comiXology Brings DC Comics to Android (but Not Marvel?)

After nearly four years on the Web, iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, comiXology has begun selling digital comics on the Android mobile platform. While other distributors like iVerse already operate in the Android Marketplace, comiXology's newly released beta application is the only way readers can purchase titles from DC Comics with their Android devices (version 2.1 or higher). Curiously, Marvel products are not available.The Comics by comiXology beta is a free download and operates similarly to the company's existing applications for Apple's iOS devices. Android users can now avail themselves of over 2,500 purchasable products and 300 free comics from publishers including DC, Image, Dynamite, BOOM! Studios and Archie, and can be read on any device the user wishes to employ through a cross-platform synchronization.

With respect to Marvel's absence from comiXology's android app, your guess as to why is as good as ours. It may be something as significant as the publisher going exclusive with another Android partner or as simple as contracts just not getting signed before the launch deadline. Such is the hectic world of digital distribution. ComicsAlliance contacted Marvel for some clarification but the publisher declined to comment at this time.

In any event, the arrival of comiXology to Android has been long-awaited by digital comics aficionados, who've questioned CEO David Steinberger on the subject at nearly every opportunity.

"Our enthusiastic community has been asking us for an Android app and it's with great pleasure that we bring it to them in time for the holidays," said David Steinberger, CEO of comiXology. "Comics by comiXology on Android delivers comic books to mainstream audiences on even more devices. Now, more people who want to read a comic will have the opportunity to do so, when and where they want, while giving our content partners another major distribution outlet."

The complete list of publishers available in comiXology's Android store are as follows:

A Wave Blue World

Adhouse Books

Alterna Comics

Antarctic Press

Arcana Studio

Archie Comics

Asylum Press

Bluewater Comics

BOOM! Studios

Com.x

Creative Impulse

Creator Owned

DC Comics

Devils Due

Digital Webbing

Dynamite Entertainment

EigoMANGA

Evil Twin Comics

First Salvo

Image Comics

Keenspot

Markosia

Moonstone Books

Oni Press

Radical

Red 5 Comics

Shadowline

Skybound

South Fellini

Slave Labor Graphics

Studio 407

Th3rd World Studios

Top Cow

Vertigo

Viper Comics

Zenescope Entertainment