Comixology Offers DRM-Free Backups For Some Publishers

One of the reasons some comic book fans have been reluctant to make the shift to digital comics is the fact that you don’t really “own” the books that you purchase. For the major publishers, their digital comics come in file formats that can only be read with certain apps or software, meaning that if those services ever close up shop, readers will be left with … well, nothing, really.

Comixology is changing part of that equation, or at least floating a trial balloon in the right direction. The leader in digital comics announced yesterday that it is offering DRM-free backups for books by some publishers, meaning that readers can download and store local copies of their purchases in the common PDF and CBZ file formats. Customers can find a list of issues they own that support the new feature by going to the My Books area of comixology.com and using the My Backups tab. The lone downside is that any comics viewed as local backups can’t take advantage of Comixology’s Guided View technology, which optimizes each panel for mobile or online viewing.

Publishers who are part of the DRM-free backup initiative include Image Comics — the biggest participating name — Dynamite Entertainment, Zenescope Entertainment, MonkeyBrain Comics, Thrillbent and Top Shelf Productions. Creators who self-publish using Comixology’s Submit service will also have the option of making their work DRM-free going forward.

Of course without Marvel and DC on board, it’s hard to call this a complete game-changer, and regardless of how one feels about the perception versus the reality of piracy, those companies have the most to think about before agreeing to a similar arrangement. For people who want more of a sense of ownership of their digital comics, though, this is an intriguing first step.

Full details are available on Comixology’s FAQ page.