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Digital comic book applications unveiled at Comic-Con
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While comic book artists and publishers are still trying to wrap their minds around how to properly format their layouts to fit into the tiny iPhone and Kindle screens, companies such as Iconology Inc. are barreling ahead with the launch of their latest applications which will revolutionize the way comic books are bought and viewed by fans.Today, at the 2009 Comic-Con convention in San Diego, Iconology Inc. announced the availability of is Comics by comiXology application on the Apple store. This innovative new application will allow fans to purchase, download and read comic books on their iPhone and iPod touch. The initial launch will offer over 100 titles from twenty popular comic publishers and many independent comic writers.
The stunning display and innovative multi-touch user interface of iPhone and iPod touch have finally made comics appealing in a digital format," said David Steinberger, CEO of Iconology, Inc., in an official press release. "By combining great comics with iPhone OS 3.0's In-App Purchasing and location awareness features we are creating a revolution in the way comics are sold and read which could only happen with iPhone and iPod touch.
Have no fear, those of you who prefer a more traditional approach to comic books, as I do. If you prefer to still hold the issue in your hands, the Comics by comiXology application will also offer a way to search and locate local retailers where you can purchase a printed version of the title. It is the hope of the application designers to increase the accessibility and popularity of comic books, reaching an entirely new audience through this digital revolution.
Iconology Inc. is not the only company exploring the digitization of comic books this year. Recently Amazon and Archaia, a comic book publisher based out of in New Jersey, announced their plan to release a comic book on Amazon's Kindle reader. While Archaia is still planning on releasing printed versions of the titles, the selected issues will be available to Kindle users a full six months before the actual physical release of the books to stores. As an initial promotion, the first issue of the comic book series "Tumor" will be free. After that the following seven issues will be 99 cents, bringing the total to $7.92 for the whole series. The print edition of the series will sell for $14.95.
This leaves one to wonder if the digitization of the industry is really and truly going to improve sales. After all, if someone, who is not a die hard comic book enthusiast, is able to purchase a title for 99 cents as opposed to the $3.99 or $4.99 per issue for the printed version, just how many will really go the extra mile to find a comic book store and purchase the book? Either way, despite how applications like Kindle and Comics by comiXology will no doubt transform the comic book industry quickly and permanently, there will always be those traditionalists, such as I, who prefer to hold an issue in our hands and then file them away on our shelves in the little plastic sleeves as part of our permanent collection instead of simply turning off our iPhones. The digital publishing revolution may be a fascinating addition to our world of literature, but there is simply no replacing the magical experience of the printed book.
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