Humble Bundle has partnered with a bunch of indie publishers: Ablaze, Action Lab, American Mythology Productions, Battle Quest Comics, Drawn & Quarterly, Dynamite Entertainment, Fantagraphics Books, Heavy Metal, Living The Line Books, Valiant Entertainment, Zenescope, Hermes Press, and Green Ronin Publishing to support their shared goal of encouraging bold ideas and creativity in their creators and readers, bringing you some of their most beloved titles, like quirky time travel graphic novel There’s No Time Like the Present, intimate queer family drama Stone Fruit, fairy tale reimagining Grimm Tales of Terror, sci-fi epic Moonray, and the newly revamped Heavy Metal! You choose what you pay for all of these and more, and every purchase supports the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund!
We brought the news in early March that there was some movement in the court case between Diamond and numerous publishers. The various parties and Diamond met on February 26 and March 3-4 in an attempt to find a resolution, the nature of the claims and defenses, to arrange disclosures, and propose a discovery plan. On March 4, there was a filing hashing out the plan for discovery, the process where documents pertaining to the case are handed over.
Discovery is the process where documents related to the case are handed over to the parties involved for them to go through as far as evidence. This can be emails, text messages, Slack messages, and can easily go into the millions of documents.
The issue is who owns the consigned goods that are still being held by Diamond. Zenescope, Action Lab Entertainment, Ablaze, American Mythology, Battle Quest Comics, Paizo, Living the Line, Herman & Geer Communications, and Green Ronin Publishing are all fighting to get their inventory back. Diamond wants to keep the inventory to be able to sell it off to pay creditors. JPMorgan Chase Bank wants Diamond to sell off the inventory so it can get paid back by Diamond. Sparkle Pop is involved because it has sold off some of the inventory when it wasn’t supposed to and currently is holding the physical product in a warehouse it controls.
An updated timeline has been released as far as the discovery plan with some slight shifts from the previous released plan.
Electronic Discovery. The parties have reviewed Rule 26(f), which, inter alia, addresses preservation of discoverable information, discovery of electronically stored information, and claims of privilege or work product protection. The parties have reviewed the Principles for the Discovery of Electronically Stored Information (“ESI”) in Civil Cases (as set forth by the United States District Court for the District of Maryland at https://www.mdd.uscourts.gov/sites/mdd/files/ESI-Principles.pdf), and will discuss the ESI Principles to agree on voluntary compliance, as appropriate. The Principal 2.03 Conference will occur on or before April 3, 2026. Documents and ESI shall be produced electronically via a mutually agreeable method such as an FTP site, and assearchable Static Images. This production protocol may be modified by mutual agreement or by court order.
Rule 26 Disclosures. Unless otherwise agreed to by the parties, the parties shall make their initial disclosures pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(a)(1) on or before March 23, 2026.
Discovery. The Parties have agreed that they may propound document requests, interrogatories, and requests for admissions pursuant to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the Local Rules of this Court, which response shall be made within 30 days of service. Unless otherwise ordered by the Court or agreed to by parties, the limitations on discovery set forth in the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure shall be strictly observed. (a) Discovery Requests. The Parties shall serve all initial document requests, interrogatories, and requests for admissions on or before April 9, 2026. (b) Agree on ESI Search Terms. The Parties will make reasonable efforts to agree on ESI Search Terms on or before April 23, 2026. (c) Substantial Document Production Completion Date. The Parties expect to have document production substantially completed by June 4, 2026. (d) Fact Discovery Cut Off. The Parties have agreed that, except for Rule 26(a)(1) disclosures, all fact discovery in this case shall be initiated so that it will be completed on or before July 31, 2026. The Parties have agreed that they may take fact depositions at any time prior to the expiration of the fact discovery deadline. (e) Privilege Logs. Privilege logs shall be produced in accordance with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure so as to be completed within five (5) business days of the related document production. Privileged communications occurring after April 29, 2025, need not be included on a privilege log. (f) Expert Initial Disclosures. The identify of expert witness and subject matter of expected testimony, per Rule 26(a)(2)(A) and 26(a)(2)(C)(i), shall be disclosed on August 7, 2026. Any rebuttal experts, and subject matter of expected testimony, shall be disclosed on August 17, 2026. (g) Expert Reports and Expert Discovery Cut Off. Expert reports and all other information required by Rule 26(a)(2)(B), along with any documents or information considered by the expert, shall be exchanged on September 8, 2026. Rebuttal expert reports and all other information required by Rule 26(a)(2)(B), along with any documents or information considered by the expert, shall be exchanged on September 29, 2026. All expert discovery shall be completed by October 20, 2026.
