DC Comics has joined comiXology’s Digital Storefront Affiliate Program, which will allow participating retailers to sell digital versions of DC comics to their customers through their stores' Websites and share in the proceeds from the sales without having to add any inventory to their store (see “Digital Storefronts for Retailers” for an in-depth look at the comiXology program).

 

In addition to DC, which announced the move on its The Source blog, Image Comics (including Top Cow and Shadowline), Dynamite Entertainment, and BOOM! Stuidos have all joined the extensive list of more than 20 smaller publishers participating in the comiXology Digital Storefront Affiliate Program, which was announced in January.

 

DC’s participation gives comiXology’s Digital Storefront Program a huge boost. Diamond Comic Distributors announced a competing program for digital sales that allows participating retailers to sell “redemption codes” rather than actual digital comics (see “Diamond Offers In-Store Digital Sales”), but so far Diamond has not announced the participation of one of the top two publishers. 

 

Under the Diamond plan a store does not need to have a Website, whereas a Website is necessary to participate in the comiXology program, which includes a standard digital storefront that retailers can put up on their Websites that allows their customer to purchase and download digital comics. ComiXology plans to make its digital storefronts customizable so that retailers will be able individualize their offerings and eventually integrate sales of both paper and digital comics.

 

DC’s participation in the comiXology Digital Storefront Program appears to cement its relationship with comiXology, which also carries DC books on its apps for both Android phones and the Web. In addition ComiXology has stand-alone iOS apps for both DC and Marvel.