Heavy Metal announced this week that it has signed with Simon & Schuster for distribution in the book channel, making it the fifth comics publisher to make that move in recent weeks. The contract, which covers sales and distribution to the U.S., Canada, and international territories, took effect on February 1. The first round of new titles to be distributed by S&S includes collected editions of Dylan Sprouse’s Sun Eater and Dan Fogler’s Brooklyn Gladiator and Fishkill (see “Actors Dylan Sprouse and Dan Fogler Pen New Series for Heavy Metal”), the second edition of Heavy Metal CEO Matthew Medney’s science fiction novel Beyond Kuiper: The Galactic Star Alliance, and the first volume of Taarna, the Last Taarakian (see “Heavy Metal Relaunching Taarna as Flagship Character in Heavy Metal Universe”).

Ahoy Comics has also announced it is moving its distribution to S&S as of March 2021; like Heavy Metal, it was formerly with Diamond Book Distributors.

Source Point Press, Vault Comics, and Red 5 have also announced distribution deals with Simon & Schuster in recent weeks (see “Another Comic Publisher Signs with Simon & Schuster”).