Protective Orders. The parties will submit a confidentiality order to the Court for approval on or before April 3, 2026.
Case Dispositive Motions. Any dispositive motions must be filed on or before November 3, 2026. Answering briefs in opposition thereto are due seventeen (17) days later (November 20, 2026), with reply briefs to be filed twelve (12) days after the filing of any answering briefs (December 2, 2026).
Joinder of Other Parties and Amendment of Pleadings. All motions to join other parties, and to amend or supplement the pleadings, shall be filed on or before June 19, 2026.
Pretrial Order. If this adversary proceeding cannot be resolved on dispositive motions, the Parties have agreed to file a Joint Pretrial Report within thirty (30) days of the Court’s ruling on dispositive motions.
Length of Trial. The Parties estimate that the time required to try this adversary proceeding will be 3-4 days.
Other Matters. There are no other matters that need to be raised at this time.
Based on all of those dates, we likely won’t see a court case before 2027.
We brought the news in early March that there was some movement in the court case between Diamond and numerous publishers. The various parties and Diamond met on February 26 and March 3-4 in an attempt to find a resolution, the nature of the claims and defenses, to arrange disclosures, and propose a discovery plan. On March 4, there was a filing hashing out the plan for discovery, the process where documents pertaining to the case are handed over.
The issue is who owns the consigned goods that are still being held by Diamond. Ablaze, Battle Quest Comics, American Mythology Productions, Action Lab Entertainment, BOOM! Entertainment, and Fantagraphics are all fighting to get their inventory back. Diamond wants to keep the inventory to be able to sell it off to pay creditors. JPMorgan Chase Bank wants Diamond to sell off the inventory so it can get paid back by Diamond. Sparkle Pop is involved because it has sold off some of the inventory when it wasn’t supposed to and currently is holding the physical product in a warehouse it controls.
We said in our recent reporting that the earliest the trial would happen is November but likely December due to holidays. Well, we were off, because there is now a “hearing on dispositive motions” is set for January 27, 2027. That’s a hearing that asks the court for a ruling before a trial begins. The trial is expected to last 3 to 4 days.
Indie comics and their publishers are having a moment like never before, and what better way to celebrate this achievement than by putting together a bundle of the best of the best? And even better than that?? You can get all of these comics delivered right to your inbox at the low price of your choice!! Humble Bundle has partnered with a bunch of indie publishers: Ablaze, Action Lab, American Mythology Productions, Battle Quest Comics, Drawn & Quarterly, Dynamite Entertainment, Fantagraphics Books, Heavy Metal, Living The Line Books, Valiant Entertainment, Zenescope, Hermes Press, and Green Ronin Publishing to support their shared goal of encouraging bold ideas and creativity in their creators and readers, bringing you some of their most beloved titles, like quirky time travel graphic novel There’s No Time Like the Present, intimate queer family drama Stone Fruit, fairy tale reimagining Grimm Tales of Terror, sci-fi epic Moonray, and the newly revamped Heavy Metal! You choose what you pay for all of these and more, and every purchase supports the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund!
NBM has announced that it has been acquired by Ablaze in an asset sale. NBM co-founder Terry Nantier will package new titles for Ablaze. The acquisition includes the NBM brand and catalog. It “provides for the assumption of contracts with creators and licensors and the transfer of editorial operations to Ablaze.” NBM will continue as an imprint of Ablaze.
The acquisition of NBM allows Ablaze to expand its international market reach and boost its backlist as well as launch new creator-owned titles.
NBM will be distributed along with other Ablaze titles by Simon & Schuster, Lunar, Universal, and Diamond UK.
Terry Nantier co-founded NBM (Nantier, Beall, Minoustchine Publishing) in 1976 as the first American publisher to focus exclusively on graphic novels, introducing BD to the U.S. market.
Nantier will serve as editorial consultant and packager for Ablaze, with several new books in development for 2026.
As if the drama with Diamond‘s chapter 11 process isn’t crazy enough, now, there’s further issues in court when it comes to Diamond. Diamond has submitted a complaint against Ablaze to “determine the validity, priority or extent of a lien or other interest in property.” Ablaze is one of the publishers that are part of theAd Hoc Committee that are fighting Diamond to determine who owns consigned inventory still in Diamond’s possession. Diamond wants to sell the inventory to raise money to pay back loans to JPMorgan Chase Bank while the publishers want the property back or be paid for it.
UDATE: As soon as we went to press with this, a similar motion against Action Lab was filed. Action Lab is not part of the Ad Hoc Committee. Since it went “AB” and now “AC,” we’re getting this in alpha order. We’ll keep a list of publishers below with each filing added as they’re released.
