Image to start selling DRM-free digital comics

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One of the biggest stories in comics history broke during the site downtime. No hyperbole. This is a very significant event.

Image revamped their website to start selling their comics digitally without DRM. You buy it, download it in any of the four major digital formats (CBR, CBZ, PDF, eBook), and read it any way or anywhere you want. They don't even care of you share it.

This is so huge. You can still buy them within Comixology...but why on earth would you, aside from to take part in sales? You don't own the comics you buy there; you license them. Like the Image guy said in an interview - if something happens to Comixology's servers (like what happened with the Marvel #1 giveaway a while back, which took down the entire service and prevented people from downloading books they already bought) or they go out of business, you are left with nothing. With this you have a file that you can keep and open and use any way you want.

I'm thrilled with this! It's very exciting.
 
A comic book company banking on the quality and value of their books as a business model.

This is unprecedented!
 
All of the new Image comics sound great too. I don't know how Marvel and Image have become my big two but I like it.
 
DIrishB said:
This is great news, but I still think you're all fools for not giving the Valiant relaunch titles a try. You may not like them all, but you'll love at least several, depending on your preferences.
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How much are they paying you?
 
The only thing that I don't like about this is the viewers. I only read digital comics on my tablet and I greatly prefer ComiXology's guided view for it over cbr and pdf viewers that just display the full page.
 
Friday said:
The only thing that I don't like about this is the viewers. I only read digital comics on my tablet and I greatly prefer ComiXology's guided view for it over cbr and pdf viewers that just display the full page.
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I never use that. I don't know what it is about it but I don't like not being able to see the whole page.

On the phone it's a little different but I rarely try to read comics on my phone.
 
So were the reports wrong? Is it not every title that is being sold this way?

They finally got the Saga page up but it doesn't appear that you can buy any of the issues on the site.

Same goes for The Manhattan Projects.
 
DIrishB said:
This is great news, but I still think you're all fools for not giving the Valiant relaunch titles a try. You may not like them all, but you'll love at least several, depending on your preferences.
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ProjectX2 said:
How much are they paying you?
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This makes me realize being a Valiant fan is the comic equivalent of being a Jehovah's Witness, but with birthdays and holidays, or a Scientologist, but with a sense of humor and worshipping XO Manowar instead of Xenu.

But they're still awesome books, with a cohesive sense to the universe but each title still works well on their own and each have a distinct feel and tone.
 
DIrishB said:
This makes me realize being a Valiant fan is the comic equivalent of being a Jehovah's Witness, but with birthdays and holidays, or a Scientologist, but with a sense of humor and worshipping XO Manowar instead of Xenu.

But they're still awesome books, with a cohesive sense to the universe but each title still works well on their own and each have a distinct feel and tone.
Click to expand...

I have actually checked out a few issues of X-O Manowar and Harbinger and liked them both and I'm interested in reading a well-planned, original universe but the problem is I'm so behind on the comics I do read right now I don't really have the time to catch up yet. But I will. Eventually.
 
E said:
So were the reports wrong? Is it not every title that is being sold this way?

They finally got the Saga page up but it doesn't appear that you can buy any of the issues on the site.

Same goes for The Manhattan Projects.
Click to expand...
Well, I'd guess that its a project by project basis, like everything else at Image. Remember, the creators own everything and have the final say on all of it. If they don't want them up there they won't be. Now with BKV's Panel Syndicate I'm more than a little surprised that Saga isn't up there. Hickman seems like an early adopter too so thats also unexpected.

DIrishB said:
This makes me realize being a Valiant fan is the comic equivalent of being a Jehovah's Witness, but with birthdays and holidays, or a Scientologist, but with a sense of humor and worshipping XO Manowar instead of Xenu.

But they're still awesome books, with a cohesive sense to the universe but each title still works well on their own and each have a distinct feel and tone.
Click to expand...
I get them when they're on sale on ComiXology! I'm really looking forward to whenever they do an Archer and Armstrong sale.
 
ProjectX2 said:
I have actually checked out a few issues of X-O Manowar and Harbinger and liked them both and I'm interested in reading a well-planned, original universe but the problem is I'm so behind on the comics I do read right now I don't really have the time to catch up yet. But I will. Eventually.
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That's all I needed to hear. I definitely recommend Bloodshot also.

Friday said:
I get them when they're on sale on ComiXology! I'm really looking forward to whenever they do an Archer and Armstrong sale.
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Nice. A&A is a lot of fun, it's probably my personal favorite.

Also, the trades are nicely priced (ie, pretty inexpensive). Most are $8-9 on Amazon, which might even be cheaper than a Comixology sale, not sure.
 
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I Is For Introduction

Most (all?) of the current series #1s are free in digital form. The site is a little slow right now, presumably because people are gobbling up all of these #1s and slowing things down.

I highly, highly recommend Black Science.
 
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