336:
Capital City reacted by suing Marvel for the loss of their business, resulting in a settlement allowing them to continue distributing Marvel product until
October 1995 (for everyone else, Marvel went exclusive with Heroes World starting in July). In addition, Capital City was able to sign exclusive
356:
In July 1996 Capital City was acquired by
Diamond. At the time of sale, Capital had over $ 150 million in annual sales. The purchase price was not disclosed, but the acquisition brought an estimated $ 50 million in sales revenue to Diamond, and effectively awarded Diamond complete control of the
300:
In 1994, Capital created controversy by announcing penalties for publishers who didn't deliver their products within promised deadlines; this move followed an industry-wide push for 30-day returnability, a practice formerly in use when comics were primarily distributed in newsstands.
357:
comics distribution system. Most of
Capital City's 100 employees in Madison and another 100 in Sparta lost their jobs in the deal, though a few key staff members, including co-founder John Davis, joined Diamond's staff.
320:
and decision to distribute its titles in-house. Faced with the loss of one-third of its business (Marvel's market share) Diamond reacted by outbidding
Capital City for exclusive deals with Marvel's main rival
304:
By this point, Capital City's
Canadian affiliate, STV, had warehouses in Toronto, Montreal, and Quebec City; and Capital City had another freight forwarder operating out of Seattle, Washington.
420:. In 1984, after publishing only a handful of issues of their three titles, Capital shut down its publishing operation. Its titles were taken over by the new independent publisher
778:
808:
350:
803:
653:"1995 Comic Book Sales Figures: Comics Preordered by North American Comics Shops as Reported by Capital City Distribution and Diamond Comic Distributors"
256:
798:
221:
192:, their monthly catalog showcasing upcoming comic books, toys, and other pop-culture related items it distributed to comic book specialty shops.
788:
793:
823:
404:
was a key part of
Capital Comics' staff, acting as Editor-In-Chief and Art Director until the company ceased operation in 1984. Besides
224:
of
Columbus, Ohio, to become the nucleus of an early distribution branch. In 1982, Capital City acquired the Berkeley, California-based
818:
567:"Newswatch: Capital Announces Controversial Penalty Fees for Publishers: Move Follows Industry-wide Push for 30-day Returnability,"
267:
Griepp became
Capital City's CEO in 1984. That same year, with the demise of one of the larger independent publisher/distributors,
217:, Griepp and Davis later turned the tables in 1980 when they took over much of Big Rapids' bankrupt business to form Capital City.
638:"Marvel goes exclusive, Capital sues Marvel, Marvel settles with Capital, Marvel buys Skybox, DC/Diamond announcement expected,"
210:
165:
During most of its years of operation, Capital City introduced many supply chain innovations and controlled much of the
American
828:
533:
705:
Daykin, Tom. "Comic book distributor to fold: Battered by competitive forces, Capital City
Distribution sells assets,"
600:
757:
251:.) By 1982, Capital City operated out of a large warehouse in Madison that they shared with their largest account,
549:
243:. (During that period World Color printed most American comic books, including those of the two industry giants
679:
584:
287:
220:
One of Capital City's first acts was to utilize the personnel of another former Big Rapids' acquisition,
477:
813:
225:
155:
91:
458:
317:
271:, Pacific's distribution centers and warehouses were purchased by Capital City and rival distributor
170:
680:"Geppi's Diamond Comics buys a faltering rival distributor Acquisition posted $ 50 million in sales"
783:
214:
360:
After selling Capital, Griepp became an industry consultant, and since early 2001, has operated
380:
In 1981, Capital City decided to enter the comic book publishing field as well. Under the name
752:
280:
8:
173:, Capital City supported independent publishers as much as big mainstream companies like
652:
338:
144:
101:
50:
684:
596:
592:
326:
236:
353:. Nonetheless, by 1996 Capital faced the choice between bankruptcy and selling out.
