Citing growing interest in the ability to read instantly rather than go to a store:
Starting April 1, every Archie Comics title ? featuring Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead and all their pals in Riverdale ? will be available for purchase digitally the same day it’s released in comic shops and newsstands. It marks the first time a major comic-book publisher has made the decision to release their line concurrently on multiple platforms.
The move includes all Archie-verse books, including Archie, Archie & Friends, Betty & Veronica, Jughead and the upcoming Kevin Keller series ? starring the popular gay title character ? beginning in June.
I don’t follow the comic book retail industry closely, but as more publishers do this, the retailer will go the way of Blockbuster.
I think this is great! Comics have become far too expensive over the years. Comics used to be disposable entertainment costing about the same as a candy bar. Now with digital comics, we can get back down to that price point, making it much easier for kids to afford comics. I would also assume that most of the Archie audience doesn’t frequent the comic stores and individual issues are hard to find at grocery and c-stores these days, so digital is the way to go.
Personally, I’d like to see Marvel and DC digitally publish their comics on the same day as print release. Though it would hurt their distributor and retail partners, I think they would gain readers. When their average comic story runs 6 issues at $2.99 a pop, I don’t think you will gain casual readers for an $18 story.
yeah but ..there’s nothing like holding a comic book in your hand fella.
“yeah but ..there?s nothing like holding a comic book in your hand fella.”
You know who doesn’t say that? My nine year old daughter– she could care less about the feel of the paper, the smell of the paper. the dots of the– wow, I agree with you! I love comics in the original sense.
But there is a genbneration alive today who will never care that their comic is on a screen– they’ll just love the immediacy of getting the next issue within seconds of finishing the last.
When we were all kids, weren’t we clamoring to find out what happened to our endangered heros?
It’s a new time– I’m happy Archie is printing this in online, and offline versions for each audience.