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Diamond Digital

Started by plitch,

22 posts in this topic

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plitch

plitch

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Thoughts?

 

 

DIAMOND Dips Into Digital Distribution World with IVERSE

 

(BALTIMORE, MD and WACO, TX) — (February 9, 2011) — Imagine a future where readers and fans can visit their local comic shop to buy not just physical copies of new comics, but also digital editions that aren’t available anywhere else, and can be viewed in multiple platforms including iPhone, iPad, web, and others.

 

That future is coming soon as Diamond Comic Distributors (DCD) -- the world’s largest distributor of English-language comic books, graphic novels and related pop-culture merchandise -- joins forces with iVerse Media -- the pioneer of digital comics and creators of the popular ComicsPLUS reader -- to empower 2,700+ brick and mortar comic shops to sell digital content.

Plans call for day-and-date digital editions to sell exclusively at comic shops for 30 days for about $1.99, with “Digital Plus” editions – digital copies available with the purchase of a hard copy – expected to sell for $.99.

 

Thanks to a simple but technologically robust code redemption system, retailers will need only an internet connection and a printer to participate. They will have no inventory risk or carrying costs and will retain a significant portion of each sale, with billing occurring on their regular DCD invoices. Retailers with websites will also be able to profitably sell a wide range of digital back issue comics and graphic novels.

 

Diamond Executive VP and COO Chuck Parker had this to say: “Digital comics are creating opportunities for publishers to grow the comic market. Our task, as we see it, has been to structure a program that empowers comic retailers to play a role in this growth and, at the same time, make money selling digital content. We think we’ve accomplished that with this initiative, and we look forward to feedback from retailers and publishers alike to help us succeed in this endeavor.”

 

iVerse CEO Michael Murphey added: “We are proud to be helping Diamond develop systems which will immediately enable comic shop retailers at any level of technical ability to easily sell digital comics. We are also very excited about the potential of this new venture to create many creative print-to-digital and digital-to-print promotional possibilities.”

 

Publishers already on-board with the program include: Ape Entertainment, Archie Comics, Aspen Comics, Bluewater Productions, Broadsword Comics, Hermes Press, IDW Publishing, Moonstone Comics, NBM Publishing, Papercutz, Red 5 Comics, Studio Foglio, Titan Books, TOKYOPOP, Top Cow Productions and Top Shelf Productions. Talks with other publishers are continuing, and the first comic shop digital editions are slated to debut in July, 2011.

 

“Direct Market retailers have always been IDW’s most important market and we’re very pleased to be working with Diamond and iVerse to include them in the digital distribution of our books,” said Ted Adams, CEO/Publisher IDW Publishing.

 

Dave Bowen, Director of DCD’s new Diamond Digital division, said: “We invite all publishers to join our effort, whether with all of their books or a portion of their line. All we ask is that they give comic shops a 30-day head-start on selling whatever digital content they chose to make available through the program.” Bowen added that interested publishers are welcome to contact him (bdave@diamondcomics.com) or Michael Murphey (michael@iversemedia.com) for more information.

 

Further details with be forthcoming at the ComicsPRO Annual Meeting being held February 10-12 in Dallas, and at Diamond’s Retailer Summit to be held March 17-18 in Chicago, in conjunction with the C2E2 show.

 

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thehumantorch

thehumantorch

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Posted
Thoughts?

 

 

DIAMOND Dips Into Digital Distribution World with IVERSE

 

(BALTIMORE, MD and WACO, TX) — (February 9, 2011) — Imagine a future where readers and fans can visit their local comic shop to buy not just physical copies of new comics, but also digital editions that aren’t available anywhere else, and can be viewed in multiple platforms including iPhone, iPad, web, and others.

 

That future is coming soon as Diamond Comic Distributors (DCD) -- the world’s largest distributor of English-language comic books, graphic novels and related pop-culture merchandise -- joins forces with iVerse Media -- the pioneer of digital comics and creators of the popular ComicsPLUS reader -- to empower 2,700+ brick and mortar comic shops to sell digital content.