554:
416:
312:
1995 saw a major restructuring of the direct market distribution system, caused by
276:
240:
626:
184:
Capital City also published over 400 pages of printed material a month, including
410:
401:
229:
114:
386:
272:
268:
772:
761:
313:
244:
206:
178:
151:
61:
290:
had control of at least 70% of the comics distribution market between them.
421:
369:
330:
627:"Tales From the Database: Diamond Ended Up With 50% of the Comics Market,"
294:
612:"Marvelutionary War Declared: Unprecedented Upheaval in Direct Market,"
748:
395:
391:
346:
252:
148:
129:
342:
322:
248:
209:
and John Davis were running a small Madison-based distributor called
174:
169:'s comics distribution market. More so than their rivals Diamond and
232:
in the late 1970s (and had been initially supplied by Big Rapids).
154:
which operated from 1980 to 1996 when they were acquired by rival
166:
325:; and despite intense efforts on the part of Davis and Griepp,
28:
361:
349:—as well as acquiring the Gary, Indiana-based distributor
297:
in 1993–1994, which were held in early May of both years.
518:
Comics through Time: A History of Icons, Idols, and Ideas
501:
718:"Davis and Former Capital City Employees Join Diamond,"
262:
293:
Capital was large enough to host its own name-branded
235:
Capital City's Wisconsin location was relatively near
664:"Newswatch: Capital City Acquires Friendly Frank's,"
188:, which provided sales figures to their clients; and
779:
Comic book publishing companies of the United States
286:By 1988, Capital City and its main surviving rival
316:'s late-1994 purchase of third-ranked distributor
275:Capital City also opened an expanded facility in
770:
384:, they launched a black-and-white comics title,
162:, they also published comics from 1981 to 1984.
398:, and distributed it through their own system.
809:Defunct comics and manga publishing companies
478:"The unbelievable world of 80s comics sales,"
408:, the other titles published by Capital were
368:vol. 2"), an online trade magazine covering "
279:, in the old space of another defunct rival,
804:Publishing companies disestablished in 1996
283:, alongside the comic-book printing plant.
544:
542:
307:
799:Publishing companies established in 1980
579:
577:
512:
510:
436:: two series, 1981 and 1983, nine issues
16:Defunct American comic book distributor
677:
213:(WIND). Forced to sell their assets to
211:Wisconsin Independent News Distributors
771:
731:"Capital Comics Suspends Operations,"
539:
502:"Who We Are: Milton Griepp," ICv2.com.
497:
495:
493:
491:
489:
789:Companies based in Madison, Wisconsin
574:
507:
263:1984 expansion and rise to prominence
794:Defunct companies based in Wisconsin
760:at the Comic Book DB (archived from
528:
526:
824:1996 disestablishments in Wisconsin
486:
427:
390:, a futuristic superhero series by
13:
14:
840:
536:Westfield Comics (Nov. 16, 2009).
534:"KC Column: Scaling Mount Baron,"
523:
819:1980 establishments in Wisconsin
571:#166 (February 1994), pp. 17–26.
725:
712:
699:
671:
658:
645:
632:
678:Hancock, Jay (July 27, 1996).
619:
606:
561:
550:"Two Men and their Comic Books
470:
195:
1:
829:1996 mergers and acquisitions
741:
722:#192 (Dec. 1996), pp. 13-15.
668:#178 (July 1995), pp. 13-15.
642:#175 (March 1995), pp. 9-10.
616:#175 (March 1995), pp. 9-10.
375:
228:, which had been started by
7:
452:
288:Diamond Comics Distributors
74:; 28 years ago
40:; 44 years ago
10:
845:
707:Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
516:Booker, M. Keith, editor.
504:Accessed October 15, 2009.
239:'s main printing plant in
226:Common Ground Distributors
200:
156:Diamond Comic Distributors
92:Diamond Comic Distributors
589:Comics Between the Panels
587:(ed.s) "Capital City" in
520:(ABC-CLIO, 2014), p. 929.
