DSTLRY, a venture-backed digital comic books marketplace, has announced the addition of two innovative features designed to bring customization to the platform. The new features, Commissioned Digital Remarques and Unlimited Digital Covers, aim to enhance the user experience and collectability of digital comics.

The first feature, Commissioned Digital Remarques, allows creators to add personalized sketches and signatures to digital comics, bringing the tradition of in-person comic customization into the digital realm. This feature is particularly significant, as it enables fans to own unique, personalized digital comics that can be bought, sold, and traded on the DSTLRY marketplace. Creators set the price and turnaround time for these digital remarques, which can be integrated into existing artwork, making them highly valued by collectors.

The second feature, Unlimited Digital Covers, expands platform-wide access to alternative comic book covers, a staple of comic book collectability. This feature means that both main and alternative covers will remain in digital circulation for the life of the book, with some scarcity maintained through "collectible variants" available for a limited time after the book's release. After that, users can buy or trade for them in the DSTLRY Marketplace.

Collectability has been a core aspect of DSTLRY's business model since its inception. Former Comixology executives David Steinberger and Chip Mosher, who founded the company in 2023, emphasized the importance of limited editions in the digital comics marketplace. While DSTLRY will never be an NFT marketplace, the company has found innovative ways to incorporate collectability into its platform.

Variant covers, which have been a key aspect of comic book collectability for decades, took off during the 1990s comics speculator boom. Although the market has fluctuated over the years, collectors continue to play a vital role in the ecosystem. DSTLRY's new features cater to this demographic, providing a unique and engaging experience for fans and collectors alike.

Notably, all products bought and sold through DSTLRY's built-in secondary market continue to generate royalties for creators. This is a significant departure from the traditional resale market, where artists and writers do not receive a cut when back issues are sold. DSTLRY's model ensures that creators benefit from the resale of their work, promoting a more equitable and sustainable ecosystem.

The introduction of these features marks a significant milestone for DSTLRY, solidifying its position as a leader in the digital comics marketplace. As the platform continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how these features impact the user experience and the broader comics industry.