Green Ronin and its allies within the Ad Hoc Committee of Consignors are set to enter mediation with Diamond Comic Distributors at the end of October 2025. This development marks a potentially significant step towards resolving the protracted legal battle stemming from Diamond’s bankruptcy proceedings.
The news comes via an update on Green Ronin’s blog, penned by company President Chris Pramas. The Ad Hoc Committee, a group of publishers using Diamond’s consignment model, has been locked in dispute with the distributor over funds owed and the status of publisher-owned stock held by Diamond when it filed for Chapter 11.
According to Pramas, the Committee recently filed a robust response to adversary proceedings initiated by Diamond against each member company. Describing the legal document, Pramas noted,
…our lawyer went through point by point saying (in legalese), ‘This is bullshit and here’s why.'”
Following this filing, Diamond proposed mediation. The Committee approached this offer cautiously, having previously rejected two proposals from Diamond deemed “simply absurd.” Pramas explained:
Before we’d agree to mediation, we needed to know they were serious this time. Long story short, some ground rules have been agreed upon, and we are going to try mediation.
While expressing confidence in the Committee’s legal standing, Pramas acknowledged the potential benefits of mediation for achieving a faster resolution and mitigating rising legal costs. He stressed that any agreement reached must be advantageous to the Ad Hoc Committee of Consignors. Should mediation fail, the Committee intends to continue pursuing its legal case.
The financial strain of the legal fight remains a concern. Green Ronin’s GoFundMe campaign, established to cover legal expenses, is still active and accepting contributions.
This mediation attempt represents the latest chapter in the ongoing saga following Diamond Comic Distributors’ bankruptcy filing, an event that sent shockwaves through the independent publishing sectors of both comics and tabletop games. Publishers operating on a consignment basis, where Diamond only paid for stock once it was sold to retailers, faced particular uncertainty regarding their inventory and receivables. Court interventions have previously occurred, notably concerning the status of publisher-owned stock held in Diamond’s warehouses.
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- You can support Green Ronin’s legal defence via their GoFundMe page.
