Archie Comics announced that it will begin offering all of its new comics in digital form on the same day they’re released in print, at $1.99, $1.00 cheaper than the cover price of the print product. The new strategy will begin April 1st, with digital releases through the company’s iOS app. 

 

This is the most aggressive move to digital by a major publisher thus far. Marvel and DC are experimenting with day and date release, but only on specific titles, and at a price that’s equal to the print version, rather than less expensive. 

 

Over 1.7 million copies of Archie’s stand-alone publisher app, powered by iVerse, have been downloaded to date. 

 

Archie CEO Jon Goldwater did not appear to be worried about channel conflict between the digital and brick and mortar channels. “The way we look at it is that, in general, the print and the digital customer are two separate customers,” he said. “Not everyone is near a comic book shop or a place where they can get our comic books.” 

 

He also differentiated between the print and digital products in explaining the price difference. “Even though the book itself is created as a stand-alone product, and you're carrying it around on the device, when you have the comic book in hand, it's a different sort of experience,” he said. “So we recognize the fact that, digitally, it's going to be a little less money."