Neon Ichiban has put back what Amazon took away: In-app purchasing. When Amazon swallowed up the pioneering ComiXology digital service in 2014 (see “Amazon Acquiring ComiXology”), one of the first things they did was do away with the “buy” button, forcing readers to exit the app and go to the Amazon website to buy new comics. By many accounts, sales took a big hit in the aftermath.
Now Neon Ichiban, the digital comics app founded by former ComiXology execs David Steinberger and Chip Mosher, is bringing it back. As of Version 3.0, launched today, Neon Ichiban users on iOS devices can buy their comics directly within the app, without having to go to a separate storefront or website.
“Fans have been using the ‘shop the web store’ button in Neon Ichiban, but discovering a book, buying it, and reading it without ever leaving the app is simply easier—and more fun,” said David Steinberger, co-founder and CEO of Neon Ichiban, in a statement accompanying the announcement. “Comics sell on impulse. You see something you love, you want it, and you want to read it right now. Taking in-app purchasing out of the comics experience was a mistake. We finally get to rectify that. So the buy button is back.”
For those who use the Mac Desktop app, Neon Ichiban is also allowing readers to import comics purchased from other providers as DRM-free PDF, CBZ, or CBR files and plans to integrate the Grand Comics Database into the app to make collections easier to organize and browse.
In other digital comics news, Tapas has finally gotten around to updating its creators and users about the shutdown of the site, now scheduled for March 31, 2027. On October 1, they put up a notice and FAQ informing customers and creators that it would stop allowing them to buy new “ink” (the in-app currency) on that day but that they can use their existing ink to unlock and read new episodes until March 31, 2027, when the site will go dark. Kakao does not allow downloads of the material, so readers cannot download the comics that they paid for, nor will they get a refund for any purchased-but-unused ink. As for creators, they are welcome to keep their comics up on the site until the last day or take them down earlier, but some exclusivity clauses may still apply. News broke of Kakao’s planned shutdown of the platform on September 22 (see “Kakao Pulls the Plug on Tapas Webtoon Platform”), but it didn’t come from the company itself, which had apparently planned to make the announcement the following week.
GlobalComix is already starting to pick up the slack, announcing that they will be adding three Tapas manhwa to their service: Tomb Raider King, Overgeared, and The Return of the Disaster-Class Hero. All three are from Redice Studio, and Tomb Raider King and Overgeared have both recently been adapted into anime (see “Webtoons with Recent and Upcoming Adaptations”).
GlobalComix also announced a new partnership with Kadokawa that will bring three new series to the platform shortly: To Sir, Without Love: I’m Divorcing You, Love Tattoo, and The Insipid Prince’s Furtive Grab for the Throne.
Meanwhile, the newish webcomics app Lemoon, which launched in 2025 and runs on iOS and Android, has picked up a number of former Tapas webtoons by independent creators.
The digital comics app Sweet Shop, which launched in beta a year ago (see “Digital Comics Arms Race Escalates”), has now opened its virtual doors to all comers, with a lineup of titles from Dark Horse, Dynamite, Image, and other heavy hitters as well as some smaller publishers. The app offers in-app purchases and DRM-free backups (from publishers that permit that) and works on a single-purchase (as opposed to subscription) model; a web store and other features are in the works.Source: ICV2
