In 2014, it was announced that comiXology, a cloud-based digital comics digital distribution platform has been acquired by Amazon. comiXology offers the widest selection of digital comics in the world with over 75,000 comics, graphic novels and manga from more than 75 publishers. And now, news has come that Amazon has introduced comiXology Unlimited, a new service on the distributor’s website that lets the customer pay for an unlimited membership.
It’s been termed as the ‘Netflix of comic books’. Over here instead of buying individual comic books or series, one just has to pay $5.99 monthly and get access to the unlimited titles available from various publishers.
The digital comic books will be available via app on devices such as Fire Tablet, Android, iOS and on the web. However, it will be available only to customers in the US for the time being. comiXology senior director of communications Chip Mosher said in an email that the company was “excited to share our love of comics worldwide and we plan to expand Comixology Unlimited in other regions in the future.”
Publishers such as Image Comics, Dark Horse, Oni Press, IDW, Fantagraphics, Archie Comics, BOOM! Studios are on board this new service, however industries leading comic publisher – DC and Marvel (Marvel has its own subscription model) are giving it a miss. The service offers a 30 day free trial and post that it will be available for a fee. Only one or two issues or volumes of each book are available through the comiXology Unlimited. These will be changed on a monthly basis and could serve, in the long run, to help drive up sales.
Mosher explained, “Customers have the ability to borrow up to 50 comics, graphic novels and manga from a selection of thousands. Once the they hit 50 all they need to do is return some to borrow more. The book’s download to your device for offline reading, too.”
While publishers were approached, certain individual creators weren’t aware of this deal as the information was not passed down to them either by the publisher or comiXology, so they didn’t really get to choose if they wanted to to participate in it or not.
With regards to comiXology, Mosher clarified, “We don’t discuss our business terms, but please know that every comic, graphic novel and manga appearing in the service was approved by the publishers to be in our subscription program. comiXology Unlimited is designed to spur sampling and the discovery of new series, which spreads the love of comics and increases revenue for all publishers and creators on comiXology. Everyone – the creators, the publishers and comiXology – all benefit when more people are reading and buying more comics.”
Seems like few publishers failed to notify the comic creators about the new development and as this news come, many independent creators have raised their concerns regarding this mode of payment.
However, this is probably the best time for a comic book fanatic to live in as comiXology Unlimited with its monthly subscription model will surely attract a lot more readers due to its cheap offering. And we hope, it soon ventures into other regions as well.