Following in the footsteps of Image Comics, Top Shelf has announced that they will be selling DRM-free digital graphic novels direct from their website. They will continue selling through various partners, as well, but setting up their own digital store (with choices of PDF, ePub, or CBZ) allows them to sell bundles — if you buy print direct from them, the digital version is also available for a small add-on price.
The first titles in the program (which seem to be new releases and/or works by web cartoonists who likely understand the power of digital) are
With this announcement, it appears that the last fears of retailer grumbling over publisher direct sales are gone… or irrelevant. Comic shop owners used to berate and/or try to punish (through ordering) publishers that pushed direct sales to customers, but it’s a whole new world now, and publishers need to reach out directly for their own success. After all, no one can push your book as well as you can.
Similar Posts: Interview With Robert Venditti (The Surrogates) § Top Shelf Goes Digital With iVerse for iPad, iPhone Only — For Now § The Surrogates: Flesh and Bone § Digital Manga Direct Shutting Down § The Surrogates
Johanna Draper Carlson runs ComicsWorthReading.com, where she has provided independent reviews of graphic novels, manga, all kinds of comic books, and related media since 1999.
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