DC Does DIGITAL: iPhone, iPad App Premieres on iTunes

DC Comics has finally entered the digital publishing frontier...

With so-far no fanfare or advanced announcement, and after months of questions and speculation about when the comic book publishing giant would announce a digital distribution initiative, an official free DC Comics app (Version 1.0) and store for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad premiered on iTunes in the early hours of June 23, offering e-versions of DC titles for individual sale.

Like Marvel’s app, which debuted the launch day of Apple’s iPad in early April, DC’s app is powered by ComiXology, a leader in digital publishing for the comic book industry.  

Over 35 titles were available at launch, with prices ranging from $0.99 to $2.99. The initial selection features titles from all of DC’s imprints, including Wildstorm, Vertigo and Zuda.  

Particularly noteworthy is the availability of Justice League: Generation Lost #1-3 ($1.99) and #4 ($2.99).  The fourth issue of the series is not scheduled to arrive in comic book stores until today.  Earlier this month Marvel made headlines by announcing their Invincible Iron Man Annual # 1 would be available on their digital platforms the same day (June 30) as it arrived in comic book stores.

A 10-page free preview of another key release scheduled for today, Superman #700, is also available on the service, along with seven other free titles.

 ENLARGE

The following is a list of titles available on the service now:

Action Comics #844 (Johns/Donner, $1.99)
All Star Superman #1 ($1.99)
The Authority: World’s End #1 ($1.99)
Batman #404 (first part of Year One, $1.99)
Batman #608-613 (first six parts of Hush, $1.99 each)
Batman #655-656 (first two Grant Morrison issues, $1.99 each)
Batman Black & White (five stories, all free)
Bayou #1 (Zuda, free)
Dante’s Inferno #1-3 ($1.99 each)
Fables #1-5 ($1.99 each)
Fringe #0 (free)
Fringe #1-3 ($1.99 each)
Gen 13 #21: World’s End ($0.99)
Green Lantern #21 ($1.99)
Green Lantern #29 ($1.99)
Green Lantern Corps #14 ($1.99)
Green Lantern: Rebirth #1-6 ($1.99 each)
Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps Special #1 ($1.99)
Jonah Hex #1-6 ($1.99 each)
Justice League: Generation Lost #1-3 ($1.99 each)
Justice League: Generation Lost #4 ($2.99)
The Losers #1-12 ($1.99 each)
Mirror’s Edge #0 (Free)
Mirror’s Edge #1-3 ($1.99 each)
The Origin of Batman #1 (free)
The Origin of Superman #1 (free)
Planetary #1-6 ($1.99 each)
Sandman #1 ($1.99)
Stormwatch: PHD #13: World’s End ($0.99)
Superman #700: Preview (free)
Superman/Batman #1-10 ($1.99 each)
Team Zero #1-6 ($0.99 each)
Tiny Titans #1-6 ($1.99 each)
The Unwritten #1 ($1.99)
Victorian Undead ($1.99)
Wildcats: World’s End #1 ($0.99)

The reader seems to function very similarly to Marvel’s, with Superman offering a guided tour for new users, in place of Iron Man.  

Look for much more on what appears to be a major industry development Wednesday here at Newsarama...