Dynamite Entertainment Launches New DRM-Free Digital Comics Program

The program launches today with an available selection of over 80 individual comic books, which includes creator-owned and licensed titles from Dynamite’s massive library.  The debut selection represents a wide variety of titles, spanning numerous genres, featuring name brand creators (including Kevin Smith, Bill Willingham, Mark Millar, Grant Morrison, Alex Ross, Gail Simone, Robert Jordan, Jim Butcher, Walt Flanagan and Bryan Johnson, Frank Cho, Art and Franco, Garth Ennis, Darick Robertson, and more), and highlighting some of the industry’s most beloved characters (Red Sonja, Vampirella, and The Boys, just to name a few).

•Cryptozoic Manby Walt Flanagan and Bryan Johnson

•Blood Queenby Troy Brownfield and Fritz Casas

•The Boysby Garth Ennis and Darick Robinson

•Captain Action Catby Art Baltazar, Franco, and Chris Smits

•Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangersby Joe Casey, Nathan Fox, and more

•Chaos!by Tim Seely and Mirka Andolfo

•Chastityby Marc Andreyko and Dave Acosta

•American Flaggby Howard Chaykin

•The Devilersby Joshua Hale Fialkov and Matt Triano

•Evil Ernie: Origin of Evilby Jesse Snider and Jason Craig

•Garth Ennis’ Red Teamby Garth Ennis and Craig Cermak

•Jennifer Blood: Born Againby Steven Grant and Kewber Baal

•Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files: War Cryby Jim Butcher, Mark Powers, and Carlos Gomez

•Jungle Girlby Frank Cho, Doug Murray, and Adriano Batista

•Justice, Inc.by Michael Uslan and Giovanni Timpano

•Kevin Smith’s Green Hornetby Kevin Smith and Jonathan Lau

•Legenderry: A Steampunk Adventure by Bill Willingham and Sergio Fernandez Davila

•Miss Furyby Rob Williams and Jack Herbert

•The Mocking Deadby Fred Van Lente and Max Dunbar

•The Ninjettesby Al Ewing and Eman Casallos

•Pathfinder: Dark Waters Risingby Jim Zub and Andrew Huerta

•Project Superpowersby Jim Krueger, Alex Ross, and Carlos Paul

•Red Sonjaby Gail Simone and Walter Geovani

•Red Sonja: Blueby Peter Brett and Walter Geovani

•Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Timeby Robert Jordan, Chuck Dixon, and Chase Conley

•The Shadow: Midnight in Moscowby Howard Chaykin

•Terminal Heroby Peter Milligan and Piotr Kowalski

•The Trial of Sherlock Holmesby Leah Moore, John Reppion, and Aaron Campbell

•Vampirellaby Nancy A. Collins and Patrick Berkenkotter

•Vampirella Master Seriesby Mark Millar, Grant Morrison, and more

•Vampirella vs. Fluffyby Mark Rahner and Cezar Razek

In celebration of their 10th anniversary, Dynamite will offer ten of its comic books at 10 cents apiece, introducing new readers to Dynamite’s most accessible and successful titles at a great value.  The introductory-priced comic books include:

Dynamite will also offer ten (10) free wallpapers to consumers featuring The Boys, Cryptozoic Man, Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files, Neil Gaiman and Alice Cooper’s The Last Temptation, Red Sonja, and Vampirella.  These wallpapers can be downloaded from Dynamite’s digital DRM-free page for a limited time.

Following today’s launch, Dynamite plans to release its DRM-free comics on a weekly basis, every Wednesday, with new offerings announced via the company’s Facebook, Twitter, and website as they are made available for download.  There will be a slow, focused roll-out over time that will grow the available titles to reflect the vast majority of Dynamite’s library.

Throughout its first month of operation, Dynamite will donate ten percent of all sales to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of the First Amendment rights of the comics art form and its community of retailers, creators, publishers, librarians, and readers.

Charles Brownstein, Executive Director of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, says, “CBLDF is delighted to be named as the charitable partner for Dynamite Digital! As comics advance in so many new directions, the CBLDF remains vigilant in our efforts to protect the comics medium in each aspect.  Dynamite’s contribution underscores our commitment to protect comics in the digital environment as vociferously as we do in the comic store and education spaces.”

“The market has been growing for DRM-free content. Each and every day, fans want to choose how to buy and enjoy their comics, and we’re taking our titles to the next level for digital sales,” says Nick Barrucci, CEO and Publisher of Dynamite Entertainment. “Expanding into DRM-free content, made available directly to consumers from our website, is simply giving the consumers the option for what they want and how they want it, and continues to reach out to a non-traditional comic-reading audience.  Our hope is that the availability of comics in a digital fashion will continue to draw new readers to the medium, helping to complement the growth for physical sales through our retail comic store partners.  Following the trend we’ve seen over the past few years in our industry, the world’s continuing love affair with books in print will benefit from a surge in Dynamite interest.”

Barrucci adds, “As part of our launch, we’re donating a portion of all sales to support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.  Charles, Alex, and their team work tirelessly to protect our First Amendment rights.  The Fund needs the help of the industry to support free speech.”

“DRM” (Digital Rights Management) refers to the technology used by publishers, copyright holders, and other individuals to control the use of digital content and devices after sale.  Dynamite’s goal is to offer their titles DRM-free, thereby growing the company and granting comic creators more opportunities to make great products.  Dynamite is eager to take this next step with fans as it continues to expand on its own digital offerings.

Dynamite’s current digital offerings include same-day-as-print releases through Comixology, iVerse, Dark Horse, iBooks, and Amazon Kindle.  Recently, Dynamite worked in conjunction with Humble Bundle, Inc. to offer a 10th Anniversary bundle for sale for a limited time, dedicating a portion of profits such worthwhile charity organizations as the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Doctors Without Borders, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.