Heroes World Distribution
|
Formerly called
|
Superhero Enterprises |
|---|---|
| Comic book retailer and distributor | |
| Industry | Comics |
| Fate | Acquisition by Marvel Comics |
| Founded | 1975 in Randolph, New Jersey |
| Founder | Ivan Snyder |
| Defunct | 1997 |
| Headquarters | Morristown, New Jersey |
Heroes World Distribution Co., originally named Superhero Enterprises, was an American comic book distributor founded by Ivan Snyder, active from 1975 to 1997, during the growth and consolidation of the direct market. Heroes World was acquired by Marvel Comics in late 1994 to act as the publisher's sole distributor. This ill-fated move, combined with other marketplace factors of the time, resulted in the financial failure of many other comics distributors and retailers — and the near collapse of the entire North American comic book market.
In the early 1970s, Ivan Snyder was head of licensing in Marvel Comics Group's merchandising department, in charge of selling various Marvel licensed products via mail order. After a change in management in the mid-1970s, Marvel discontinued the mail order service, and Snyder purchased the business in 1975, renaming it Superhero Enterprises. Initially running the business out his basement, Snyder shortly thereafter moved into a storefront in Morristown, New Jersey, with a catalog showroom store format. A second store was opened in a Livingston shopping mall, with DC Comics products added to their product mix.
When the former Mego Corporation trademark "Superhero" was purchased by Marvel and DC, Superheroes Enterprise was forced to change its name to Heroes World. By 1982, Heroes World's retail chain had expanded to 12 locations, while it continued its mail order distribution business. (The Heroes World catalog was produced in conjunction with the Dover, New Jersey-based Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art.)
By late 1994, Heroes World was North America's third largest comics distributor (behind Diamond Comics Distributors and Capital City Distribution). On December 28, 1994, Heroes World was bought by Marvel Comics to act as the company's exclusive distributor, thus reducing other distributors' market share by more than a third. The change took effect with books shipped July 1995. As industry veteran Chuck Rozanski notes:
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