DriveThruComics.com Begins!

[DriveThruCom]

They forcesss my handssss---I musssst announce it! Perhaps they shall pick it up as a news story?

*The “iTunes of Comics”*

For immediate release – September 19, 2006

Last year 6% of music was sold as online downloads led by Apple’s iTunes. Less well known is that 11% of roleplaying game (rpg) sales were sold by online download last year, led by DriveThruRPG.com. While still a small part of the music or rpg market, sales via digital delivery have been growing at staggering rates as consumers adopt the ease and convenience of getting their entertainment by digital delivery.

So what about the digital delivery of comics? Today DriveThru is pleased to announce the arrival of DriveThruComics.com, the “iTunes of comics”.

“The goal of DriveThruComics is nothing less than offering readers 24/7 instant download access to any graphic fiction every produced and offering publishers and creators a new way to reach their readers,” said Ned Coker of DriveThru.

DriveThruComics.com offers the same titles found in print, available world-wide, 24 hours a day, as delivery to your desktop in the widely used PDF format. Each comic or graphic novel is exactly as you'd find it in print. In addition, each title on DriveThruComics.com is tailored for computer screen viewing—the perfect mix of “zoomable” high-resolution without a staggeringly huge filesize. Without the cost of printing and physical distribution, the titles are even less expensive—most titles are only $1.99 an issue or less!

DriveThruComics is pleased to announce some exclusive partners who have already joined the site prior to our launch —Marvel Comics’ Dabel Brothers (DBPro) imprint, fan-favorite Shi (of Billy Tucci's Crusade Fine Arts), legendary genre-magazine Cinefantastique/CFQ, international hit-maker AK Comics, graphic novel heavyweight NBM, and anime-inspired UDON. We've also paired with About Comics, Across the Pond Studios, Airship Entertainment (Studio Foglio), Arcana Studio, Archaia Studios Press, Bloodfire Studios, Blue Water Productions, Carnal Comics, Griot Enterprises, Heroic Publishing, Kenzer & Company, Last Kiss, Lobrau Productions, Lone Star Press, Mad Sea Dog, Mad Yak Press, Maerkle Press, Myriad Publishing, O-P-P, Red Eye Press, SillWill Press, Studio G, STYKMAN of a.k.a. Comics, and Vamperotica Entertainment. DriveThruComics will also soon be getting content in from the well-established Antarctic Press, Heavy Metal Magazine, Epic Proportions, Markosia Press and the rest of the publishers named on our site.

Any publisher or creator interested in learning more about DriveThruComics can contact Ned Coker.

DriveThru is working tirelessly with nearly every quality publisher and creator in the business to bring their current titles and backlists to comic fans. “We’re very pleased with the publishers who have partnered with us prior to our launch, and look forward to announcing many more partnerships in the weeks to come. We won't stop until we've exhausted all of comic history,” vows Ned Coker.

DriveThru began three years ago with the launch of DriveThruRPG.com. The site has grown to include the top brands in role-playing games such as Wizards of the Coast’s Dungeons & Dragons titles and White Wolf’s World of Darkness titles. DriveThru has since launched digital delivery sites dedicated to genre fiction (DriveThruSciFi, DriveThruFantasy, and DriveThruHorror) which include works from best-selling authors like Stephen King and George R. R. Martin.

Media Inquiries please contact here.

[Carlos Javier]

Friggin' great idea.

[RedmoonDeux]

No offense, brother, because I dig the idea, but when you get the bigger indie names and, of course, Marvel & DC onboard, I might check it out.

[Steward Ace]

Interesting to see if this goes anywhere. So many of us have been calling out for a service like this, a pay as you go downloading service...

I'm guessing that it dies soon. Sad.

[DriveThruCom]

Originally Posted by RedmoonDeux

No offense, brother, because I dig the idea, but when you get the bigger indie names and, of course, Marvel & DC onboard, I might check it out.

No offense taken. We're in various stages of the negotiation process with probably 90% of the publishers that were represented at San Diego Comic Con this year (in addition to many who weren't there). Obviously some are going to be longer processes than others--but we haven't yet been turned down by the big guns. There's obviously a big clamor for digital content on demand from Tokyopop, DC, Marvel, Darkhorse, and Image---and we won't rest till we get it for you!

As for

Originally Posted by Steward Ace

Interesting to see if this goes anywhere. So many of us have been calling out for a service like this, a pay as you go downloading service...

I'm guessing that it dies soon. Sad.

...
We've been in the digital delivery business (very successfully) for over three years--and in the publishing business for around 15. We hope to bring the same realization to comic publishers that RPG publishers have known for years through us--the people want a vast selection available 24 hours a day.

[RedmoonDeux]

Originally Posted by DriveThruCom

No offense taken. We're in various stages of the negotiation process with probably 90% of the publishers that were represented at San Diego Comic Con this year (in addition to many who weren't there). Obviously some are going to be longer processes than others--but we haven't yet been turned down by the big guns. There's obviously a big clamor for digital content on demand from Tokyopop, DC, Marvel, Darkhorse, and Image---and we won't rest till we get it for you!

As for
...
We've been in the digital delivery business (very successfully) for over three years--and in the publishing business for around 15. We hope to bring the same realization to comic publishers that RPG publishers have known for years through us--the people want a vast selection available 24 hours a day.

Cool. Good luck then!

[HartyPotter]

Sounds like a good start.

[Steward Ace]

Originally Posted by DriveThruCom

As for ...
We've been in the digital delivery business (very successfully) for over three years--and in the publishing business for around 15. We hope to bring the same realization to comic publishers that RPG publishers have known for years through us--the people want a vast selection available 24 hours a day.

Please don't think I want this to fail- I've used DTRPG in the past and been very happy with the result. My feeling is that there are many people who want to download comics, but who feel that paying any price for digital comics is too much. If this does work out for you, I'll be very surprised- and pretty happy. Good Luck!

[McAlice]

its not worth a damn if it doesn't support the cbr format to be honest, any chance of that?

[GlennH]

I noticed that you were using the Digital Rights Management for PDF. What assurances have you made to publishers about it not being comprimised as I have heard of programs that remove these fail safes?

[McAlice]

PDF's are an inferior format compared to CBR

[aeast317]

ha.

i thought this had something to do with Drive-Thru Records....