It looks like Diamond will be going with adversary proceedings.
In Diamond’s motion they go through the history with Ablaze that they began a distribution agreement on April 1, 2023 where Ablaze supplied goods to Diamond on consignment. Ablaze then didn’t do the proper filing, UCC-1, which protects inventory if a distributor goes into chapter 11. Diamond began its chapter 11 proceedings in January. The lack of the UCC-1 Financing Statement is a regular argument that Diamond has made that they have the rights to the inventory. Diamond argues that due to bankruptcy code, and because Ablaze didn’t file the right paperwork, that Diamond has a superior interest to Ablaze when it comes to the inventory.
Diamond is asking the court to decide the inventory is theirs and they’re going publisher by publisher to do this.
In their filing they ask the court to declare that Diamond:
it has an interest in the Defendant Supplied Consigned Inventory superior to the interest of the Defendant,
the Debtor’s interest in the Defendant Supplied Consigned Inventory constitute property of the Debtor’s estate within the meaning of section 541(a) of the Bankruptcy Code, and
the Debtors can sell or otherwise dispose of the Defendant Supplied Consigned Inventory pursuant to Bankruptcy Code section 363(b), without regard to the terms and conditions of the Agreement, free and clear of any alleged interest in the Defendant Supplied Consigned Inventory held or asserted by the Defendant pursuant to Bankruptcy Code section 363(f).
All of this was Diamond’s original argument to be able to sell the consigned goods, now they’re just making it at the publisher level instead of a blanket one for all. The questions are:
Is this serious and going to play out with the upcoming hearing regarding the publishers motion over consignment goods still coming?
Is this an attempt at leverage to try to get the publishers to settle and cut a deal with Diamond?
We’ll keep updating this as to which publishers Diamond has filed against. Publishers include:
There’s been a lot of unanswered questions when it comes to Diamond‘s chapter 11 filing and the purchase of its assets by Universal Distribution and Ad Populum/Sparkle Pop. The Ad Hoc Committee of Consignors has submitted a motion that lifts the veil a bit and gives clues as to some of those answers.
The Ad Hoc Committee of Consignors is a group of creditors, aka publishers, impacted by Diamond’s chapter 11 and also Diamond’s motion to try to sell consignment goods to help pay back its debts. The committee includes Ablaze, American Mythology, Avatar Press, Battle Quest, Drawn & Quarterly, Fantagraphics, Green Ronin, Hermes Press, Living the Line, Paizo, Udon Entertainment, and Zenescope.
At the heart of this motion is the question as to whether anyone can legally sell goods still held by Diamond and if Ad Populum or Universal Distribution properly continued any of the previous Diamond contracts.
In short, who the hell are currently selling and profiting from the comics and games being “sold by Diamond”?
Sit back, because this is a doozy of a filing and we’re going to try to break it down with bullet points for ease and the really interesting parts are in bold…
Diamond filed its bankruptcy on January 14, 2025 and on January 21 put in a motion to sell its assets
On May 1, Ad Populum/Sparkle Pop and Universal Distribution won the bidding prosses for the assets
On June 10, Diamond filed a notice of the sales closing with each closed in mid-May
Goods held on consignment by Diamond were excluded from the inventory sold to Ad Populum/Sparkle Pop and Universal Distribution
Spark Pop was given 20 business days after closing to decide what contracts it would continue and that includes the contracts (consignors) between Diamond and the publishers
Diamond nor Ad Populum/Sparkle Pop filed motions to have the “Consignors’ Contracts assumed and assigned.” This ended in early June 2025
Universal Distribution did include assumed contracts in its sale closing which was filed a month after closing. That included Green Ronin Publishing and a distribution agreement with Paizo. But, the purchase agreement and sale order didn’t identify any assigned contracts, so there’s some paperwork issues there.
On June 25, 2025, Diamond filed a motion to sell the consigned inventory it has.
After, there were a lot of objections to that consignment sale.
On April 17, Titan Publishing Group filed an emergency motion to compel Diamond to assume or reject its distribution agreement with Titan
On May 16, 2025, Diamond filed a motion objecting to Titan’s motion.
Got all that? In short, no one has filed the paperwork properly to assume or reject the contracts that existed between Diamond and the publishers.
There’s more interesting details…
On May 27, an email was sent to publishers stating the Ad Populum/Sparkle Pop and Universal Distribution were responsible for all sales activity after May 16 and Ad Populum/Sparkle Pop’s Diamond was a new entity. The Ad Hoc’s motion states that the email sent misled the publishers that the “Asset Sale to Sparke Pop was actually a sale of ownership, because it indicated that Diamond continued to operate under the ownership of a new buyer.”
