Barnes & Noble to pull DC graphic novels in digital spat
DC Comics’ efforts to expand digital distribution of its graphic novels has gotten it caught in a battle between two book-selling giants.
Barnes & Noble said Friday it will not stock physical copies of 100 of DC’s graphic novels that the Warner Bros.-owned unit is making available exclusively on competitor Amazon.com’s Kindle platform, including the upcoming Kindle Fire tablet.
DC agreed to give Amazon exclusive digital distribution rights for the books, which include “Watchmen” and graphic novels featuring Batman and Superman, for four months starting with the launch of the Kindle Fire on Nov. 15.
The deal gives DC’s books, which are being made available digitally for the first time, the advantage of being part of Amazon’s huge marketing push for the Kindle Fire.
Barnes & Noble said it had a policy to not put books that are available on other digital platforms, but not its Nook e-reader, in its 1,341 stores.
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-- By Ben Fritz, Los Angeles Times
Image: Covers for “Batman No. 1” and “Batman No. 4”. Credit: Greg Capullo / DC Comics