Plans call for day-and-date digital editions to sell exclusively at comic shops for 30 days for about $1.99, with “Digital Plus” editions – digital copies available with the purchase of a hard copy – expected to sell for $.99.

 

Thanks to a simple but technologically robust code redemption system, retailers will need only an internet connection and a printer to participate. They will have no inventory risk or carrying costs and will retain a significant portion of each sale, with billing occurring on their regular DCD invoices. Retailers with websites will also be able to profitably sell a wide range of digital back issue comics and graphic novels.

 

Diamond Executive VP and COO Chuck Parker had this to say: “Digital comics are creating opportunities for publishers to grow the comic market. Our task, as we see it, has been to structure a program that empowers comic retailers to play a role in this growth and, at the same time, make money selling digital content. We think we’ve accomplished that with this initiative, and we look forward to feedback from retailers and publishers alike to help us succeed in this endeavor.”

 

iVerse CEO Michael Murphey added: “We are proud to be helping Diamond develop systems which will immediately enable comic shop retailers at any level of technical ability to easily sell digital comics. We are also very excited about the potential of this new venture to create many creative print-to-digital and digital-to-print promotional possibilities.”

 

Publishers already on-board with the program include: Ape Entertainment, Archie Comics, Aspen Comics, Bluewater Productions, Broadsword Comics, Hermes Press, IDW Publishing, Moonstone Comics, NBM Publishing, Papercutz, Red 5 Comics, Studio Foglio, Titan Books, TOKYOPOP, Top Cow Productions and Top Shelf Productions. Talks with other publishers are continuing, and the first comic shop digital editions are slated to debut in July, 2011.

 

“Direct Market retailers have always been IDW’s most important market and we’re very pleased to be working with Diamond and iVerse to include them in the digital distribution of our books,” said Ted Adams, CEO/Publisher IDW Publishing.

 

Dave Bowen, Director of DCD’s new Diamond Digital division, said: “We invite all publishers to join our effort, whether with all of their books or a portion of their line. All we ask is that they give comic shops a 30-day head-start on selling whatever digital content they chose to make available through the program.” Bowen added that interested publishers are welcome to contact him (bdave@diamondcomics.com) or Michael Murphey (michael@iversemedia.com) for more information.

 

Further details with be forthcoming at the ComicsPRO Annual Meeting being held February 10-12 in Dallas, and at Diamond’s Retailer Summit to be held March 17-18 in Chicago, in conjunction with the C2E2 show.

 

Interesting concept but seems behind the times. Can't see most collectors buying

digital copies from LCS when they can download them.

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ComicConnoisseur

ComicConnoisseur

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Thoughts?

 

 

DIAMOND Dips Into Digital Distribution World with IVERSE

 

(BALTIMORE, MD and WACO, TX) — (February 9, 2011) — Imagine a future where readers and fans can visit their local comic shop to buy not just physical copies of new comics, but also digital editions that aren’t available anywhere else, and can be viewed in multiple platforms including iPhone, iPad, web, and others.

 

That future is coming soon as Diamond Comic Distributors (DCD) -- the world’s largest distributor of English-language comic books, graphic novels and related pop-culture merchandise -- joins forces with iVerse Media -- the pioneer of digital comics and creators of the popular ComicsPLUS reader -- to empower 2,700+ brick and mortar comic shops to sell digital content.

Plans call for day-and-date digital editions to sell exclusively at comic shops for 30 days for about $1.99, with “Digital Plus” editions – digital copies available with the purchase of a hard copy – expected to sell for $.99.

 

Thanks to a simple but technologically robust code redemption system, retailers will need only an internet connection and a printer to participate. They will have no inventory risk or carrying costs and will retain a significant portion of each sale, with billing occurring on their regular DCD invoices. Retailers with websites will also be able to profitably sell a wide range of digital back issue comics and graphic novels.

 

Diamond Executive VP and COO Chuck Parker had this to say: “Digital comics are creating opportunities for publishers to grow the comic market. Our task, as we see it, has been to structure a program that empowers comic retailers to play a role in this growth and, at the same time, make money selling digital content. We think we’ve accomplished that with this initiative, and we look forward to feedback from retailers and publishers alike to help us succeed in this endeavor.”

