Image Comics: Graphicly to Provide Digital Comics on all Platforms

As someone who buys a LOT of Image Comics titles I was very interested to read the publisher's announcement that it had teamed-up with Graphicly to digitally supply and share their entire publishing catalogue - with new titles being released in print and digital formats on the same day.

Now I've always maintained that, for me at least, the digital format would never replace the printed comic but I have to say my buying/reading habits have been changing over the past eighteen months or so. I still get most of my comics in printed form but I've shifted some titles that I pick up over to trades rather than single issues ... and I've started buying one or two digitally.

'Same day' release has been an important factor in deciding what titles I've picked up digitally but, for me, the most important factor has been the price point: if a publisher offers me a print version and a digital version at the same price I'll still always go for the print version. It's the same with my music buying habits - if I can pick up a CD for the same price, or even just a little more, as a digital download I'm more than happy to wait a couple of days for the CD to arrive.

However, if the digital download - comic book or musical recording - offers a significant saving then I'm on board: for a comic with a $2.99 cover price I'm looking to pay no more than $1.99, even if that means setting aside the 'same day' selling point and waiting for a couple of weeks to make my purchase.

GRAPHICLY TO PROVIDE DIGITAL COMICS ON ALL PLATFORMS INCLUDING FACEBOOK

Berkeley, CA – October 3, 2011 – Graphicly, a social networking and digital distribution platform for the visual entertainment industry, announced today a partnership with Image Comics, the third largest comic book publisher in the US and the number one creator owned content publisher, to digitally supply and share their entire publishing catalog, including such hits as Walking Dead, Invincible, Savage Dragon, Chew and many more, to be released same day as print on Graphicly.

Working with Graphicly, Image Comics will be expanding their reach on all iOS and Android platforms including Barnes & Noble’s NOOKcolor and Amazon’s Kindle Fire. As the only comic book application on Facebook, Graphicly will be making the world of Image Comics available to this growing social audience. Image’s Facebook page will become a browseable comic store where potential readers can preview and purchase the wares while never having to leave the page. Fans can now like a new comic and share it on a friend’s wall!

"20 years ago, Image Comics changed the comic book industry and we’re excited that they’ve chosen Graphicly to help them innovate comics in the digital age." said Micah Baldwin, CEO of Graphicly. "Image's focus on creator owned content , making them THE cutting edge publisher for creator owned titles, is perfectly aligned with Graphicly's philosophy of putting the creator first. We are excited to join them in becoming the leading cutting edge digital solution for creators."

“For years, print comics have been dependent on a single distribution network, so it's interesting to be a position to utilize a variety of different digital platforms,” said Image Comics Publisher Eric Stephenson. “As digital comics continue to become a greater concern, it's important to embrace as many different options as possible.”

Graphicly is bringing the content to the communities rather forcing the people to come to them and is dedicated to providing visual entertainment for the communities that love stories. Image Comics is a venue where creators can publish their material while maintaining creative control and the rights to the stories and characters they create, as creator-owned properties. Together Graphicly and Image are spreading the idea of the importance of good stories by world class creators.

ABOUT GRAPHICLY
Graphicly is a cutting-edge entertainment digital content delivery system and community platform, providing an immersive solution to tell, share and collaborate around story. With more than 300 publishers and over 4,000 creators from major publishers such as Marvel Comics, Image Comics, BOOM! Studios, Top Cow and IDW Publishing to indie creators from around the globe, Graphicly is the leading story-telling and sharing platform online. The Graphicly Network includes dozens of leading websites and blogs, mobile applications including the iPhone, iPad and Android; A desktop AIR application, and an industry leading HTML5 web app. For more information, please visit www.graphicly.com

More details from both Image Comics and Graphicly.