459:List of book distributors
318:Heroes World Distribution
171:Heroes World Distribution
141:Capital City Distribution
128:
124:$ 150 million (1996)
120:
107:
97:
86:
68:
57:
34:
24:
20:Capital City Distribution
735:#89 (May 1984), pp. 8-9.
655:, The Comics Chronicles.
629:Mile High Comics (2004).
464:
366:Internal Correspondence
215:Big Rapids Distribution
186:Internal Correspondence
651:Miller, John Jackson.
308:Acquisition by Diamond
753:Grand Comics Database
593:Dark Horse Publishing
281:Sea Gate Distributors
548:Sanford, Jay Allen.
442:: 1983, four issues
21:
733:The Comics Journal
720:The Comics Journal
666:The Comics Journal
640:The Comics Journal
614:The Comics Journal
569:The Comics Journal
476:MacDonald, Heidi.
448:: 1983, two issues
339:Kitchen Sink Press
145:Madison, Wisconsin
102:Madison, Wisconsin
51:Madison, Wisconsin
19:
814:Book distributors
685:The Baltimore Sun
625:Rozanski, Chuck.
327:Dark Horse Comics
237:World Color Press
158:. Under the name
138:
137:
836:
736:
729:
723:
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710:
709:(July 27, 1996).
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585:Richardson, Mike
583:Duin, Steve and
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572:
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559:
558:(Aug. 19, 2004).
555:San Diego Reader
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537:
530:
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428:Titles published
351:Friendly Frank's
277:Sparta, Illinois
257:Westfield Comics
241:Sparta, Illinois
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48:
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41:
22:
18:
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402:Richard Bruning
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230:Robert Beerbohm
203:
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115:Richard Bruning
113:Griepp, Davis,
110:
90:Acquisition by
78:
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44:
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39:
17:
12:
11:
5:
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758:Capital Comics
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749:Capital Comics
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382:Capital Comics
377:
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309:
306:
273:Bud Plant Inc.
269:Pacific Comics
264:
261:
205:In the 1970s,
202:
199:
197:
194:
190:Advance Comics
160:Capital Comics
136:
135:
134:Capital Comics
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601:1-56971-344-8
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532:Carlson, KC.
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483:(12/01/2014).
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314:Marvel Comics
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222:Well News Co.
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207:Milton Griepp
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179:Marvel Comics
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62:Milton Griepp
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56:
52:
37:
33:
30:
27:
23:
762:the original
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689:. Retrieved
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422:First Comics
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370:geek culture
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331:Image Comics
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285:
266:
234:
219:
204:
189:
185:
183:
164:
159:
140:
139:
130:Subsidiaries
98:Headquarters
64:, John Davis
337:deals with
295:trade shows
196:Distributor
152:distributor
773:Categories
742:References
691:October 2,
396:Steve Rude
392:Mike Baron
347:Viz Comics
253:mail-order
149:comic book
109:Key people
376:Publisher
333:as well.
323:DC Comics
255:retailer
175:DC Comics
595:, 1998)
481:The Beat
453:See also
25:Industry
751:at the
603:, p. 69
446:Whisper
417:Whisper
201:Origins
167:Midwest
147:–based
121:Revenue
77: (
69:Defunct
58:Founder
43: (
35:Founded
599:
440:Badger
411:Badger
345:, and
245:Marvel
143:was a
53:, U.S.
29:Comics
465:Notes
434:Nexus
406:Nexus
387:Nexus
693:2020
597:ISBN
414:and
394:and
362:ICv2
329:and
247:and
177:and
87:Fate
79:1996
72:1996
45:1980
38:1980
552:,"
372:."
343:TSR
181:.
49:in
775::
682:.
576:^
541:^
525:^
509:^
488:^
424:.
364:("
341:,
259:.
249:DC
764:)
695:.
591:(
81:)
47:)
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