What’s interesting is that that email says Ad Populum is responsible for new stock, but never took over any stock and that the legacy consignment stock continued to be sold… by someone.
And that’s what is at the heart of this motion, who is selling the stock that Ad Populum/Sparkle Pop and Universal didn’t purchase. Diamond isn’t providing information concerning that.
The May E-Mail confirms that the Stock continued to be sold by someone after the Sparkle Pop and/or UDL sales closed, but it is unclear who is selling the Stock. The Debtor has confirmed that it has not sold stock after May 15, 2025, but has declined to voluntarily provide any information to the Consignors as to who sold Stock after May 15, 2025, which Stock was sold, or what payments remain due and owing to the Consignors on account of the sales. The Debtors have declined to voluntarily provide any information to the Consignors as to how any party other than the Diamond Distributor Debtor could sell Stock without a properly assumed and assigned agreement to do so.
The motion has amounts that are owned to each of the publishers. The 12 publishers are owed at least $555,971.84. But, that amount is unknown and likely higher since Diamond isn’t providing up-to-date reporting as to what’s sold or collected, so that amount may be higher.
The motion goes on further to poke holes in Diamond’s plan to sell the consignment stock and that there are outstanding obligations.
It’s asking for the status of these contracts to be determined and done so soon and the consignors what the contracts to be terminated when if Diamond rejects the contracts.
They’re also conducting discovery to find out who sold the stock after the May 15 sale to Ad Populum/Sparkle Pop.
During the Diamond Chapter 11 bankruptcy case, there’s been an “Ad Hoc Committee” that has represented multiple creditors impacted, the creditors being publishers and others Diamond owes money to. But, who makes up the “Ad Hoc Committee?”
Formed on or about July 11, the group is represented by YVS Law, LLC and with a new filing, we now know who is represented answering more questions as to how publishers are responding to the legal proceeding and checking off 11 more who are involved in the proceedings.
The “Ad Hoc Committee” consists of:
Ablaze LLC
American Mythology Productions, LLC
Avatar Press, Inc.
Drawn & Quarterly Books Inc.,
Fantagraphics Books, Inc.
Green Ronin Publishing LLC
Herman & Geer Communications, Inc. dba Hermes Press
Don’t want to go through all of the comic, manga, manhwa, and graphic novel releases each week? In this week’s (Comic) Splash Zone, we run through the top 5 comics that stand out to us.
This week’s list includes:
Justice League Unlimited #3 (DC Comics)
Power Rangers Prime #3 (BOOM! Studios)
Traveling to Mars (Ablaze)
Ultimate Spider-Man #13 (Marvel)
Void Rivals #16 (Skybound)
Find out why these made the list and then go support your local comic shop and get them!
Timed to New York Comic Con, Jeff DiBartolomeo, head of comiXology, unveiled a robust and diverse slate of new digitally exclusive comiCology Originals titles, teased upcoming projects, and announced a new print publisher for the program.
At an event at Amazon’s Midtown Manhattan office, DiBartolomeo underscored the company’s ongoing dedication to the comiXology Originals program as he teased 17 newly acquired projects with writers and artists Serg Acuña, Matthew Arnold, Frank Barbiere, Marc Bernardin, John Broglia, Mike Collins, Alex Cormack, Cat Farris, Valeria Favoccia, Alti Firmansyah, Veronica Fish, Adam Freeman, Davide Gianfelice, Marc Guggenheim, Kim-Joy, Neil Kleid, Szymon Kudranski, Lee Loughridge, Vic Malhotra, Marz Jr., Chris Matthews, Omar Morales, Mau Mora, Tom Morello, Stephen Rhodes, John Romita, Jr., Gonzalo Ruggieri, Mark Schey, Alex Segura, Scott Snyder, Taki Soma, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Jordan Thomas, Steven Thompson, and Harvey Tolibao.
DiBartolomeo also announced the next wave of new creator-owned comiXology Originals titles being released digitally in the coming months from all-stars Noah Bailey, Mike Carey, Whitney Cogar, Michael W. Conrad, Sunando C, Mark Dale, Allie Drake, Valeria Favoccia, Jonathan Hill, Tom Napolitano, Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, Curt Pires, Pablo Raimondi, MK Reed, Scott and Jack Snyder, and José Villarrubia.
