Baltimore County-Based Diamond Comic Distributors Acquires Collectible Grading Authority
COCKEYSVILLE, Md. (WJZ) -- Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc., the Cockeysville-based distributor of comics, graphic novels and other pop culture ephemera, has acquired Collectible Grading Authority, a company that grades action figures, video games, collectible dolls and other items.
Through its genre-specific subsidiary companies, Collectible Grading Authority encases collectible items submitted by customers and assigns a number grade based on their condition.
Collectible Grading Authority joins Diamond Comic Distributors as one of several companies under the larger organization Geppi Family Enterprises.
"I'm focused on expanding our product and service offerings to cement our position as the center of all things pop culture," said Steve Geppi, president, chairman and CEO of Geppi Family Enterprises. "We've all been reading about the explosive growth in collectible grading, so getting into that business was a logical next step for us. As the undisputed leader in action figure and video game grading, CGA is the perfect addition to our portfolio."
During its two-decade existence, Collectible Grading Authority has graded almost 500,000 items for collectors, dealers, auction houses and other clients, Diamond Comic Distributors said in a press release.
The company will continue to maintain operations in Atlanta, where it was founded.
"We're not only excited to partner with Steve Geppi and the Geppi Family Enterprises portfolio of brands—we're also eager to accelerate our growth and take CGA to the next level as a result of our new partnership," said Chad Thompson, CEO of Collectible Grading Authority. "This is just the beginning of exciting new times as we look forward to continuing to serve our collecting communities for many years to come."
Wednesday's announcement comes nearly two weeks after one of the industry's largest publishers, Marvel Entertainment, officially switched from Diamond Comic Distributors to Penguin Random House to deliver new single-issue comic books, a deal that was announced in March.
After the partnership was made public, Geppi released a statement saying his company would still be able to carry Marvel products.
In June 2020, DC, home to Batman, Superman and many others, cut ties with Diamond.