Publishers

A few months ago, comiXology announced its Digital Storefront Affiliate plan which would allow comics shops to sell digital comics -- the implementation plan is different from Diamond's, but the intent is the same -- to allow storefronts to make money off digital comics. Now, DC and several other publishers (Image Comics (including Shadowline and Top Cow), BOOM! Studios, and Dynamite Entertainment) have anounced they will be joining the initiative. PR below, but more news on this tomorrow live from the Diamond Retail summit.

DC is getting into the festive spirit with a green-focused sa

And to finish up our little Irish-themed section, Colleen Doran offers a preview of Gone to Amerikay, the graphic novel she's been working on for the last two years. It's written by Eisner nominated author Derek McCulloch, with colors by Jose Villarubia -- the final book will come out sometime in 2012 from Vertigo.

Doran writes:

2003 wasn't so very long ago but in many ways it was a completely different age for comics. Nü Marvel was all the rage as comics were climbing out of the sales tailspin of the late '90s, and Bill Jemas and Joe Quesada reigned supreme at Marvel. Jemas in particular went off on some strange tangents. The Ultimate line may have been his signature achievement, but there were lots that aren't remembered so fondly, or at all, like Marvell -- a sort of satire of superheroes written by Jemas himself -- and Trouble -- a photo-covered "Gossip Girl" wanna-be that featured teenaged, randy versions of Aunt May and Uncle Ben. Hardly typical Marvel fare.

It seems there is a new sheriff in DC's digital town, and she goes by the name Molly Merrell. This new member of DC Online has just delivered a smackdown on rowdy posters at DC's Source blog:

As the PR points out, Chester Brown isn't a recluse but he doesn't leave his home city of Toronto too much, so catching him on the road this year in support of PAYING FOR IT is a must. More dates to be announced, but the current schedule calls for Toronto, Chicago, NYC, Montreal, Vancouver and Seattle.

Maybe it's just the way Magneto says "Ma Vlast," but this version of the X-MEN: FIRST CLASS footage looks better than previous versions and has created a lor more enthusiasm than the Photoshop-lesson posters.

To mark their 100th manga for their iPad app, leading manga publisher Viz Media is launching several promotions, including the release of BAKUMAN #4 in digital form on March 28th, more than a week ahead of its April 5th print debut. In addition, they are making all #1 manga volumes just 99 cents for the rest of March. Finally, BAKUMAN #1 is available for free for 24 hours, starting today at noon PDT. Created by the popular DEATH NOTE team of Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata, BAKUMAN is a humorous look behind the manga business, following two students who are trying to break into the manga industry,

Two new positions, one a new face, one a familiar one.

Okay, some Dark Horse love for the new series RESIDENT ALIEN, one of a number of series premiering in the new DARK HORSE PRESENTS.

Continuing on the whole Image Comics kick we're on, here's a piece on NONPLAYER by Nate Simpson and why it might be the next NIGHTLY NEWS. Simpson -- not to be confused with Nate Powell or Nate Doyle -- is a relative newcomer to comics, but has a long background as a video game designer.

Another email PR this afternoon from Image Comics, announcing more sellouts and second printings, this time for THE INTREPIDS by Kurtis Wiebe and Scott Kowalchuk and Hoang Nguyen's CARBON GREY. While such press releases have a strong component of sheer hype, and don't necessarily indicate ginormous sales, it's worth noting that we get as many of them from Image these days as from Marvel (DC no longer sends out press releases). Given the recent strengthening of the mid-list, even as the top of the charts shrinks, this could be seen as another example of the increasing democratization of comics sales. We'd also note that both comics sport a a fresher, non-house style look. Maybe there is an audience for something new after all.