For years, Comixology was the place for digital comics. In 2014, the company was sold to Amazon. Despite some initial optimism about the e-commerce behemoth putting its considerable weight behind the growth of digital comics, Amazon was a poor caretaker. The URL comixology.com still works, but it redirects to a subdirectory of a subdirectory of Amazon. The Comixology app was discontinued, and comics were subsumed under the Kindle ecosystem, treating comics as identical to ebooks.
While comics fans have generally been unhappy, they lack a full-fledged alternative. Neon Ichiban hopes to change that. The service announced by comics publisher DSTLRY intends to be a “single destination where you can discover new comics and manga the same day they hit print.” The initial publishers participating are Dark Horse Comics, DC, DSTLRY, Kodansha, Marvel Comics, Oni Press, and Vault Comics.
In addition to day-of-release comics, Neon Ichiban intends to improve digital comics for both collectors and publishers. One unique offering is digital signatures and custom sketches, called remarques, which can be sold or traded, with publishers and creators getting a cut of each sale. At first glance, this may sound like comic book NFTs, but collecting has always been the lifeblood of the comic industry. If creators and publishers fully participate, it could be what the industry needs.
However, according to the New York Times, Neon Ichiban is the brainchild of David Steinberger and Chip Mosher. Mosher founded Comixology and approved its sale to Amazon, and Steinberger was the head of content. Will collectors be willing to buy into another walled garden after being burned by Comixology? Neon Ichiban promises a free digital collectible for signing up for the waitlist as an incentive to give it a try at launch.
