How 3W/3M Comics Built a Multi-Platform Publishing Strategy: From Substack to Dark Horse

Jonathan Hickman and his 3 Worlds/3 Moons (3W/3M) team just cracked the code on creator-owned publishing in 2026. Wednesday at ComicsPRO in Los Angeles, they announced a partnership with Dark Horse Entertainment to bring their comics to the direct market. Starting with FOUNDATIONS in July.

This marks the third major creator-owned announcement from Dark Horse this week. Terry Moore's Abstract Studio signed on Monday. Now 3W/3M. Dark Horse is positioning itself as the distribution partner for indie creators navigating the post-Diamond collapse landscape.

But what makes 3W/3M's path interesting is the model: Start on Substack, build your own platform, prove demand, then partner for retail distribution. It's the opposite of how comics traditionally worked.

What Is 3W/3M?

3 Worlds/3 Moons launched in late 2021 as a Substack project by Jonathan Hickman (X-Men, Avengers), Mike del Mundo (Thor), Mike Huddleston (Decorum), and Nick Spencer (Amazing Spider-Man). They set out to create an entire comics universe from scratch, building it transparently in front of subscribers.

Over three years, they produced over 1,000 pages of comics and world-building content. The project now has over 37,000 subscribers.

Their first full-length comic, FOUNDATIONS, follows Doctor Tajo R. Vallar, a scientist working for the Institute—an organization systematically uncovering and covering up the existence of magic across the universe. The comic explores "the coming rebirth of creativity in a universe that has become overly-structured, systematic, cynical, and cold," according to Hickman.

They've since expanded beyond Substack. In 2024, they launched a successful Kickstarter for 3W/3M [ONE], collecting their early work. Earlier this month, they debuted MythicPowered.com, a dedicated platform for their expanding universe. They released iOS and Android apps.

Now comes retail distribution through Dark Horse.

The Multi-Platform Strategy

3W/3M's approach flips traditional publishing on its head.

Traditional model: Pitch to publisher → Get advance → Publish in stores → Hope it sells → Build audience

3W/3M model: Build audience on Substack → Launch own platform → Prove demand with Kickstarter → Partner for retail distribution

The advantages are obvious. By the time FOUNDATIONS hits comic shops in July, it already has a proven audience. Dark Horse isn't gambling on an unknown property. They're distributing a comic with 37,000+ subscribers and a successful crowdfunding campaign behind it.

3W/3M keeps control. As the team noted in their announcement newsletter: "Everything we do will always originate here; much like with Kickstarter, we view this as additive."

They own the IP. They control the creative direction. They maintain direct relationships with fans through their platform. Dark Horse handles physical distribution to retailers—the part that requires infrastructure most indie creators don't have.

Why This Works Post-Diamond

Diamond Comic Distributors filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January 2025, throwing the direct market into chaos. For decades, Diamond held a near-monopoly on comics distribution. When they collapsed, publishers and creators scrambled to find alternatives.

Larger publishers shifted to Lunar Distribution and Penguin Random House. But smaller indie publishers got squeezed. Many lacked the volume to meet minimum requirements for new distributors.

That created an opening. Dark Horse, already a major publisher with established distribution channels, started partnering with indie creators who needed access to comic shops.

Terry Moore lost his distributor when Diamond shuttered. His Abstract Studio had self-published for decades. The Dark Horse partnership (announced Monday) gives him retail access again, starting with a Strangers in Paradise omnibus in October.

3W/3M built their audience digitally, so they weren't dependent on Diamond. But reaching comic shops still required distribution infrastructure they didn't have. Dark Horse solves that problem.

"Dark Horse have been incredible partners to us in that effort so far, they care deeply about the quality of these books and making sure they resonate within the market," the 3W/3M team wrote.

What This Means for Other Creators

The 3W/3M path isn't easy. Building 37,000 subscribers takes work. Creating 1,000+ pages of content over three years requires commitment. Running a Kickstarter campaign demands marketing savvy. Launching a custom platform means technical investment.

But it proves a creator-owned strategy that prioritizes audience-building over traditional gatekeepers can work.

Other creator-owned projects have taken similar routes. James Tynion IV's Tiny Onion studio operates on Substack. Multiple comic creators now run successful Patreon and Substack operations before (or instead of) pursuing traditional publishing.

The key is that platforms like Substack, Kickstarter, and custom sites like MythicPowered.com give creators tools to build and monetize audiences directly. Retail distribution becomes optional rather than essential—something you add when it makes sense, not something you depend on from day one.

For readers, this means discovering new comics often happens digitally first. The days of browsing comic shop shelves as the primary way to find new titles are ending. Now it's newsletters, social media, crowdfunding campaigns.

For retailers, it means the comics hitting their shelves increasingly have built-in audiences. Less risk, but also less opportunity to introduce customers to unknown properties.

Dark Horse's Expansion Strategy

This week's announcements show Dark Horse positioning itself strategically in the post-Diamond landscape.

Monday: Terry Moore/Abstract Studio partnership Wednesday: 3W/3M partnership Also announced: Masters of the Universe movie tie-in comic, Zack Kaplan three-series deal

Dark Horse is building a roster of high-profile creator-owned projects with proven track records. They're not gambling on unproven concepts. They're distributing work that already has audiences through other channels.

It's smart. Lower risk for Dark Horse. Better deals for creators who maintain ownership and control. Win-win in an uncertain market.

FOUNDATIONS Hits Stores in July

3W/3M's FOUNDATIONS arrives in comic shops July 2026 through Dark Horse Entertainment. For subscribers, nothing changes—content still originates on their platform. For retailers and readers who haven't discovered 3W/3M yet, it's a chance to check out what 37,000+ subscribers have been reading.

The partnership proves that in 2026, creator-owned comics can build audiences first, then find distribution. You don't need a publisher to launch. You need one to scale.

Whether more creators follow this path depends on whether they can replicate 3W/3M's success at audience-building. But the model is there. Build your platform. Prove demand. Partner for distribution when you're ready.

The direct market isn't dead. It's just not the starting point anymore.

TAGGED: Dark Horse, 3W/3M Comics, Indie Comics, Comic Business, Distribution