Why doesn't DC offer a Marvel Unlimited-Type of Service?

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

So, I just recently pulled the trigger and got a Marvel Unlimited subscription. Loving it so far. I hate having to pay $4 for new Marvel comics, so it is nice to simply have the option to go back and read an almost unlimited amount of older stuff for basically free. I also like to go back and read old DC stuff too. So, I have to wonder, why doesn't DC do something similar?

I'm sure they CAN do it. After all, it would essentially be as simple as uploading all the digital back issues they currently have on Comixology and instead putting them on their own website and simply do the same thing Marvel does. Why hasn't anyone at DC, you know, bothered to do it.

By the way, if (1) there's a thread dedicated to this already or (2) there is already a service I'm unaware of that offers something like this, then I apologize for the superfluous thread.

[Coin Biter]

I don't know why DC hasn't done it, but there's some groundwork that should be done first.

While the Marvel Unlimited database is far from complete, there are some big, Silver Age-shaped holes in the DC comics currently on Comixology. For example, the earliest issues of Action comics on Comixology begin with 1, 6, 16, 23, 252, 267, 552-556, 583-. Superman is a similar story. I'd probably still buy a subscription, TBH, but although in all fairness DC has of course a longer continuous comic publishing history than Marvel, they would need to do a lot of work in loading up back issues on their site to avoid significant criticism. I wish they would - I desperately would like to read more digital Silver Age Superman, Kirby Fourth World material - but there we are.

Their Vertigo digital comixology collection is much more complete - and if a subscription to that archive became available, I would snap it up in less than one second.

[RobinFan4880]

Marvel has been doing Unlimited since 2007. That is a long time in which to upload thousands of comics and fine tune the delivery system. That system really did take years and years to get right and even to this day it is still inferior to ComiXology's system. Marvel also very clearly has the intent to one day run its own digital empire and cut ComiXology out of the loop. It won't happen today and it won't happen tomorrow but eventually, Marvel will transition everyone over to their proprietary environment.

DC, by contrast, does not seem to have the same goals in mind long term. They are content with splitting their profits with ComiXology and allowing them to shoulder the burden of development and maintenance of the app.

Which is perfectly reasonable.

I wish they had an Unlimited but I am not going to fault DC for not investing years of development time and millions of dollars into making the system work.

[GlennSimpson]

Is it still accurate to say that while Marvel has their Unlimited product, they keep their comics on Comixology the full price forever (or until there's maybe a special sale) but DC is still automatically dropping their price after a month or two by $1 -?

[AcesX1X]

i ask myself this question every single day. this should have been part of the rebirth announcement. someone at wb should be making a subscription service priority number one. if dc want to attract more fans, retain customer loyalty, it's time to open the library to audiences worldwide.

[Username taken]

i ask myself this question every single day. this should have been part of the rebirth announcement. someone at wb should be making a subscription service priority number one. if dc want to attract more fans, retain customer loyalty, it's time to open the library to audiences worldwide.

Quoted in agreement.

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

Is it still accurate to say that while Marvel has their Unlimited product, they keep their comics on Comixology the full price forever (or until there's maybe a special sale) but DC is still automatically dropping their price after a month or two by $1 -?

I wouldn't say so. Because while Marvel keeps their comixology library at full price forever, you don't HAVE to buy those if you get the Marvel Unlimited service, which allows you to read pretty much all those old comics for basically free. Even if you get the yearly subscription (at about $60 I think), that still gives you thousands and thousands of comics. What is $60 divided by over 1000? I'd say that it ends up being economically advantageous for any comic fan. So, in the end it offers a completely independent service that allows you to essentially any Marvel comic you could buy on comixology for free.

[GlennSimpson]

I wouldn't say so. Because while Marvel keeps their comixology library at full price forever, you don't HAVE to buy those if you get the Marvel Unlimited service, which allows you to read pretty much all those old comics for basically free. Even if you get the yearly subscription (at about $60 I think), that still gives you thousands and thousands of comics. What is $60 divided by over 1000? I'd say that it ends up being economically advantageous for any comic fan. So, in the end it offers a completely independent service that allows you to essentially any Marvel comic you could buy on comixology for free.

I don't think it automatically adds up to 100% equality, but it's something.

Also, I'd say for some, a slightly cheaper recent comic is more valuable than a really cheap older comic. I, for example, want to read the latest issues of things as soon as they are out, so MU is pretty much useless to me.

[Diamond]

I wish they had an Unlimited but I am not going to fault DC for not investing years of development time and millions of dollars into making the system work.

They have Marvel's example, though. They wouldn't need to start from zero and they also have a good part of their back catalogue already digitalized.

[caleb.superboy]

I definitely don't hate the idea. I feel like DC has a bit more memorable stuff to mine through than Marvel, though Marvel probably has the better quality stuff. And you could go back and forth on that all day. It'd be a loooooong standing project for DC. Esepcially when they're trying to figure out what it is they want to be canon.

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

I don't think it automatically adds up to 100% equality, but it's something.

Also, I'd say for some, a slightly cheaper recent comic is more valuable than a really cheap older comic. I, for example, want to read the latest issues of things as soon as they are out, so MU is pretty much useless to me.

The Marvel Unlimited library actually has some pretty recent stuff. There's about a few months lag between when something comes out and when it get up on the site.

[JediMindTrick]

Maybe because Marvel can afford to while DC can't.

While it was the dual hammer of Secret Wars and Convergence that led me to stop collecting monthlies (Hello, my name is JMT and I've been sober from paying too much for monthly comics for four months now), its Marvel Unlimited that guarantees I'll never go back. I always read more Marvel than DC so I'll never go back to monthlies now that I have a huge chunk of the MU available to me for only $8 a month vs the $50-$60 I was spending before on only 12-14 comics. Sure I have to wait six months or so for new stuff but thats no biggie now that I've truly engaged in the wonders of binge reading older stuff. As I doubt I'll even bother with the new stuff for years to come when I can binge it, meanwhile so much old stuff to get to.

I can't imagine I'm the only monthly customer that Marvel has lost this way but as the by far #1 comic company sales wise they can afford to lose readers this way whereas DC may not be able to.

[RobinFan4880]

They have Marvel's example, though. They wouldn't need to start from zero and they also have a good part of their back catalogue already digitalized.

Digitizing comics is easy.

Creating a desktop/web application and an app for Apple and Android is going to cost tons of money. Then they need servers to store the comics and make databases for user accounts. Then they need to process and store credit cards (because using google, Apple or PayPal would cut into the profits).

Then DC has to deal with people wanting to link their comixology and Unlimited accounts...

It's a headache.

Potentially worth it but probably not in the short term.

[Winter_fury]

Is it still accurate to say that while Marvel has their Unlimited product, they keep their comics on Comixology the full price forever (or until there's maybe a special sale) but DC is still automatically dropping their price after a month or two by $1 -?

But marvel put's comics that are 3.99 on sale for .99 unlike what dc currently doing with there sale by going 2.99 for a 3.99 comic on sale. when marvel drops its price the drop it to 1.99 and collection prices also drop unlike dc.

[GlennSimpson]

But marvel put's comics that are 3.99 on sale for .99 unlike what dc currently doing with there sale by going 2.99 for a 3.99 comic on sale. when marvel drops its price the drop it to 1.99 and collection prices also drop unlike dc.

No disagreeing with your point necessarily, but just for completeness, I believe DC also does .99 sales.