In his remarks, DiBartolomeo underscored Amazon’s commitment to comics as he highlighted Comixology’s expanding print distribution. First, his presentation highlighted the upcoming print releases through comiXology’s new print distribution relationship with the publisher Ablaze, which was announced in May 2024. Beginning this month Ablaze is bringing the stunning 2024 Eisner award-nominated gothic love story Parliament of Rooks, by Abigail Jill Harding and Richard Starkings, to print in single issues. In November, in time for the holiday season, Ablaze will publish the Eisner award-winning graphic novel Harvey Kurtzman’s Marley’s Ghost, by co-writer Josh O’Neill and artist Gideon Kendall, who were on hand to presenttheir take on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, followed by the publication of Miles Gunter and Briane Andan’s Grammaton Punch in 2025. And he shared that just this week Comixology extended their deal to bring 6 more titles to print with Ablaze including Cold Hard Cash: A Martha Chainey Escapade, Hard Style Juice!, Retroverse, Roderick and the City of Morhil, Sliced, and The Lycan. The release schedule will be announced at a later date.
DiBartolomeo then announced that Comixology has inked a new deal with independent publisher Mad Cave Studios to bring 10 Comixology Originals titles to bookstores, libraries, and comic shops. This exciting slate of releases includes Beneath, Boxed, Breaklands V2 and V3, Ghostbox, The Ghost of Wreckers Cove, Groupies, Midstate, Nostalgia, and Wag. The release schedule will be announced at a later date.
The next wave of Comixology Originals digital releases announced today include:
Ghostbox—Ghostbox #1 (of 5) debuts October 29, 2024
Ghostbox is a fantasy/horror story by acclaimed writer Mike Carey (Lucifer, The Girl With All The Gifts) and artist/letterer Pablo Raimondi (Sacred Creatures, Books of Doom), with colors by José Villarrubia launching just in time for Halloween! When sisters Chloe and Jan Peace unexpectedly inherit a mysterious carved wooden box, they discover that it’s inhabited by ghosts – and sought after by a race of shape-shifting monsters.
Stillman—Stillman #1 (of 5) debuts December 10, 2024
Writer Curt Pires (Endless, Money) and a rotating list of artists including Sunando C along with colorist Mark Dale and letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou tackle a new crime thriller. Peter Stillman leads a double life. By day he is a successful family man with a loving wife and two beautiful children trying to carve out his own little slice of the American dream. By night–his real life–as a violent hitman with deep ties to organized crime.
Budding Crisis–Budding Crisis #1 (of 5) debuts January 21, 2025.
Written by MK Reed (Americus, Science Comics: Dinosaurs, Delver) with art and letters by Jonathan Hill (Americus, Lizard Boy 2) and colors by Allie Drake, Budding Crisis is a new fantasy series about the disappearance of the world’s most precious magical resource, a plant whose seed has the power to grant wishes. With the Onomanthe plant extinct in the wild and the last cultivated strain dying out, what will the population do?
By A Thread Book 2—By A Thread #5 (of 4) debuts Spring 2025
Reuniting the father-and-son team of Scott & Jack Snyder with artists Valeria Favoccia and Whitney Cogar and letterer Tom Napolitano, the world of By A Thread expands with an all-new story arc! Charlie and our young heroes have defied the odds by traversing the deadly Shroud in search of a safe haven. With foes more powerful than ever before on their trail, will they even make it onto land?
The 99 Legs–The 99 Legs (ogn) debuts Spring 2025
Writer Michael W. Conrad (Neptune, Nightwing) and acclaimed artist Noah Bailey (Diabolical, Station Grand) reunite for the horror suspense original graphic novel The 99 Legs. The 99 Legs follows a down on his luck crime writer who discovers a string of murders in his area that seem to align with his newest unpublished manuscript. Terrified by this turn of events, the writer contacts his agent to halt the manuscript’s delivery to publishers, fearing that it will implicate him in the crimes. What follows is a blood spattered, spiraling nightmare, as the mystery of the killer’s identity unfolds.
The Comixology event hosted numerous creators including Jamal Igle, Tula Lotay, Lee Loughridge, Clay McCormack, Helen Mullane, Ricardo López Ortiz, Curt Pires, Alex Segura, Scott Snyder, and Chip Zdarsky showcasing their recent Comixology Originals titles. There were also special guest appearances by Kim-Joy and Marc Guggenheim and video messages from actor Thomas Jane and acclaimed writer Mike Carey talking about the upcoming release of The Lycan, which was announced earlier this year at SDCC, producer Steven DeKnight who talked about his debut original graphic novel Beneath, drawn by artist Michael Gaydos who was on hand at the event, and Ariela Kristantina spotlighted her upcoming graphic novel The Girl Who Draws on Whales.
