Following the successful launch of a Valiant Comics roleplaying game on DriveThruRPG.com, the publisher announced this week that it will partner with the RPG site's sister site, DriveThruComics.com, to offer its entire comics library -- the old and the new -- DRM-free, as PDFs. New comics will be available day-and-date.

Not only that, but for the next 30 days, Valiant will offer eight of its number-one issues for free through the DriveThruComics website; Archer and Armstrong, Unity, Bloodshot, Eternal Warrior, Harbinger, Quantum and Woody, Shadowman and X-O Manowar.

Valiant's free-issue offer seems to be a big vote of confidence for the partnership. Prior to hosting Valiant's library, DriveThruComics' biggest titles were from 2000 A.D. and Top Cow. (Also featured: Blue Water Comics.)

Valiant's press release quite understandably does not mention Comixology. The publisher's comics will undoubtedly remain available there. Still, Comixology's seeming vice grip on the digital comics marketplace seems to be slipping as more and more publishers sign deals with competitors such as DriveThruComics and iVerse.

Of course, Comixology isn't taking this lying down. At Comic-Con, the company announced a DRM-free program of its own. Even so, the universe of digital comics seems to be expanding.

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