Brian K Vaughan and Marcos Martin Launch ‘The Private Eye’, A Pay-What-You-Want Sci-Fi Detective Story

Is this the future of digital comics?

Just yesterday, teaser images from a mysterious new Brian K Vaughan and Marcos Martin project began to make their way around the ‘net. Each image featured a beautiful art panel, typically with a ‘social media’ related word underneath. At that point, nobody had any idea what the project was called, a single detail about it, or just what the pair had in store for us.

Today, the duo launched the project in an intriguing and amazing way. The first 32-page issue of The Private Eye is available now; digital only, DRM free, and pay-what-you-want.

Here’s a description of The Private Eye, straight from its official website:

It’s a detective story set in 2076, when everyone in the United States has a secret identity. Our protagonist is a member of the paparazzi, outlaw private investigators who dig up the kind of personal dirt no longer readily available through search engines. It’s a mystery with lots of masks, but no superpowers. We know how the story ends, and we think it will take about 10 issues to get there.

This distribution format is an extremely interesting idea. By offering the title exclusively through their own website, they’re able to bypass any fees charged by Apple, Amazon, ComiXology, or anyone of the sort. On top of that, the pay-what-you-want model opens the book up to the masses of comic fans that simply think it’s unfair to pay $2.99 or $3.99 for a digital file, especially when a print copy would cost exactly the same. Don’t think $2.99 is right? Pay less! The site suggests a simple $.99, which is beyond fair in my opinion. The funds raised help ensure the book will continue to be made, as The Private Eye will take about 10 issues to finish its story.

Check out a few preview pages from the book below, and head over to Panel Syndicate to download a copy for yourself. You can download the file, DRM free, in PDF, CBR, and CBZ formats.

If you’re a print fan, don’t hold your breath on this one. According to the site’s FAQ, “we don’t currently have plans for THE PRIVATE EYE to ever appear in print. We still love paper comics, especially the retailers who sell them, but this is something different.”