Publishers Services International, a distributor of games, fiction, and graphic fiction to the book and hobby trades, filed suit last Friday against Roaring Studios, otherwise known as Dabel Brothers Publishing, alleging breach of contract and demanding payment of moneys owed, expenses, and other relief. 

According to the complaint, beginning last August (around the time that Dabel Brothers broke up with Marvel, see “Dabel Brothers Move on Again”), Dabel Brothers and PSI began negotiations for PSI to serve as Dabel Brothers’ exclusive sales and fulfillment agent.  The complaint refers to a “Settlement Agreement, Covenant Not to Sue, and Mutual Release” between Dabel Bros. and Marvel, in which Marvel agreed to pay Dabel Brothers $50,000.  According to the complaint, in connection with the distribution negotiations and that agreement, PSI advanced $45,500 to or on behalf of Dabel Brothers. 

Dabel Brothers ended up doing a deal with Del Rey instead of PSI (see “Dabels Go to Del Rey”), but repaid only $12,500 of the $45,500 advance, according to the complaint.  PSI’s suit requests the other $33,000, litigation costs, interest, and “such other and further relief as the Court may deem just and proper.”    

We asked Dabel Brothers for comment on the suit and received this response from Vice President Les Dabel: 

“This is a very unfortunate incident.  We had several talks with PSI to serve as a distributor for us.  We came to a possible agreement with them based on key events that were supposed to take place with our departure from our former publisher.  Unfortunately everything with PSI fell through when these key events did not take place.  We know this is an unpleasant situation for PSI, because we were in a similar situation at the time our deal with them fell through. Dabel Bros has been making payments to PSI and already has arrangements in place to take care of the balance to PSI.  We regret this incident took place but we are looking to make sure it is resolved.”

Prior to White Wolf’s merger with CCP, White Wolf Publishing and PSI shared some ownership.

Dabel Brothers publishes comic adaptations of literary properties, and currently has deals with Dean Koontz, Jim Butcher, George R.R. Martin, and Patricia Briggs.