Digital comic stores

Sound off about the digital comic store here.

To start a conversation, I think I'm in trouble:

http://www.reddit.com/r/comicbooks/comments/241mx6/comixology_released_new_app_no_longer_offering/

Aparrently, I can't use the money in my iTunes account to get comics.

…

My response:

Tell me I'm not alone here.

The Comixology app has always been terrible. I am amazed they stay in business honestly. I've had comics refuse to download, yet the app won't give an error message. And their tech support was unable to offer the slightest bit of help. This change doesn't surprise me.

Note that this only affects the Apple versions, the Android versions let you use paypal to pay so you can still buy from the app directly. The Apple version doesn't because Apple doesn't allow purchase through other means than Itunes because, well, Apple. And since I use the android version and hate giving money to the Google Play store, Yay!

edited 26th Apr '14 7:35:54 PM by Ghilz

Seriously?

My comics downloaded just fine for me.

I never had a problem in the slightest.

But hey!

How the heck am I suppose to buy comics now?! I was all prepped to score myself All-New Doop #1 when it goes on discount next month!

But now? What am I gonna do? It's not like I can take a portion of my iTunes account money and move it to my comixology account, can I?

Also, "Yay"? Really? That's just cold. Picture yourself in my position, man! How'd you feel if this thing affected only Android devices? The least you could do is show some sympathy, man!

Those A-Holes better have a plan for Apple users. ^note  Those jerks.

edited 26th Apr '14 8:36:03 PM by TargetmasterJoe

Well looking at whats in the reddit thread, this move would give comic creator more money (Since Comixology splits 50-50 with the publisher, and Apple took 30% before that split happens. With Apple cut out, maybe Comixology can use the extra money to make their servers not suck, and comic creators can enjoy more cash.)

you can still buy off their website on your device, just don't use the app to make purchases meanwhile.

...Why do you give I Tunes money for goods it has not given you yet? Is this an apple thing? Why would money be stuck in your itunes account? Are those gift cards?

edited 26th Apr '14 9:27:10 PM by Ghilz

Yes, it's gift cards. In fact, it's always gift cards.

Granted, you do make a valid point about the thing with the 50-50 thing.

But still, how am I even suppose to pay for comics or add money to my comixology account?

Also, that reddit says that the whole "not being able to buy comics using money from your itunes account" hurts a lot. It even uses the phrase "hurts a lot". Word for word.

Aw geez. This is heavy…

I use the android app sometimes, but mostly for the free stuff. Its not bad, though For actual reading otherwise supplied comics i do prefer Perfect Viewer.

Though yesterday i got a 5 dollar coupon, so i might take a look around

edited 27th Apr '14 6:55:54 AM by 3of4

I got a $5 coupon too, and I used it to score A+X #5, mainly for Doop. I've also been meaning to score All-New Doop #1, but I'm probably going to wait until after the price drop next month. (I'm really starting to grow a fascination for Doop for some reason.)

I'll probably use mine for the first issue of the new Dresden Files comic in june.

So am I only one confused that there are comixology original comics apparently?

Why would that be confusing? They are ones that Comixology itself publishes.

It's not that confusing. Besides, for people who don't us comixology, the web-original series (at least the Marvel and DC ones) eventually get collected in the trades, so both set's of people are happy.

They Changed It, Now It Sucks!? I think that's a VERY popular consensus right now.

Not just changed. It seems Comixology is dead (for all intents and purposes). The website no longer exists. Bad news for people who like to read comics digitally. https://www.ign.com/articles/comixology-update-controversy-amazon-digital-comics

Edited by Neveratall on Feb 19th 2022 at 11:28:16 AM

I tried logging in to comixology today, hoping to buy Redman, and let me tell you merger with Amazon Kindle that happened under my nose absolutely murdered the usability of it to the point that it's comical. Buying books? Absurdly difficult. Finding the book you own you want to read? Absurdly difficult. Reading a book you own? Absurdly difficult. Transferring my collection took quite a few googles, since there was no quick tooltip that told me how. I imagine many people think their collections just plain got wiped out. I imagine quite a few collections were wiped out.

I literally can't think of how this benefits anybody at all.

It probably reduces operating costs (by a fraction of a percent, I'm sure, considering how marginal Comixology has to be in the grand scheme) for Amazon, and it probably means they can justify laying off Comixology employees, so, there's the only incentive that matters for the corporation.

Maybe that was the idea, but I heard an indie comics company saying their royalties from Comixology dropped 90% after this so they can't be making money off the whole kerfuffle.

It's an amazing encapsulation of how capitalism/corporate culture destroys things people love honestly.

So, does anyone think the "revamped" version of comixology is still worth it? And if not, are there any good alternatives?

...and as of this week the Marvel-branded Comixology app (which still allowed in-app purchases and kept the old navigation & screen design) is gone.

Purchases could he migrated to the MU app, which is... ok. Better than the current Comixology app. But it struggles with collections (as it was only ever designed for single issues) and finding purchases of comics that are now off-sale (e.g. licensed stuff like Conan).

I suspect that Disney are Not Happy.

At one point Comixology accounted for the biggest single-day spike in Apple's iOS in-app purchases every Wednesday. And Marvel were selling some books over 50% digitally.

Whereas now...

Looks like Comixology allows in-app purchases again. Or at least does app-to-web Amazon purchases smoothly enough that you don't have to leave the app.

That's new. And much improved,

And was turned off again, I think.

The latest announcement is that Comixology is being retired and everything's moving to the Kindle app.

Going to be honest, I stuck with Comixology after that initial reformatting, but now I'm seriously considering just not getting digital singles anymore if I have to read them in an app not expressly designed for comics.

So, Comixology RIP. The app and the brand are gone, and it's all been absorbed into Kindle.

With that in mind, should this become a more general digital comics platforms thread? Covering Kindle and whatever challengers rise up to fill the gap?

And Marvel's announced that they're now selling digital comics on the new VeVe platform as well as Kindle.

Interesting. A first look suggests that VeVe is charging a premium for variant covers (plus some other extras, as shown) — but the cover you get for that option is random. Not sure how I feel about that.

Edited by Mrph1 on Mar 15th 2024 at 2:29:05 PM