Diamond Book Distributors, a U.S.distributor of graphic novels, comics periodicals and pop culture merchandise to the bookstore and comics shop markets (and a subsidiary of Diamond Comic Distribution), is expanding into the U.K. and international markets.
Kuo-Yu Liang, v-p of sales and marketing for DBD, said that no U.S. company has been servicing the U.K. graphic novel market for the past few years. The U.K. market, said Liang, is "important and growing," and the DBD U.K. venture "was the next logical step in growing our business."
DBD U.K. will be under the direction of John Hitchen, who has worked for Diamond Comic Distribution in the U.K. since 1992. The new division has also hired Ros Wesson, formerly with Random House U.K. as key accounts executive; Simon Byrne, formerly with Publishing News, will be key accounts manager.
