Udon, publisher of Street Fighter, Mega Man, Elden Ring, and other videogame comics and art books, is the latest to cut ties with bankrupt distributor Diamond Comics

Until 2020, Diamond Comic Distributors held a near-monopoly on getting comic books to retailers in the US. Publishers like Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, Image, Viz, Boom, and Udon all sold their comics exclusively through Diamond, though hearing retailers grumble about them—often claiming books arrived damaged, late, or not at all, especially in small-town shops—was common.

When Diamond announced it would cease shipments during the Covid-19 pandemic in March of 2020, DC took it as an opportunity to jump ship...