Marvel Goes Digital Exclusive With Comixology

[Whitster]

I've always been able to crossdownload purchases between Comixology, Marvel, DC and IDW apps. It may be as I have brought all issues as IAPs, but I don't know.

Personally, all I have to say about this is get your full release catalogue on there Marvel, leaving MAX books out from a format more likley to be in the hands of older readers is stupid.

[MarvelMaster616]

This is sweet music to my ears. I love Comixology. I love their interface and how they've become the one-stop shop for all comics. I haven't lived near a comic shop since I was in college and that was almost a decade ago. Comixology has been a godsend and in the past year, it has become my favorite app. And now that I have an iPad, I feel like comics have really entered the 21st century. I hope this really streamlines the comic industry. As much as I love comic shops, they're just not convenient anymore and I can't keep stuffing boxes full of books. I'm ready for the digital revolution and I'm glad Comixology is leading the charge.

[christinereed]

Marvel has had different means of getting their digital product which were not compatible. They have the online digital database that you access for a fee. Then, they have also sold comics through ComiXology and through a Marvel app, that was run on the ComiXology platform. They also had their own digital store called Marvel Chrome. Books you bought on Marvel Chrome couldn't be accessed through ComiXology and even, some Marvel issues that you could buy in the Marvel app couldn't be accessed through the ComiXology app.

Now, there will be more compatiblility in single issues bought. However, subscribers to the online database will still be working on a separate system.

I saw it as an attempt on their part to control distribution, but as a consumer, I'm glad that I can now access Marvel products in one place and, have the issues that I've bought on different digital stores integrated. (I haven't tried it, but it's my understanding that issues you bought on Marvel Chrome will also be available to you now on ComiXology.)

I've been waiting for Marvel to "get with the program", so to speak.

Graphic.ly already announced that they are now going to have a comic book app any more. They are changing their emphasis to working with creators of digital media.

[Torsten Adair]

Interesting.... iTunes does sell Marvel comics.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/marve...350027738?mt=8

Top In-App Purchases
Avengers Vs. X-Men (2012) #3$3.99
Avengers Vs. X-Men (2012) #2$3.99
Avengers Vs. X-Men (2012) #1$3.99
Avengers (2010) #1$1.99
Avengers (2010) #2$1.99
Avengers (2010) #3$1.99
Avengers (2010) #4$1.99
Avengers (2010) #5$1.99
Avengers (2010) #6$1.99
Avengers Vs. X-Men (2012) #0$3.99

So, if Comixology has an exclusive, what does that mean for the Apple store and the app? Or is Comixology the distributor to Apple?

[shingi70]

Interesting.... iTunes does sell Marvel comics.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/marve...350027738?mt=8

Top In-App Purchases
Avengers Vs. X-Men (2012) #3$3.99
Avengers Vs. X-Men (2012) #2$3.99
Avengers Vs. X-Men (2012) #1$3.99
Avengers (2010) #1$1.99
Avengers (2010) #2$1.99
Avengers (2010) #3$1.99
Avengers (2010) #4$1.99
Avengers (2010) #5$1.99
Avengers (2010) #6$1.99
Avengers Vs. X-Men (2012) #0$3.99

So, if Comixology has an exclusive, what does that mean for the Apple store and the app? Or is Comixology the distributor to Apple?

Thats the info for the ckmizology qppnot apple. Apple does take a 30% cut from each thing sold.

Just a matyer of time before they swoop up DC (pretty sure thats what that kindle drama is about) and hopefully dark horse market is not profitable so they can jump on the comixology bandwagon.

[CagedLeo730]

Thats the info for the ckmizology qppnot apple. Apple does take a 30% cut from each thing sold.

Just a matyer of time before they swoop up DC (pretty sure thats what that kindle drama is about) and hopefully dark horse market is not profitable so they can jump on the comixology bandwagon.

The Marvel comics app is run by Comixology. Just like the Comics app and the DC comics app. The DC deal with Amazon has hit a snag since the Comixology App on Kindle no longer sell any DC comics. DC's exclusive deal with Kindle was just for collected editions and graphic novels. DC is already deeply on the comixology bandwagon for single issues.

[CagedLeo730]

It's made by Comixology. It won't be effected because it's basically the same thing.

Yes, this does kind of suck for Graphic.ly and Longbox. But the former already quit and Longbox had so long to get their act together, but never quite managed. Had they aimed for iOS and Web Browser first, instead of exploring other platforms, they could have won this.

