DSTLRY, the comics company founded by former Comixology guys David Steinberger and Chip Mosher, has released their first digital comic — an online version of The Devil’s Cut, the anthology title that kicked off their line this past summer. And if you buy it today, it’s only $1, so head on over to their website before the price goes up at midnight.
Update: The price has now increased to $6.66.
You might recall from their initial announcement/unveiling of their company that DSTLRY plans to have “limited digital releases,” selling them directly through their website rather than through a service like Comixology. They plan to somehow make the digital releases “collectible and resellable” at the same time, through some sort of online marketplace. If this all sounds very NFT-ish, well, they say it’s not, but that marketplace apparently isn’t ready quite yet, as noted in their launch message on their site:
Remember, these pioneering single-issue releases won’t be available again digitally until our Marketplace launches in early 2024—and then only if owners decide to sell! Seize this unique opportunity to be part of DSTLRY’s evolving story from the outset. Our digital collections will be available when they launch with no immediate end-of-sale date.
The Devil’s Cut will only be available for a buck today, then the price goes up to a clever $6.66 tomorrow. It’ll only be sold online through Dec. 12, and will be followed by Gone #1 by Jock, which will be available on Dec. 13-19, and Somna #1 by Tula Lotay and Becky Cloonan, which you can buy Dec 20-26.
That’s a lot to keep track of, but I’ve watched my 11-year-old hit Fortnite every time something new that he wants pops up in their marketplace — somehow he always knows when it’s live (spoiler alert: he watches a lot of YouTube). They seem to want to capitalize on that “Gotta get it while it’s there” mentality that accompanies a sneaker drop or a new generation of consoles or a Peter Griffin skin or the release of the Death of Superman or insert your favorite limited-release, ultra-popular item here.
In addition to owning the comic, you’ll also get “member benefits” that haven’t been defined yet:
As these digital editions roll out, we’re offering exclusive digital ownership perks each week this December, both digital and IRL. Watch your emails once the purchase period is over for more details about your digital ownership benefits. We look forward to learning over time what benefits you enjoy and are open to your ideas!
Here’s a video from Steinberger talking more about their plans:
I did buy The Devil’s Cut for a buck today, and while I haven’t gotten to play with it much, their web reader seems to work pretty well. (Update: It works very well — easy and intuitive!) The mobile version unfortunately is not quite ready, but I look forward to playing with it as well when it is. Check out their website for more information.