Amazon on Thursday announced that it is acquiring New York based ComiXology, a startup that offers digital versions of comics.
The deal is expected to close sometime in the second quarter of 2014, while financial details are yet to be made public.
“ComiXology’s mission is to spread the love of comics and graphic novels in all forms,” said David Steinberger, co-founder and CEO of ComiXology, notes Wall Street Journal.
“There is no better home for ComiXology than Amazon to see this vision through. Working together, we look to accelerate a new age for comic books and graphic novels.”
David Naggar, Amazon Vice President of Content Acquisition and Independent Publishing, said “Amazon and ComiXology share a passion for reinventing reading in a digital world.”
“We’ve long admired the passion comiXology brings to changing the way we buy and read comics and graphic novels. We look forward to investing in the business, growing the team, and together, bringing comics and graphic novels to even more readers.”
ComiXology, following the acquisition, will continue to retain its brand and exist as a wholly owned subsidiary of Amazon based in New York City.
Confirming the news, Steinberger wrote in a post, “We have long had the goal of making every person on the planet a comics fan. With Amazon’s help, this crazy goal is more possible than ever before.”
Founded in 2007, ComiXology offers more than 50,000 old and new superhero comics from DC Comics and Marvel Comics as well as content from over 75 of the top publishers and independent creators. The digital comic app was among the 10 highest-grossing iPad apps in 2011 and 2012 and the top grossing non-game iPad app in 2012 and 2013.
ComiXology apps became popular for the use of a technology called “Guided View” that resizes each panel of a comic so it fills as much of a device’s screen as possible and sensible. The comic app is available on all major platforms, including iOS, Android, Kindle Fire and Windows 8.
