2000 AD goes DRM-free on Android, iPad and web

Comics readers are broadly split between people who consider the medium disposable and those who like to collect, sometimes in a slightly obsessive manner.

The latter type tend to get a bit twitchy with digital, because of its transient nature — you never can tell when the company you’re buying from might go belly-up, taking all your comics with them. That’s certainly been the case on mobile, where DRM-infused apps remain the norm, but 2000 AD’s bucking the trend by going 100% DRM-free across its line.

The plans were laid around the time the Android 2000 AD app arrived, with 2000 AD publicity and marketing droid Michael Molcher saying the comic’s owners were “very much of the opinion 2000 AD should be available on whatever format you want” and that you should “be able to access your comics from anywhere”.

Now, 2000 AD has announced that whenever you make a digital purchase on any supported platform (currently web, iOS and Android), the same comics will be available as DRM-free PDF and CBZ from the 2000 AD webshop. The same also works in reverse: for example, buy a digital graphic novel on the 2000 AD webshop and it’ll be available in the 2000 AD app on your Android smartphone or iPad. All you have to do is ensure you’re using the same Rebellion ID email/password combination.

On Twitter, there was confirmation that the last bit of potential dot-joining — combined print/digital subscriptions — weren’t imminent, but that the company was working on more apps. In the near-future, 2000 AD looks set to invade Amazon Kindle and Windows mobile devices.

2000 AD is currently available from Google Play and the iOS App Store for free, and includes samplers, back issues, and a pile of graphic novels. New issues arrive when they do in stores. Fortunately, Dredd doesn’t show up at any point, or he’d probably punch your face through the screen due to you reading what he considers an illegal and immoral publication, creep!

Dan Grabham Editor-in-Chief

About

Dan is Editor-in-chief of Stuff, working across the magazine and the Stuff.tv website.  Our Editor-in-Chief is a regular at tech shows such as CES in Las Vegas, IFA in Berlin and Mobile World Congress in Barcelona as well as at other launches and events. He has been a CES Innovation Awards judge. Dan is completely platform agnostic and very at home using and writing about Windows, macOS, Android and iOS/iPadOS plus lots and lots of gadgets including audio and smart home gear, laptops and smartphones. He's also been interviewed and quoted in a wide variety of places including The Sun, BBC World Service, BBC News Online, BBC Radio 5Live, BBC Radio 4, Sky News Radio and BBC Local Radio.

Areas of expertise

Computing, mobile, audio, smart home