ICv2 Panel: Digital Comics Estimated a $1 Million Business [C2E2]

As a relatively burgeoning corner of the wider comics market, digital content hasn't come close to eclipsing its partner in print, but it's worth noting that what may consider to be the future of comics has at least become a million dollar business.

According to today's yesterday's ICv2 White Paper panel at C2E2, digital comics -- namely digital comics for mobile devices -- brought in at least from $500,000 to $1 million in 2009. Most of those comics were sold on the iPhone or iPod Touch, with growing numbers on Sony's PSP, along with a few other devices. Given that most of distribution systems from the iPhone were in place on the more-than-500,000-sold iPad at launch, that number is expected to grow in 2010.Another positive sign is the number of releases (both single issue, OGNs and the digital equivalent of TPBs) on digital devices more than quadrupled from 2008 to 2009, which is only expected to increase in 2010 with the iPad and other comics-capable tablets/readers entering the market.

More content on more tablets? Even with the threat of piracy, that seems likely, and a good opportunity for the comics industry to grow and evolve in the coming year.