At Comic-Con International, the annual comic book convention, publishers embraced tablets and e-readers to show off their wares, and companies like comiXology demonstrated technological innovations to better distribute those offerings.
ComiXology, which has become one of the biggest distributors of digital comic books, hit a milestone in June when it reached 180 million unique comic book downloads since it started business in 2009, said David Steinberger, the company's chief executive, and a co-founder. Of those downloads, 80 million were in the last six months.
The company's success mirrors a surge in digital sales, which reached $70 million last year, up from $25 million in 2011, according to a report released July 15 by ICv2, an online trade publication that covers pop culture. Digital sales made up 19 per cent of the total North American market, which rose 13 per cent to $750 million in 2012, up from $665 million the year before.
At the comiXology booth at Comic-Con, fans swiped their fingers across a variety of tablets to view the offerings as comiXology employees explained how the system worked.
"Amazing!" Chris W Palmenberg, a visitor from Tucson, Ariz., said as he gave the comiXology team a thumbs-up. "When I first saw the iPad, I knew this would be great for comics," he said. A longtime reader of print comic books, Palmenberg made the switch to comiXology's platform two years ago for the ease of portability.
"I think that we contributed to the revolution in digital comics," Steinberger said. Supported by in-app purchases, comiXology was No. 3 on Apple's list of top 10 apps in 2012. Its business model helped persuade DC and Marvel to sign deals to distribute their comic books digitally through comiXology the same day they are released in print.
Working with partners like comiXology on distribution allows DC to better focus on producing good stories, said Jim Lee, the co-publisher of DC Entertainment, adding, "The Holy Grail was the distribution issue."
For years, comic book publishers faced a problem of poor distribution. In the 1960s and '70s, comic books were sold at newsstands and bookstores. As they migrated to specialty shops, publishers broadened their offerings and aimed at a niche audience, fueling a speculation boom among collectors in the 1980s. After an eventual bust a decade later, the number of specialty shops shrank. By this time, distribution had become too focused on existing readers and had failed to attract new ones.
But with the digital revolution, publishers seem to have overcome their distribution woes. Through computers and mobile devices, they can now reach readers anywhere in the world.
DC said it had been able to take advantage of the new distribution model to reach new readers. Thirty percent of readers of "Injustice," a book based on a video game, were new to comic books, Lee said. Not only does technology promote innovation, it lowers barriers to the market, allowing new publishers to enter.
After taking two years to develop its technology to create motion books, Madefire, based in Berkeley, California, opened for business last year. Its initial strategy was to focus on original content with features like animation, sound and music and deliver it through its own app. Madefire also has a Web distribution deal with DeviantArt.
"We've optimized for a digital-first reading experience," said Ben Wolstenholme, a co-founder and the chief executive of Madefire.
To broaden its audience, Madefire started working with small publishers like Top Cow and Boom Studios. It recently announced a deal with IDW to create motion books for "Star Trek," "My Little Pony" and "Transformers." Now, Madefire has to balance its original content with licensed properties, but Wolstenholme said the strategy was to reach a more mainstream audience.
Lion Forge Comics, a startup based in St. Louis, is also taking a similar approach. This was its first year at Comic-Con, but it has already announced a deal to publish comic books based on old NBC shows such as "Knight Rider" and "Punky Brewster."
"I think it's a good time for new companies," said David Steward II, managing partner and creative director at Lion Forge. "You can do new things in different ways, versus changing direction, which the more established companies can't."
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