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David Steinberger, who co-founded ComiXology in 2007, has resigned as CEO of the company. Steinberger says that he is stepping down as CEO, and suggests he will take on a new post within Amazon. He posted the news on his Twitter account on Thursday, saying:
“It’s been a few big weeks, and I have personal news: I’ve been asked if I’d like to lead a new Amazon-wide initiative that is too good an opportunity to not take,” Steinberger tweeted. “It was a tough decision, but I’m ready for a new entrepreneurial challenge. I will love comics forever and I will continue to be an Advisor to ComiXology.”
2/ …I will continue to be an Advisor to @Comixology. Two long-term Comixology leaders, Tom Ashley and Jeff DiBartolomeo, will be managing the team moving forward. Tom and Jeff have been by my side for 9 years, and I can’t wait to see them execute their ideas for Comixology.
— David Steinberger (@stonemtn) March 10, 2022
Three weeks ago, the digital comics service was combined with the Kindle with the Comixology 4.0 release, and users’ libraries were merged into their Amazon purchase histories. Users were forced to download the new app and begin moving their data as soon as possible, but many learned that not all functions of the new app were available.
I just want to shout out the people at @comixology who have all worked hard to provide an excellent service over the past several years. Can’t be easy to see a thing you’ve worked so hard on get the corporate restructuring treatment. Thanks for all you’ve done.
— Ibrahim Moustafa 🔄 RETROACTIVE Up For Preorder!🔄 (@Ibrahim_M_) February 18, 2022
When it was announced, David Steinberger said they had no choice but to deploy the new 4.0 app that day in order to expedite the changeover. Despite having more than seven years to make this process simpler (Amazon bought ComiXology in 2014), the company claimed it was unable to continue creating two different code bases for the old and new apps at the same time.
Things Amazon has gutted from Comixology, for zero end-user gain:
– DRM Free downloads
– Subscriptions outside the US
– In-Browser Reading
– Submit
– LITERALLY AN ENTIRE FUNCTIONAL WEBSITE
– Probably a lot of jobs— Jodie Troutman (@LongTallJodie) February 11, 2022
Haven’t read any comics since the @comiXology and @amazon merger ☹️. The new website is trash and the reader is garbage, why change something that didn’t need to be changed at all. I’m really disappointed ComiXology.
— Luis A. (@ReznorHavok) March 9, 2022
Canada doesn’t even get a comixology home page? You want us to buy stuff right?
— Sarah (@Mega_64) March 8, 2022
The only good thing about it
— Gareth Olver 〓〓 🐧 (@GBO26) March 7, 2022
Further upsetting users, only the US and the UK got migrated to the Amazon comicbook store. The rest of the world wasn’t and as of today users in Canada and abroad have no access to their previous libraries. International customers can’t subscribe to anything anymore. Their only option is to buy kindle comics which are generally considered sub-par. Another complaint is the lack of a dedicated comics page on Amazon.
The company says it is working to both improve the navigation process and the web reader experience, and also promises to fix the New Releases filter, and also clarified that Guided View is still available. Meanwhile, the founder has bounced.
This merger did almost everything wrong. This is what can happen when a big company acquire a smaller one, then folds them into the larger platform. The nuance that made the smaller company unique and beloved to loyal users can get lost in transition. Amazon fixed what wasn’t broken, and now they need to fix what they fixed.
It’s worth saying it again, physical media is still king.
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