the retail publishing and book trade, DBD is dedicated to making a wide selection of graphic novels and other pop culture collectibles available to the mainstream book market.
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