Scout Comics & Entertainment Holdings Inc. has signed a non-exclusive deal with Lunar Distribution for distribution of its comics, graphic novels, and merch to retailers, effective immediately, the companies announced.  The deal covers all Scout brands, including Scout Comics, Black Caravan, Scoot!, Outsider Comics, and Tracker Collectibles.

Scout titles will immediately be placed on FOC (Final Order Cutoff) by Lunar, allowing retailers to order closer to the release date; Diamond Comic Distributors, which will continue to distribute Scout titles in addition to Lunar and Scout’s direct-to-retailer option, does not have Scout on FOC.  "We are STILL waiting for the Diamond approval for their FOC," Scout Comics President James Haick told ICv2. Retailers will be able to begin ordering Scout titles via Lunar in April for June release.

This moves takes Lunar closer to full competition with Diamond, which before DC’s move to Lunar last year (see "DC Down to One Periodical Distributor, Again"), had been the only distributor to comic stores for almost all comic lines.