Comixology Veterans David Steinberger & Chip Mosher Launch DSTLRY, A Digital & Print Publisher That Puts Comic Creators & Collectors First

A New Hotbed For Talent

ComiXology co-founder and former CEO David Steinberger and former comiXology Head of Content Chip Mosher just unveiled DSTLRY, a next-generation comics publisher that redefines creator-owned comic books and collectibles. DSTLRY offers customers limited physical and digital item drops, available online or in-store at local comic shops, while providing creators with fairer deals alongside company ownership. The co-founders have been working on the project in stealth mode since departing comiXology/Amazon in summer 2022…

DSTLRY’s investors include international publishing giants Kodansha USA and Groupe Delcourt, as well as video game luminary John Schappert, superstar tech strategist Mike Vorhaus, and legendary producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura—the last three make up DSTLRY’s Advisory Board. These world-class advisors are committed to DSTLRY’s vision for premium content, hassle-free digital collectibles, and a more equitable comics industry.

“Chip and David have a rare pairing of skills, the ability to recognise true artistry and the technological wherewithal to elevate it,” said Lorenzo di Bonaventura, legendary film producer and advisor/investor in DSTLRY. “Artistic growth is spurred when its creators are nurtured and properly compensated for their achievements. This new system and its shared equity model will provide an invigorating environment which will foster great storytelling.”

DSTLRY’s Founding Creators include renowned writers and artists such as Scott Snyder (Batman, Wytches), Tula Lotay (Barnstormers), James Tynion IV (Something Is Killing the Children, The Joker War), Junko Mizuno (Pure Trance, Ravina the Witch?), Ram V (Detective Comics, The Many Deaths of Laila Starr), Mirka Andolfo (Sweet Paprika, Mercy), Joëlle Jones (Lady Killer, Catwoman), Jock (Batman: One Dark Knight, Wytches), Becky Cloonan (Wonder Woman, Batgirls), Brian Azzarello (100 Bullets, Joker), Elsa Charretier (Love Everlasting, November), Stephanie Phillips (Grim, Harley Quinn), Lee Garbett (Spider-Man, Skyward), Marc Bernardin (Adora and the Distance, Star Trek: Picard), Jamie McKelvie (The Wicked + The Divine, Captain Carter), and Founding Editor Will Dennis (Y: The Last Man, Snow Angels), with more Founding Creators, creative teams, and a publishing rollout to be announced later this year.

The creators involved seem excited to be part of this new venture too:

“Life is too short to make comics with people you don’t like. I had the most wonderful time working with Chip and David on Adora and the Distance and Census, so when they told me they were launching a new publishing company—one that would feel different from every other and incentivise creators to do their best work—I jumped at the chance to hop aboard. I’m excited to see how it all comes together!”, Mark Bernardin said.

UK based comic artist Lee Garbett also seems pleased to be part of it too: “Having produced comics for both the big two superhero publishers as well as the creator-owned staples, I’m ecstatic to be a part of the next era of comics. DSTLRY is forward-thinking, sustainable, and ambitious in ways the industry has yet to witness. Stay tuned. Exciting times ahead!”

Fellow British comic artist Jock was also happy to be part of the new enterprise: “I’m hugely excited to be working with a publisher as aggressive and progressive as DSTLRY. It’s no surprise that the team that heralded comiXology is approaching digital collectibles ethically and smartly in a way that should grow the comics market, while still embracing our local comic stores. Chip and David have created something special here and I can’t wait to share what we have coming up!”

Powerhouse writer James Tynion IV was equally excited: “What excited me most about my conversations with Chip and David was their creative ambition. I had a whole line of titles in my head that I knew I couldn’t do alone, and now I can do them bigger and better than I had ever imagined, alongside a truly stellar roster of creators. I’m very excited about what the future holds for DSTLRY, and more than that, I’m excited to bring these new titles to life.”

Each Founding Creator holds an equity stake in the company, and DSTLRY has set aside an additional 3% of company equity to be distributed among all creators who release projects during the first three years of DSTLRY’s publishing slate; allocation will be based on title performance. This innovative structure aligns DSTLRY with the comic creators, whose creations dominate the pop culture landscape but are too often under-recognized and under-compensated.

“Comic creators have historically received the short end of the stick when they create great characters and storylines for traditional publishers,” said co-founders David Steinberger and Chip Mosher in a joint statement. “DSTLRY is truly a creator-owned endeavour, with creators co-owning the company their creations fuel. It just makes sense that as creators help build the brand, they receive equity.”

DSTLRY’s oversized, premium-format single-issues will be available in print at local comic shops while digital single-issues will be available for purchase for up to one week after release on dstlry.co. These eco-friendly digital issues will be fully owned and resellable on DSTLRY’s marketplace—a “Stub Hub for digital comics”—with benefits like special discounts, exclusive drops, and meetups with the creators, depending on the item. Collected editions of single-issue comics in both print and digital formats will be widely available.

Digital owners can resell their items on the DSTLRY marketplace at a price of their choosing, with a percentage of resale going back to the creators, while each physical issue will be a limited-edition premium collectible fans will love to read and collect. More details about these physical and digital collectibles will be announced later.

Distilling decades innovating at both digital and print comic companies, co-founders David Steinberger and Chip Mosher have cultivated a vision for a more modern and ethical industry, embracing drop-culture with digital releases and providing fair compensation and upside participation for creators.

About DSTLRY

DSTLRY is a next-generation comics publisher and physical-digital​ ​collectibles company that redefines creator-owned comic books for consumers worldwide. Created by comiXology veterans David Steinberger and Chip Mosher, DSTLRY gives customers premium stories​ ​by top creators in premium physical and digital​ ​formats, including resellable digital editions​ ​with no crypto or NFT-hassle.