CRWN Studios is adding distribution to the retail trade to its portfolio of publisher services for comic and game publishers and has hired a Diamond Book Distributors veteran to drive the initiative, the company announced. Early clients include former DBD clients Living the Line, Goodman Games, Pegamoose Press and Lionwing Publishing; along with existing fulfillment clients Dragons & Beasties, Archmage Studios, Roll for Combat, and creators Marie Enger, Simon Roy, Don Austin, and Tavis Maiden.
Terry Helman, who spent 25 years at Diamond Comic Distributors before being laid off last summer (see “Laid Off at Diamond“), has joined CRWN as Director of Sales. In that role he’ll oversee sales strategy and publisher relations. At Diamond, Helman began handling book channel accounts as the company moved into book distribution in the early 00s (see “Diamond Forms New Book Division“). Most recently, Helman was Associate Director of Online Accounts, managing book sales and marketing through Amazon.
CRWN’s new distribution operations will serve both the U.S. and U.K. trade markets; publishers will retain control of their audience, catalog, and terms. New distribution clients are integrated into Firebrand Technologies for title management and ONIX data feeds, with review copies available through Edelweiss. A print and digital catalog is planned for 2026.
For over a decade, CRWN, founded by Cory Casoni and Meg Maiden, has offered manufacturing, crowdfunding fulfillment, and e-commerce services to publishers. The company operates a 16,000 square foot warehouse and office in Portland, Oregon, and has previously served clients UDON Entertainment, Rocketship Entertainment, Legendary Comics, Oni Press, The Nib, and Uncivilized Books, among others.
Source: ICv2
