Top Cow may have tapped into the one thing that will get people to accept digital comics; the company plans to give away a free digital copy of Witchblade #144 with each physical copy sold. Retailers will receive the download codes to distribute whenever they sell a copy of the fifteenth anniversary issue of the company’s main title.
“An anniversary like this one was something that we wanted to throw the kitchen sink at,” exclaimed the Director of Sales and Marketing Atom! Freeman. “So, not only have we put together a special anniversary issue with origin story, pinups and more, but we wanted to make sure that our digital readers also got a crack at it during the first 4 weeks.”
“Our partners in comics retail make this and the previous 15 years of Witchblade possible. So, not only will they be the exclusive place to receive one of these download codes, but we are then going to give participating retailers a credit toward future Top Cow inventory for every download credited to them by the fan.”
While this is indeed very cool news, I’m surprised Top Cow went with Wowio as the partner for this promotion instead of one of the other digital comic distributors like ComiXology. Top Cow reps did say Witchblade #144 would be available in the other formats a month later.
When it was announced Platinum Studios was buying WOWIO and “retooling” the entire system, I was a bit hesitant after the debacle with DJ Coffman (search our site, you’ll see DJ’s original praise for Platinum, that has now turned into hate). I let it slide at the time because the WOWIO system appeared to be working fine for everyone, in some cases earning creators upwards of $50,000 a year in royalties – not too shabby. Or should I say, not too shabby for the creators. According to WOWIO/Platinum the model wasn’t making 