 

iVerse CEO Michael Murphey added: “We are proud to be helping Diamond develop systems which will immediately enable comic shop retailers at any level of technical ability to easily sell digital comics. We are also very excited about the potential of this new venture to create many creative print-to-digital and digital-to-print promotional possibilities.”

 

Publishers already on-board with the program include: Ape Entertainment, Archie Comics, Aspen Comics, Bluewater Productions, Broadsword Comics, Hermes Press, IDW Publishing, Moonstone Comics, NBM Publishing, Papercutz, Red 5 Comics, Studio Foglio, Titan Books, TOKYOPOP, Top Cow Productions and Top Shelf Productions. Talks with other publishers are continuing, and the first comic shop digital editions are slated to debut in July, 2011.

 

“Direct Market retailers have always been IDW’s most important market and we’re very pleased to be working with Diamond and iVerse to include them in the digital distribution of our books,” said Ted Adams, CEO/Publisher IDW Publishing.

 

Dave Bowen, Director of DCD’s new Diamond Digital division, said: “We invite all publishers to join our effort, whether with all of their books or a portion of their line. All we ask is that they give comic shops a 30-day head-start on selling whatever digital content they chose to make available through the program.” Bowen added that interested publishers are welcome to contact him (bdave@diamondcomics.com) or Michael Murphey (michael@iversemedia.com) for more information.

 

Further details with be forthcoming at the ComicsPRO Annual Meeting being held February 10-12 in Dallas, and at Diamond’s Retailer Summit to be held March 17-18 in Chicago, in conjunction with the C2E2 show.

 

Interesting concept but seems behind the times. Can't see most collectors buying

digital copies from LCS when they can download them.

100 percent agree, I am not going drive to my lcs to download a comic when I can download a comic from the internet. I also noticed Marvel,DC,Dark Horse,Boom and Image aren`t part of the deal so this looks quite interesting.

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Batty Scrooge

Batty Scrooge

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Interesting concept but seems behind the times. Can't see most collectors buying

digital copies from LCS when they can download them.

 

I actually think its a great idea and had been meaning to contact Zapp, my LCS, to see if they would be participating in the digital plus program. I like collecting Variant covers, so if I could get a digital copy to read for $0.99, that would be awesome! I wouldn't buy the book twice which is why I don't buy any digital books, but an extra 99 cents is a different story!

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Ted Knight

Ted Knight

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I always thought this was just a lack of vision on the part of publishers. When you think about the evolution of the comic book, every time it changed format, the method of story-telling changed also. From strip to comic book, the narrative, page layout and virtually all other aspects adapted, evolved, improved for the new format. It just seems that no one has thought outside of what they know of traditional print comics to adapt to the new digital format.

 

In case, it's unclear, what I'm saying is that the traditional 6 or 9 panel layout worked well for print but is obsolete in the digital age.

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Batty Scrooge

Batty Scrooge

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I always thought this was just a lack of vision on the part of publishers. When you think about the evolution of the comic book, every time it changed format, the method of story-telling changed also. From strip to comic book, the narrative, page layout and virtually all other aspects adapted, evolved, improved for the new format. It just seems that no one has thought outside of what they know of traditional print comics to adapt to the new digital format.

 

In case, it's unclear, what I'm saying is that the traditional 6 or 9 panel layout worked well for print but is obsolete in the digital age.

 

I use ComicXology for digital books and its really sweet how the books are meta tagged for each panel. So if I am reading on the web I get the full 6 or 9 panel page, but on my android phone it will go from panel to panel, even zooming and and out within a panel for emphasis. They have some free books to check it out, its pretty cool how it works, very smooth. Not the headache that reading a CBR file can be on a smartphone.

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Zapp Comics

Zapp Comics

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Chris,I'll let you know what I decide. Frankly, there's no major publishers involved yet, so we're looking at 2 to 3% of my new issues included in this program.

