Digital Comics' Coolest Feature Returns After A 12-Year Absence

Published Oct 5, 2026, 11:00 AM EDT

Shaun Corley has been with ScreenRant for over 5 years, and is currently the Coordinator for PR and Outreach for the Comics Team.

One of the coolest features of digital comics will soon be returning after a 12-year absence, courtesy of Neon Ichiban. One of the premiere digital comics outlets, Neon Ichiban set itself apart from the competition with cool and unique features, including digital signatures and remarques. Neon Ichiban also stressed a positive user experience. Now, the company is set to unveil Neon Ichiban 3.0, bringing back one of digital comics’ best features in the process.

Neon Ichiban set itself apart from the competition with cool and unique features, including digital signatures and remarques.

The past 15 years saw the rise of digital comics, thanks in part to retailers such as Comixology, founded by Chip Mosher and David Steinberger. The site set the standard for digital comics retailers, and was acquired by Amazon in 2014. Mosher and Steinberger then went on to create Neon Ichiban, whose features and ease of use recalled Comixology at its peak. Alongside an easy-to-use interface, Neon Ichiban broke new ground in what a digital comics site could accomplish, thanks to neat features and a commitment to its customers.

Recently, Neon Ichiban unveiled an upgrade, Neon Ichiban 2.0. In addition to the features that made the site great, the company unveiled new ones, such as the ability to import DRM-free comics acquired through Kickstarter and other outlets into the reader. Features such as this, along with the massive selection Neon Ichiban carries, have made it a premiere destination for fans, and now the company is about to release its biggest upgrade to date, bringing a beloved feature back along the way.

After 12 Years, In-App Purchases Return To Digital Comics, Courtesy Of Neon Ichiban

Today, Neon Ichiban rolls out Neon Ichiban 3.0, just months after 2.5 was released. Many of the classic Neon Ichiban features can be found in 3.0, including the aforementioned ability to bring together a disparate digital comics' collection. Fans can resell their digital comics on Neon Ichiban, and still get creator signatures, remarques and other nifty treats.

However, the truly exciting aspect of the release of Neon Ichiban 3.0 is the return of in-app purchases. When Comixology was founded in 2007, users could buy a comic directly from the company, and immediately read it. The whole process took no time at all, and was one of the early selling points of digital comics. However, after Amazon’s acquisition of Comixology, the ability to make in-app purchases was removed, much to fans’ chagrin. In-app purchases on Neon Ichiban are available for iOS operating systems, while an Android version is in Beta.

Both Mosher and Steinberger are excited about the rollout of Neon Ichiban 3.0, and the return of in-app purchases. Calling comics a “buy it now” experience, Mosher had this to say:

You see the cover. Someone tells you a book is great. A creator you love drops something new. You want it right then. Every extra step between discovering that comic and reading it is friction. Neon Ichiban 3.0 takes those steps back out.

In addition to bringing back the “buy” button, Neon Ichiban allows users to consolidate their digital comics collection in the app, including books acquired from crowdfunding campaigns and bundles. Of this feature, Steinberger said:

If you bought a DRM-free comic from a creator, backed a graphic novel on Kickstarter, picked up a giant bundle, or downloaded books directly from a publisher, those are part of your collection. Bring them with you.

These features will be available on launch.

Using Digital Comics Just Got A Lot Easier

Neon Ichiban’s founders built the digital comics house with Comixology in the late 2000s. The “Big Two” resisted digital comics for a short while, until DC embraced the “day and date” format with the launch of the New 52. From there, matters escalated, and by mid-decade, the digital comics arena had fallen into place. That is, until Amazon acquired it. Amazon deleted beloved functions, including the ability to buy and read digital comics seamlessly. In a press release, Mosher recalled the phasing out of in-app purchases, calling it a “firestorm.”

Now, this feature has returned after a long 12-year absence, and is a cause for celebration amongst fans. In removing this ability from Comixology, Amazon hampered discovery, and it created a poorer experience for fans. By bringing it back, and coupling it with the site’s already extensive features and selection, Neon Ichiban is throwing down the gauntlet for digital comics, just as its founders did almost 20 years ago.