Carlos Morales
Image comic fans have till February to download any issues they might already own.
Starting Monday Image comics will no longer offer DRM-free digital editions of their releases via ImageComics.com store. This news gives customers three months to download purchases before they stop being available.
Walking Dead and Monstress publisher is the source of this news which they received from an email to customers that states, “This is an email alert to inform you that ImageComics.com is discontinuing the sale of DRM-free titles through our site. Beginning on November 5th, 2018, DRM-free versions of our books will no longer be available for purchase and all sales of DRM-free versions through ImageComics.com will be discontinued.” Image Comics later published this email on their website. The email also said, “Future titles will be available for purchase through our other digital vendor partners, and DRM-free versions through other services that offer it, like [Amazon’s digital comics platform] ComiXology.”
It was also revealed that customers will have until Feb. 3 to log in and download purchases, with Image recommending that they do so “at [their] earliest convenience.”
Image Direct Portal will continue to sell print editions of Image Comics releases in both single issue and subscription formats, but alas no further digital sales will be available directly from Image. Image launched its sale of DRM-free digital editions in 2013 as part of a move to beef up their online presence and become the largest comic publisher to offer material without digital rights management.