Just as Marvel has moved its bookstore distribution from LPC to Diamond, ICv2 has learned that Dark Horse is moving from Penguin to LPC for its exclusive bookstore distribution. Though no press release has been issued as of yet, we've been told that the switch will take effect on July 27, 2001. With its extensive backlist of comic trade paperback titles (only DC's is bigger) Dark Horse is a comic industry leader in bookstore sales.

At today's Marvel news conference, Marvel President Bill Jemas announced the renewal of Marvel's agreement with Diamond Comic Distributors to continue Diamond's exclusive distribution of Marvel titles in the direct market. In addition, the two companies agreed that Diamond would also represent Marvel's trade paperbacks in the traditional bookstore marketplace.

Marvel President Bill Jemas announced at a press conference today, April 25, that Marvel will continue its relationship with Diamond as exclusive direct market distributor and will also expand the relationship so that Diamond will handle Marvel's trade paperback business to bookstores as well as the direct market.

Marvel's 2000 Annual Report is now available, and there's information on a number of key issues for pop culture retailers , among them the importance of direct sales to pop culture stores to Marvel's publishing operations and business as a whole. Marvel's direct sales are critical to its publishing, but publishing remains a small part of the overall picture for Marvel since it was folded into Toy Biz 1998.

Entertainment Weekly's influential 'Summer Movie Preview' issue which hit the stands Monday, April 23 features a spectacular fold-out Planet of the Apes cover. The coveted EW cover spot goes to the summer film with the most 'buzz' and Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes fits the bill for this highly competitive summer season.

Debra Streicker-Fine, CEO of Fandom, Inc. announced Thursday, April 19 that the company has given CMI Holding Group the exclusive license to sell Fandom Shop's inventory. Fandom, once the largest pop culture retailer in the US, stopped shipping orders on Friday, April 6th and since then has been attempting to sell its e-commerce and content assets.

Wizard Entertainment is preparing its first totally anime publication, Anime Invasion , which is being solicited in the current (April) edition of Diamond Previews . Retailers will be able to select from two different covers, one featuring an Akira design by Pat Lee ( Warlands ), and one with a DBZ and Sailor Moon 'Toonami' cover. The magazine will carry a $4.99 cover price.

Stan Lee will make a guest appearance on the Home Shopping Network this coming Monday, April 23rd at 11:00 PM (Eastern Time). Dynamic Forces is presenting a 'Marvel 40th Anniversary' program, and highlighting forty years of Marvel art with a series of lithographs. Stan will be signing lithographs during the show.

Canadian card manufacturer Dart Flipcards has landed the license for Shrek, the computer-generated animated comedy from Dreamworks featuring the vocal talents of Mike Meyers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and John Lithgow.

Inkworks has completed its trifecta of summer movie projects by adding Jurassic Park 3 to its stable, which already included two of the season's most anticipated films, The Mummy Returns and Tomb Raider. The Jurassic Park cards will be produced using a new process.