Graphic.ly hasn't officially quit comics, but it won't focus on it anymore. It's like how Microsoft no longer offers support for Windows XP yet you can still use it and update it.

[CagedLeo730]

the problem with CBS are location and conviniance… if you don't live in a major metro area it can be a chore to get books. not the case with comixology.. yes this deal limits the different places you can get books (being able to get digi books in multiple apps or sites) like what happened in the 90's with diamond being the only supplier ( not grocery stores, newsstands, drugstores) but comixology is everywhere, there is no issue of connivance with them. market

Diamond became the only supplier years after comic books were kicked out of grocery stores, newsstands, and drugstores. The returnability system they had was fraught with fraud. The convenient stores wanted higher prices so they could get higher margins. They also were notoriously bad at stacking books regularly. The direct market saved the industry at the time. By the 90s, there was Diamond, Heroes World, and Capital City as distributors. Diamond's exclusive deals don't stop newsstand distribution or bookstore distribution.

[Selphy]

So I linked my Marvel and Comixology account maybe a week or so ago. I just redeemed the digital code I got for Spider-Man Season One on the Marvel site but it's not available for download on the Comixology app as I thought it was supposed to. What's up with that? What's the point of linking the accounts if stuff I get post-linking from Marvel isn't available on Comixology.

[FriendRoss]

im sorry i cant tell you exactly how

but you have link your marvel.com account (where you redeemed the code www.marvel.com/redeem) with your comixology account


i think it was done through that redeem page somehow or a email to comixology... it was so easy to do i can t remember exactly how it was done


the other thing you might try... is open up the marvel app.. go to the "my comics" screen... then in the upper left is a button that says "restore" hit that and it will pull and un updatted purchases... if you marvel.com and comixology apps accounts are linked


but the bottom line.

email comixology with the account information for them and marvel.com. tell them the problem.. they will hook you up

[Alex A Sanchez]

This will come as a relief to those guys who worried that Comixology might go under and take your DRM protected issues with it.

Being Marvel's exclusive digital distributor should give them stability.

On the other, no way Comixology gives up DRMs now.

I figured out a way around the DMR. I keep my DMR free books to myself (i.e. I don't share online) and I don't share my solution because I don't want anyone to "fix" it. That being said, the ONLY reason I buy books from Comixology is because I broke the DRM. No WAY I'm gonna pay for content that I can't own. Especially not at the inflated prices they charge.

It's made by Comixology. It won't be effected because it's basically the same thing.

Yes, this does kind of suck for Graphic.ly and Longbox. But the former already quit and Longbox had so long to get their act together, but never quite managed. Had they aimed for iOS and Web Browser first, instead of exploring other platforms, they could have won this.

Let's not forget about iVerse Media's Comics+ app (stupid name). They are still going strong, and at least have a deal with Archie to keep them afloat.

[Alex A Sanchez]

bleeding cool had a little more explanation on what this means


i personally think comparing this digital move to what marvel did in the 90's with selling only through lcbs via diamond as a little bit of a stretch


the problem with CBS are location and conviniance… if you don't live in a major metro area it can be a chore to get books. not the case with comixology.. yes this deal limits the different places you can get books (being able to get digi books in multiple apps or sites) like what happened in the 90's with diamond being the only supplier ( not grocery stores, newsstands, drugstores) but comixology is everywhere, there is no issue of connivance with them. market



normally i think competition is the best thing for a market. but with intangible digital items, it is more important to me personally to feel secure with the transaction then to be able to shop around to different "store fronts" selling the same product.


yes this will in some ways fix costs and limit the free market to establish digital pricing by not having multiple store front competing for you to buy things from them instead of the other guy. broad picture though, i expect digital pricing wars to erupt between the publishers, not the suppliers

I think you missed the point of comparing Diamond to Comixology: this isn't about digital retail vs. brick and mortar: it's about distribution exclusivity. Meaning, Diamond dictated when comics came out, how they're ordered, policies regarding the return of unsold stock, the ability to change an order after it was sent, etc. There was no opportunity for a competing distributor to experiment with a different model because Marvel and DC were exclusive to Diamond.
While there may not have been much flexibility with how things were done in brick and mortar, there is a lot of opportunity to do things differently digitally. The issue of DMR is one of those. Apple fought the record labels to sell DMR free digital music. AmazonMP3 was able to experiment with different digital price points. These things were able to happen because there was competition amongst the vendors, and we as consumers won out. If Comixology becomes the exclusive digital comic distributer, the current model is what we will have for a looooong time. Meaning, digital price= print price and DMR.