Amazon to acquire comiXology

The leading electronic comic purchasing and reading book platform is about to become a part of one of the largest internet retailers on Earth.

I have to admit, I didn’t see this one coming. Amazon (as in Amazon.com) is about to absorb comiXology. The announcement has been made today as an agreement between the two companies has already been made making the finishing details all that are left before comiXology becomes a part of the Amazon empire.

“ComiXology’s mission is to spread the love of comics and graphic novels in all forms,” said David Steinberger, co-founder and CEO of comiXology. “There is no better home for comiXology than Amazon to see this vision through. Working together, we look to accelerate a new age for comic books and graphic novels.”

“Amazon and comiXology share a passion for reinventing reading in a digital world,” said David Naggar, Amazon Vice President, Content Acquisition and Independent Publishing. “We’ve long admired the passion comiXology brings to changing the way we buy and read comics and graphic novels. We look forward to investing in the business, growing the team, and together, bringing comics and graphic novels to even more readers.”

From quite a few aspects, this deal makes a lot of sense. Though it would have been great to have seen comiXology stay as an independent entity, being acquired by Amazon is definitely a great move that’ll more than likely see the e-platform explode in ways it couldn’t have all by its lonesome. As for the Amazon segment of this deal, there’s no lose for them in this.

ComiXology is the defacto leader in the marketplace with some 75+ publishers using its service to deliver monthly comics to readers who prefer their iPads and Kindles to glossy paper and trips to the local comic shop. Around since 2007, comiXology’s offices will remain right where they’ve always been in New York City, and with Amazon announcing that the team at the company will only be getting bigger, we might expect an expansion of sorts before long.

No details were shared of the nature of the deal as of yet, so there’s probably more to come on this one before the deal officially closes in the second quarter of this year. If you’d like to read throughout the full statement from comiXology co-founder and CEO David Steinberger, click here.