Digital Comics boosting print sales

[fjtorres]

From CNET:http://news.cnet.com/8301-10797_3-57...ay-publishers/

...digital comics are here to stay, say American comic book publishers.
In a recession-defying feat, the comics business rebounded from a catastrophic downward sales spiral when DC Entertainment, the home of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, rebooted its superhero universe in 2011. A key component of the reboot was to begin publishing all its titles "day-and-date" digitally, meaning that they would be sold online at the same time and for the same price as they were in retail stores.
Two years on, print comics are celebrating their best industry-wide sales in a decade, and digital comics have established themselves as a small but complementary force.
"The triple digit growth slope's not as steep as when we launched," said Jim Lee, co-publisher of DC Entertainment, "but we're having tremendous success with books like the Injustice game tie-in."
Reported sales numbers back up that assertion. Comics sales in print through June 2013 are up 13 percent over last year at this point, according to one site that tracks the industry. Digital comics 2012 sales for the North American market were estimated at around $70 million, nearly triple the $25 million from the previous year. Digital comics sales are a bit trickier to track, since publishers are reluctant to discuss sales figures, but they're saying digital sales are skyrocketing.

The biggest problem for american comics has long been accessibility; with the move to comic shop distribution it became a lot harder for casual readers to pick up comics and the industry found itself relying on a steadily shrinking base of hobbyists. Digital distribution is bringing online comic shops to casual readers who apparently are then becoming regular buyers.