In an industry first, Archie Comics on Wednesday announced its new titles would available to read day-and-date on comiXology Unlimited, the subscription arm of Amazon’s digital comics service.
The move took effect immediately with the publication of this week’s Sabrina: Something Wicked #3 by Kelly Thompson and Veronica and Andy Fish, Archie and comiXology announced in a joint news release.
Typically, comics appear on subscription services like comiXology Unlimited, Marvel Unlimited and the recently rebranded DC Universe six months after publication. So, for example, X-Men fans reading exclusively on Marvel Unlimited would just now be getting around to March’s Cable #1. The Archie deal removes that time gap, so Unlimited subscribers can read books like Sabrina #3 and Betty & Veronica Jumbo Comics #287 today.
Since the pandemic, Archie has moved farther and farther away from the more modern books inspired by its 2015 reboot and relied more on its tried-and-true classic “house-style” material. Even the main Archie title has been MIA since July, when it wrapped up a four-part Katy Keene story by Mariko Tamaki, Kevin Panetta and Laura Braga.
With Archie breaking the seal on day-and-date subscription binging, will other publishers follow suit? Certainly Archie going day-and-date is a bit more low-stakes than, say, Marvel or DC. But in the year of our coronavirus 2020, any attempt publishers make at innovating and meeting readers where they live is a win.
Dan Grote is the editor-in-chief of ComicsXF, having won the site by ritual combat. By day, he’s a newspaper editor, and by night, he’s … also an editor. He co-hosts WMQ&A: The ComicsXF Interview Podcast with Matt Lazorwitz. He lives in New Jersey with his wife, two kids and two miniature dachshunds, and his third, fictional son, Peter Winston Wisdom.
