Graphicly Shutters Comic Apps In Favor of eBooks

[CBR News]

Digital comics platform Graphicly announced today that it has closed its phone, desktop and tablet apps to users and publishers in favor of promoting projects both comics and non-comics to eBook distribution platforms.


Full article here.

[supercam]

This is why I have trouble subscribing to the present digital comics model. Until there is a downloadable comic in a format like PDF that can be used in multiple readers, you are really only leasing comics. Graphicly says they comics can always be accessed through their website, even if you delete the app from your mobile device, but there is no guarantee that this will be true. If a company goes out of business, it is perfectly legal for them to delete your entire library of comics under the current setup. Comixology even states that in its terms of service.That is why I only buy comics digitally that I am okay with disappearing--like a print comic that I would be able to give to a friend. But some digital companies still try to appeal to collectors by saying the books they purchase will always be available. I've seen posted on the message boards several times that Comixology says it will make things right if it goes out of business so that people will still have access to the books they "bought." But that is not legally binding. And if Marvel or DC demand that their books be taken down, there is nothing you can do to stop it.

[The Adventurer]

I assume Graphicly is replacing their eReader and Desktop comics Apps with different ones that are simply not comic centric?

[Kick-Ass]

They don't need to sponsor iFanboy anymore since they even publicly said the majority of their readers never came from iFanboy. They've lost the comics race to Comixology and are focusing elsewhere so they can profit.

I just hope this means iFanboy will permanently shut down. They can't go on forever. And MAN are they freaking annoying with their snark and opinions. Always bitching. Always.