Diamond Bankruptcy Hearing Begins, X-Men Line Goes Through Changes, Frank Miller Returns To Spawn | Comic Book Club News For August 20, 2025

The Diamond bankruptcy hearing began this week in New York City. X-Men line is going through changes. Frank Miller returns to Spawn.

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Episode Transcript:

Diamond bankruptcy hearing begins.

X-Men line going through changes.

Frank Miller returns to Spawn.

This is Comic Book Club News for August 20, 2025.

Diamond Bankruptcy Hearing Begins:

The Diamond bankruptcy hearing began this past Monday in New York City, with hearings continuing through at least Tuesday, August 19. While given the taping schedule of this podcast there may be additional info by the time you hear this, here’s what’s happened so far.

First of all, per The Beat, Diamond UK has been sold to Comic Exporters Inc. and Comic Holdings Inc., which is made up of people who currently manage Diamond UK. So that means across the pond at least, it’s business as usual.

However, all eyes were on the second item on the docket. As we’ve reported previously on the podcast, Diamond has been holding stock from publishers — called consignment stock — in order to sell it themselves, then pay off its debt to Chase Bank. A consortium of publishers, including DSTLRY, Dynamite, Aspen, Alien Books, and a late addition, Dark Horse, among others have pushed back on this, particularly as Diamond owes them all money.

While more is happening on the second day of hearings, the first was promising for the publishers. Though the judge did not outright give them back their stock, the consignment sale has been held for the moment, and each publisher’s case will be evaluated on a case by case basis.

We’ll have more on this as it develops.

X-Men Line Going Through Changes:

Marvel’s X-Men line, true to form, is going through changes.

First up? Stephanie Phillips, who has written Phoenix since the title debuted, is bowing out with Phoenix #15 in September. On TikTok, Phillips was quick to tell fans that “this book was not canceled, sales of this book have been amazing, readership has been amazing.” So why is Phillips leaving? A few reasons. First, she reached the natural conclusion of the story she’s been telling since issue one. The other reason? “I genuinely got offered something I could not say no to. My personal dream project came up,” and it coincided with her feeling she reached the end of her time with Phoenix anyway.

While Phillips is done, she’s not done done. In October, she’ll take on writing duties on Binary, the title that supplants Phoenix during the Age of Revelation event, which does not currently have an announced endpoint, though December seems likely for that. As to who will pick up Phoenix after that? TBA.

Now, the bummer news: Psylocke #10 is the final issue of the series, as announced in this week’s issue of the book — though given it wasn’t solicited past issue ten, it’s not a huge surprise.

So, goodbye, Psylocke! But not goodbye to Jean Grey, who, like the Phoenix herself, keeps on rising.

Frank Miller Returns To Spawn:

Frank Miller continues to have a wild year, after the reveal that he’s writing and drawing a new Dark Knight Returns Batman/Old Man Logan Wolverine story in Marvel’s Deadpool/Batman #1. Over 30 years after the last time they worked together, Miller and Todd McFarlane are collaborating on a new Spawn Universe cover, for this September’s The Curse of Sherlee Johnson #3.

Not only is this the first time Miller and McFarlane have worked together since — get this — the cover art to 1994’s Wizard Magazine #32, but it’s also the first time the two have ever collaborated on a cover set in the Spawn Universe, despite Miller and McFarlane having worked together on the main Spawn series, as well as 1994’s Spawn/Batman crossover.

Per PR from Image Comics, the last time Miller worked on Spawn was in 2000, with his cover for Spawn #100. The new variant cover features colors by Alex Sinclair, alongside pencils and inks by Miller. However, there’s also a 1:25 incentive black and white variant where McFarlane re-inked Miller’s pencils.

The Curse of Sherlee Johnson #3 will hit comic book shops on Wednesday, September 17.

For Comic Book Club News, I’m Alex Zalben. And shouts out to me for avoiding a joke about salmon while saying “Frank Miller returns to Spawn.” I guess I didn’t avoid it, actually, so shouts rescinded.

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