Apparently, today is National Comic Book Day, although no one knows why. But at least ComiXology is giving away 25 free comics, today only, to celebrate. They’re from Boom!, IDW, Oni, and Valiant, for the most part. I really liked their feature where you could add them all to your cart, apply the discount code, and then remove the ones you didn’t want. I ended up only with a handful — some of these have been given away before, and […]

In July, ComiXology announced that certain publishers would provide DRM-free backups of the digital comics you rented through their service, moving them closer to being purchases. Now, ComiXology has announced a second wave of publishers included in the program. Joining the previous list of Image Comics, Dynamite Entertainment, Zenescope Entertainment, MonkeyBrain Comics, Thrillbent, and Top Shelf Productions are IDW Publishing Valiant Entertainment Oni Press Fantagraphics Books Aspen Comics Action Lab Entertainment and a bunch of smaller publishers: Th3rd World Studios, […]

Fantagraphics has announced a new “micro imprint”, Fantagraphics Underground Press, charmingly to be known as FU Press. It will publish books they describe as “appealing to a smaller, more rarefied readership”, but reading between the lines, it’s a designation for works that won’t be offered to every comic shop through Diamond or other distributors. Instead, they’ll “print limited editions (between 100 and 500 copies), market them on our website, help arrange signings and convention appearances, and sell them at comic […]

I hope this comes together as intended, because it sounds like a great project. Hazel Newlevant is organizing Chainmail Bikini, a planned comic anthology that “seeks to celebrate the experience of women as players, makers, and critics of gaming…. From videogames to tabletop role play to collectible card games, Chainmail Bikini will show that while women are not always the target market for gaming, they are a vital and thoroughly engaged part of it, and are eager to express their […]

The acquisition of ComiXology by Amazon has caused a number of publishers to rethink their digital strategy. For some reason, a near monopoly of the digital comic distribution market seemed ok when the company was independent, but once a huge competitor snapped them up, publishers started checking out alternatives. Valiant, for instance, has taken on a strategy of selling through as many venues as they can, announcing last month that their digital issues would now be available on iVerse’s ComicsPlus […]

I can’t believe that SPX — the 2014 Small Press Expo — is this coming weekend! I better get ready. One of those tasks includes reviewing the outstanding programming slate put together by Bill Kartalopoulos. I always have a hard time tearing myself away from the show floor, looking at all those new and exciting minicomics and graphic novels, but it’s good to remember that there are informative and entertaining panel discussions as well. One of those I hope you’ll […]

The Lumberjanes badges Boom! took to the San Diego Comic-Con were so popular that they’ve turned them into a continuing category of merchandise on their site. Each iron-on patch, as designed by Kate Leth, can now be pre-ordered for delivery in October at a cost of $5.99 each (which includes shipping). And as new badges appear in the comic, they’ll be available for purchase as well, so you can follow along with your favorite girl scouts. (The exception is the […]