DC/Amazon/Comixology Mystery Solved?

[Drew Mathieu]

I'm a proud owner of an Amazon Kindle Fire, and one of my first app downloads was Comixology. It works fine as any other app I used, with on major exception: DC Comics are not available to purchase through the app. This did not please fans of the app, and the 2 star rating it holds in the Fire appstore is evidence of that. DC Comics are available to download through the app, though; if you purchased a DC Comic or got a digital copy, you have to go to the my purchases section of the app and download all your DC Comics onto the app. These are the steps outlined by customer support from Amazon and Comixology, however the reason why you can't just purchase and download these comics from the app itself remains.

Anyway, DC Comics through it's Twitter announced that DC New 52 single-issue comics are now available through the Amazon book store. This isn't the first time readers are able to purchase single issues onto their Kindle (I know titles like Princeless and Baneberry Creek Academy for Wayward Faires are available), but it's interesting to see a major publisher like DC get in on it. The difference between these issues and Comixology issues, as far as I can see, is that prices are identical to most print comics, meaning you don't get a dollar off a title after a month like with Comixology.

So, is any of this connected? I know DC had a deal with Amazon to bring over 100 of their graphic novels to Kindle Fire, which got them in trouble with Barnes and Noble, but that's irrelevant to this, I think. Does anyone know it DC, Comixology, and or Amazon have given statements on this issue (or non-issue depending on how you look at it)? I would just like to know why DC Comics aren't available through the Comixology app like every other publisher. Keep in mind that the Kindle Fire doesn't have the dedicated publisher apps (Marvel, DC, Image) like other devices, so Comixology is one of the very few options available.

Any info on this would be helpful. Thanks for your time.

[tony]

If you buy it off Amazon does that mean you'll finally own your digital comics and can store them on disks? or is it the same crap rental program Comixology has. If it's like books I download on my Kindle I'll finally start to buy digital comics!

[Kizmet]

I have no clue why DC's comics don't show up for purchase when using the Kindle Fire App, but I haven't had any difficulties downloading and reading DC comics on my Kindle. I just go to the Comixology website to buy DC comics, then when I look for the comics that I've purchased on the kindle app the DC comics appear just like everything else.

It's strange and a little annoying, but it hasn't really gotten in the way of using the kindle to read DC comics.

[Zorkel567]

Yep, this is probably the reasoning.Interesting development. Anyways, If Amazon considered going the comixology route and lowering the price by a dollar after a month, I would consider purshasing from them. But since Comixology continues delivering the lower price, I will stick with them for now anyways.

[MichaelPaytonMZ]

DC books will also be available on Apple's newsstand app as well. IIRC, there was even talk of digital subscriptions

[CyberCoyote]

Comixology's reader is better (to me) than the Amazon Kindle reading experience for the direct buys. I don't understand why this would impede the Comixology App/DC/Amazon situation since iTunes never throttled anything, though. I jumped on Amazon and scoped it out, you fall back to the Marvel model on the books, 4 or 5 month old DC comics are still full cover price if you want to get back issues. The $1 off month after bargain only works if you collect them through Comixology. On the new Fire HD Comixology's website works well, but on my original Fire it's challenging to navigate their updated site.

I recently went back to paper. If digital subs become availabe (@ at least a minor discount) I will probably go back to digital.

[Wolf_Leader]

This was a big story back in April but there was never anything more than speculation because, I guess, all the parties signed non-disclosure agreements. It sounds like the deal to bring DC comics directly to Amazon readers was in the works or completed back then and only now made public news.

[allstarmatches]

If you buy it off Amazon does that mean you'll finally own your digital comics and can store them on disks? or is it the same crap rental program Comixology has. If it's like books I download on my Kindle I'll finally start to buy digital comics!

You don't own your Kindle e-book purchases - there have been a few instances of Amazon deleting Kindle content during rights disputes. I'd expect comics purchased through Amazon to work similarly.

I will say, though, that if you buy comics or GNs from the ibookstore, they show up in your itunes library and are saved on your hard drive, which suggests you do "own" those. They can be backed up to an external hard drive if you want.