 

At this point, digital is in its infancy and publishers make the vast majority of their profits from paper. Publishers have to slowly and carefully replace those profits with digital sales. Also, the value proposition drops tremendously with digital, so pricing will have to be toyed with a lot. I think consumers buying digital are predisposed to steal their media, or want it really cheap. Plus, issues of piracy.

 

So, digital is here, but is not going to displace hard copies like music was overnight. The average age of my new comic buyer is about 30. They have a fondness for paper and are accustomed to it. The tactile nature of floppies still holds an attraction for new comic buyers.

 

Things will change, but I see it taking at least 5 years before it's a major sea change towards digital. I'm pretty adaptable, so not particularly freaked out by it. Heck, I know of some stores that make money selling VHS tapes...

 

We'll see what happens, should be interesting.

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Batty Scrooge

Batty Scrooge

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Chris,I'll let you know what I decide. Frankly, there's no major publishers involved yet, so we're looking at 2 to 3% of my new issues included in this program.

 

At this point, digital is in its infancy and publishers make the vast majority of their profits from paper. Publishers have to slowly and carefully replace those profits with digital sales. Also, the value proposition drops tremendously with digital, so pricing will have to be toyed with a lot. I think consumers buying digital are predisposed to steal their media, or want it really cheap. Plus, issues of piracy.

 

So, digital is here, but is not going to displace hard copies like music was overnight. The average age of my new comic buyer is about 30. They have a fondness for paper and are accustomed to it. The tactile nature of floppies still holds an attraction for new comic buyers.

 

Things will change, but I see it taking at least 5 years before it's a major sea change towards digital. I'm pretty adaptable, so not particularly freaked out by it. Heck, I know of some stores that make money selling VHS tapes...

 

We'll see what happens, should be interesting.

 

Didn't realize this program was being done with iVerse, yeah their selection isn't very good. They don't even have a reader for Android, its listed on their site, but not actually available, but I assume that would be fleshed out before they official launch the service. ComiXology has most DC titles I read, but only Batman Beyond is day and date right now.

 

I think piracy and cheap prices of digital is blown out of proportion by the less savvy because they don't really understand it. There was recently a study which suggested that piracy may actually increase sales and profits due to the increase of word of mouth concerning the product. Now I may be able to pirate any movie, comic or song that I want easily, but the vast majority of people really don't know how to, and of those that do know, a large portion doesn't out of fear of prosecution.

 

So the theory is that if I download some books and start talking about them to other comic geeks, there would be more of them that would buy the book or a digital copy than would pirate it.

 

Now, I still buy the books, I am one of Ben's 30 something buyers that wants the hard copy to collect, but if I could get a digital copy in addition to the hard copy for 99 cents, I would do it with the quickness as its easier to spend the extra 99 cents at the shop if I could get my comiXology account loaded with the book to. For 99 cents thats easier than grabbing the latest 0-Day Week of XXX torrent and picking out the books I read and grabbing them.

 

At same cover price for digital and the hard copy, I'm more willing to pirate the reader copy, which brings up my second point, digital isn't cheaper, and it doesn't make everyone want everything cheaper. I don't know why everyone just looks at games and apps on the app store and extrapolates that microcosm of digital out across the spectrum. True, mobile gamers are gravitating to the 0.99 cent price point, but those publishers actually have a higher return on equity than the PS3 game publishers who get $60 for a game. You never hear Gameloft complaining about pricing on the app store, its always Nintendo complaining.

 

However, most other digital content is more expensive than its hard copy counterpart. My wife has a Kindle, and most of the new books cost more on there than the hardcopy costs from Walmart or Amazon, but it works due to convenience. On Apples iTunes store, most new music and movies cost more than the actual CD or DVD, its just masked by selling the songs individually for 99 cents.

 

Rant over lol I want variants and digital copies bundled in for an extra 99 cents :)

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towards2112

towards2112

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Not knowing beans from buffalo patties about the legal and logistical aspects

of this, but it would be savy for Diamond to become the sole digital distributor

for the small press producer who no longer wishes to produce hard copies.

A licensing fee paid by the LCS at X amount to resell a digital copy, or a

subscription service, or Diamond to sell a direct download ?

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