DC’s Digital First program is set to expand its slate of comic books with a variety of titles released digitally seven days a week.
DC Comics announced the expansion of its digital publishing program in a recent press release, outlining the plan to give comic book readers daily and weekly access to stories that have never been made available on digital platforms before.
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The first wave of titles released as part of the new expansion will be Superman: The Man of Tomorrow, Batman: Gotham Nights, Wonder Woman: Agent of Peace, Aquaman: Deep Dives, Flash: Fastest Man Alive, Swamp Thing: New Roots and DC Super Hero Girls: Infinite Frenemies, with each debuting online for the first time, having previously been exclusive to DC Giants anthologies.
“Comic book fans want more access to content than ever before,” Chief creative officer and publisher Jim Lee said in a statement. “This strategy is intended to get daily content to fans immediately, and also to ensure that when comic shops open back up for business, they will have new content and product that their customers will want. In the meantime, we will have properly stoked and protected the demand for comics, keeping fans interested in our characters and stories.
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“I really want to stress that regularly scheduled and solicited print comics, traditionally available on Wednesdays, will continue to be available day-and-date digitally on Tuesdays moving forward,” Lee added. “On the other hand, DC Digital First comics will be released seven days a week, with a strikingly different trade dress that will distinguish these titles from physical versions.”
In addition to the new batch of content joining its Digital First catalog, DC has launched DC Essential Reads, a free digital promotion offering first issues of Watchmen, Batman: Hush, The Sandman, Dark Nights: Metal, Doomsday Clock, Crisis on Infinite Earths, Mister Miracle, and more iconic editions from the DC library, on a variety of digital platforms until June 8.
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This news comes shortly after DC Comics announced that it would be shipping a limited selection of new comics to stores starting April 28 after an initial slowdown at the start of the month when Diamond Comic Distributors stated it would stop shipping deliveries of new books to stores as of April 1 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over time, the pandemic has caused multiple delays and shutdowns across the entertainment industry, but we remain hopeful that some of 2020’s biggest comic book projects will get back on track. DC is currently preparing for two major Joker-centric stories; Joker War will chronicle what may be the final confrontation between Batman and Joker, while the long-awaited Three Jokers will finally address one of the biggest mysteries in the DC Universe.
For a list of recommendations on how best to help, and stay safe, during the coronavirus pandemic, please read our resource guide.
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Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.
Source: IGN.com DC to Begin Releasing Digital Comics Daily