Top Cow Comics Announces Digital Distribution Plans

As we’ve debated on The Flickcast, digital distribution of comics and other content is here to stay and is the way things will be done in the future. To illustrate this point, comic book publisher Top Cow Productions has announced they are partnering with several companies to offer their comics and other content on mobile, portable and desktop readers.

Want to know more? For that, let’s check out the official press release from Top Cow.

TOP COW COMICS ANNOUNCES DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION PLANS

LOS ANGELES, Calif., December 9, 2009 – Top Cow Productions, Inc. proudly announced today that the publisher has partnered with comiXology, iVerse Media, WOWIO, Amazon.com and Longbox Digital to distribute their digital comics on mobile, portable and desktop readers. The move is in direct response to requests from fans and in an effort to tap into a new growth market.

The publisher plans to focus on primarily archival material and sold out issues of recent series. The first of Top Cow’s digital comics will be available beginning tomorrow, December 10th, 2009.

Top Cow’s digital comics have been optimized and reformatted for mobile devices and desktop computers, such as Amazon’s Kindle and Apple’s iPhone. The publisher will have numerous first issues and entry point issues available for free, as well as a pay-per-download.

“Top Cow is very excited to have our titles available on multiple platforms,” said Top Cow publisher, Filip Sablik. “The potential to reach out and connect to a new audience and hopefully drive those new readers to physical comic book stores are all driving forces for this coordinated push. And partnering with comiXology, iVerse, WOWIO, Amazon and Longbox ensures we’re using the most up-to-date technology to provide our readers with an easy, accessible and satisfying experience.”

The move follows the mobile digital distribution of The Darkness/Pitt #1 on the iPhone made available through comiXology’s ‘Comics’ iPhone application.

“In many cases, we will be able to make recently sold out issues of comics available digitally right before the following issue comes out in direct market stores and encourage new fans to continue reading the story at their local comic shop,” added Sablik, “We’re value our direct market partners a great deal and are taking measured steps to ensure we help grow our business with them, rather than cannibalizing sales.”

Top Cow will release the following titles for the month of December for free: Witchblade #1, Wanted #1, The Darkness/Pitt #1 (already available on Comics by comiXology), Witchblade #80, Tracker First Look, The Darkness Volume 3 #1, Berserker #0, Impaler Volume 2 #1, Hunter-Killer #1 and The Darkness Volume 1 #1. Each week will see new issues available for fans to download.

For the month of January, the additional titles will be made available including: Witchblade #2-8, Wanted #2-6, The Darkness/Pitt #2, Witchblade #81, The Darkness Volume 3 #2, Witchblade #82, Tracker #1, The Darkness Volume 3 #3, Impaler Volume 1 #1, Witchblade #83, Berserker #1, The Darkness Volume 3 #4, Impaler Volume 2 #2, Impaler Volume 1 #2-6, Witchblade #84, Hunter-Killer #2-12, The Darkness Volume 3 #5 and The Darkness Volume 1 #2-6.