| Former type | Comic book distributor Comic book publisher |
|---|---|
| Industry | Comics |
| Founder(s) | Hal Shuster Irwin Shuster Jack Shuster |
| Defunct | 1982 (as distributor) 1985 (as publisher) |
| Headquarters | Rockville, Maryland, then Largo, Florida |
New Media Distribution/Irjax Enterprises was a comic book distributor and boutique publisher active in the 1970s and early 1980s during the growth of the direct market. After the distribution arm of the company went out of business in 1982, its processing centers and warehouses formed the basis for Diamond Comics Distributors, the now-dominant comics distributor. New Media's publishing arm continued in the business until 1985.
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Hal Shuster, his father, Irwin, and his brother, Jack, formed the paper distribution company Irjax Enterprises (a play on the names "Irwin" and "Jack"), based in Rockville, Maryland, in the 1970s.[1]
After Phil Seuling established the direct market in 1972, his company East Coast Seagate Distribution maintained a virtual monopoly on comic book distribution, until a lawsuit brought by Irjax in 1978.[1] Irjax sued the comic book publishers DC, Marvel, Archie, and Warren for their anti-competitive arrangement with Seagate.[2] As a result of the lawsuit Irjax gained "a sizeable chunk of the direct-distribution market."[1]
Meanwhile, Baltimore retailer Steve Geppi had four comic book stores[3][4] and was acting as a sub-distributor, "doing a little informal distributing . . . for smaller retailers." By 1981, Geppi was one of New Media/Irjax's biggest accounts.[4] In late 1981, the company, now known as New Media Distribution, or New Media/Irjax, filed for Chapter 11.[5] One of the "last loyal customers" when New Media began having fiscal difficulties, Geppi made a deal with Shuster: "[t]he owner was going into retail," so Geppi agreed to provide Shuster with "free books for a period of time in return for his account list."[4]
When Hal Shuster relocated to Florida early in 1982,[6] he asked "Geppi to service more accounts for a bigger discount,"[4] thereby effectively selling Geppi the distribution end of the business.[7] Geppi immediately founded Diamond Comics Distributors. Geppi took over New Media/Irjax's office and warehouse space and had to "sort out the good customers from the bad overnight," negotiating with creditors to continue Shuster's distribution business as Diamond Comic Distributors.[8]
In addition to its distribution business, New Media/Irjax acted as a small publisher from 1976 until 1985.[9] Under the names Irjax Enterprises and then New Media Publishing, it mostly produced periodicals for comics and fantasy/science fiction enthusiasts, the most notable title being Comics Feature.[10] The company also published a few original comic book titles (in the adventure and fantasy genres),[11] usually featuring creators pulled from the ranks of fandom. The company published out of Largo, Florida; Tampa, Florida; and finally Studio City, California.
Notable names who worked for New Media/Irjax as editors and/or writers include Carol Kalish, Kurt Busiek, and Peter B. Gillis.[12]