Have to give MH Chuck some credit

[marvelcollector]

for an interesting perspective

 

 

From his latest email:

 

On a completely unrelated topic, I did want to weigh in with my opinion on the decision by Disney to purchase Marvel. I'll start by saying that I had begun to worry a great deal in recent months about Marvel's commitment to continue printing comics. Their recent decision to raise cover prices on their new issues to $3.99 in the middle of a recession seemed to me to be completely nonsensical. Unless, of course, they were planning to milk as much as they could from their most dedicated fans, before the resulting inevitable fall in unit sales forced them to stop printing comics entirely. Marvel shutting down their periodical printing (as opposed to trade paperbacks) would have been impossible in the past, but as their recent experiment of selling their new comics product online via iTunes clearly demonstrated, it is now quite conceivable that new Marvel comics might eventually be created purely for electronic distribution. With electronic distribution of new material allowing them to bypass printers, distributors, and retailers, not to mention also greatly decreasing their in-house costs, I can easily see where Marvel might have been leaning in this direction.

 

 

All of the above having been said, I was shocked to see a poll on a major comics news website that showed that 76% of responding comics fans thought that the Disney purchase of Marvel was either "terrible," or "quite concerning." I have to tell you that, in my opinion, just the opposite is true. As I see it, one of Marvel's biggest problems of the past couple of years has been their inability to generate enough internal working capital to finance production of their films. As a direct result, the managers of the print business have been under tremendous pressure to maximize profits, even if it meant that the end result was possibly the ultimate shutting down of the periodicals portion of their business. I believe that all of this changes with the new Disney ownership, as Disney clearly has very deep financial pockets, and does not need to squeeze every last penny out of the periodicals business in order to fund new films. Disney also can create wonderful new income streams by merchandizing Marvel characters via their theme parks and existing big box store distribution channels. I see fantastic synergies resulting from this merger that will end up making Marvel much, much stronger. My concerns about the future of Marvel's periodicals business are now completely allayed, and I am feeling more confident about Marvel's future than at any time in several years. Simply put, I think this merger is going to end up being great for all Marvel comics fan! s!

 

 

 

[Spider-Variant]

As a direct result, the managers of the print business have been under tremendous pressure to maximize profits, even if it meant that the end result was possibly the ultimate shutting down of the periodicals portion of their business.

 

Of course the new management directive might be to maximize profits regardless if we need them to fund film making.

[mackenzie999]

Also, digital distribution of comics is inevitable. It will take a while for print comics to die off completely, but one only has to look at music to see which way the winds are blowing. I am of a generation that appreciates the touch, feel, and even smell of comics, but newer generations of comics fans will be less and less attached to the physical format. Perhaps if we're lucky, comics will continue to exist in a print-on-demand format, which would have very interesting implications in regards to comics as collectibles.

[the blob]

Well, my understanding was that Time Warner never really cared about DC comics not being profitable so long as the DC properties could spawn profitable things like movies and such. Disney may take the same approach? Sure, they're a corporation, so they all want profits, but they can also take a longer term approach to the print business and also justify lack of profitability if it spews out good material for them to make money off elsewhere. Synergy and what not.

 

In theory, Disney can also get these properties into more venues, although Time Warner never really seemed to bother with that. I guess they figured they didn't need to for a Superman or Batman movie to succeed, but it would probably help a Green Lantern movie!

[the blob]

Personally, I hate reading comics on the computer screen. It's not like Kindle and company have killed books (yet) and plain old books are a heck of a lot more suitable to a computer screen.

[comixcroz]

Personally, I hate reading comics on the computer screen. It's not like Kindle and company have killed books (yet) and plain old books are a heck of a lot more suitable to a computer screen.

i agree - I don't see it ever really taking off personally.

 

[nearmint]

Also, digital distribution of comics is inevitable. It will take a while for print comics to die off completely, but one only has to look at music to see which way the winds are blowing.

 

To me, this is apples and oranges. Listening to a song downloaded from iTunes is essentially the same experience as listening to a CD. Reading a digital comic on a computer screen or Kindle rather than reading a traditional comic in-hand is a significantly altered experience.

[sckao]

I think the experience debate also applies to theater vs alternate methods of viewing.

 

In the "old" days, a movie was shown in the theater. There weren't television or computers for secondary showings.

 

Even in the 1970s... you couldn't count on a movie making it to television for years.

 

Star Wars was released in theaters in May of 1977.

 

Beginning September of 1982, Star Wars was shown on pay-per-view.

 

HBO started showing Star Wars in 1983

 

CBS finally aired Star Wars for network television on February 26, 1984.

 

 

 

Is watching Star Wars on a "small" screen the same experience as viewing it in 1977 on a movie screen?

 

For many today, most people won't see the movie in its intended venue... but will watch it at home on their home theater system or computer.

 

 

 

 

[Ringfinger]

Printed form is the best.

[comixcroz]

actually i think the better comparison is simply with e-books. They have been trying to make these software books work for over 10 years. The only problem is the fact that staring at a computer screen reading for hours on end hurts our eyes. The new portable e-books are better because you can lay in bed and read - but that option is more expensive and not really any better...

[MR.COMICBOOK]

They will always publish one Spider-man or X-men monthly comic,maybe now they just won`t print 10 x-men monthly comics which could be a plus.

[sckao]

actually i think the better comparison is simply with e-books. They have been trying to make these software books work for over 10 years. The only problem is the fact that staring at a computer screen reading for hours on end hurts our eyes. The new portable e-books are better because you can lay in bed and read - but that option is more expensive and not really any better...

 

Right, but I think the new e-book screens don't hurt your eyes anymore. That's a facet of technology advancing to meet the need.

 

 

 

[Pirate]

I think the experience debate also applies to theater vs alternate methods of viewing.

 

In the "old" days, a movie was shown in the theater. There weren't television or computers for secondary showings.

 

Even in the 1970s... you couldn't count on a movie making it to television for years.

 

Star Wars was released in theaters in May of 1977.

 

Beginning September of 1982, Star Wars as shown on pay-per-view.

HBO started showing Star Wars in 1983

 

CBS finally aired Star Wars for network television on February 26, 1984.

 

 

 

Is watching Star Wars on a "small" screen the same experience as viewing it in 1977 on a movie screen?

 

For many today, most people won't see the movie in its intended venue... but will watch it at home on their home theater system or computer.

 

 

 

 

I remember when my one screen movie theater would have the same movie all summer. I remember the first indiana jones movie doing that. We went to visit family in michigan that summer and they had a three screen. I was in heaven, you mean there's another movie out besides Indiana Jones?

[mackenzie999]

I agree that the current state of digital comic reading, and digital reading in general, falls short enough that standing alone it will never trump the paper experience. The thing is, consumer technology is advancing at an unbelievable pace, and someone (probably Apple) will create an enjoyable digital reading experience that will be embraced and eventually become the norm. There were mp3 players out before the iPod but few cared, look how quickly thoughtful design changed that.

[Buck Biggins]

I think the experience debate also applies to theater vs alternate methods of viewing.

 

In the "old" days, a movie was shown in the theater. There weren't television or computers for secondary showings.

 

Even in the 1970s... you couldn't count on a movie making it to television for years.

 

Star Wars was released in theaters in May of 1977.

 

Beginning September of 1982, Star Wars as shown on pay-per-view.

HBO started showing Star Wars in 1983

 

CBS finally aired Star Wars for network television on February 26, 1984.

 

 

 

Is watching Star Wars on a "small" screen the same experience as viewing it in 1977 on a movie screen?

 

For many today, most people won't see the movie in its intended venue... but will watch it at home on their home theater system or computer.

 

 

 

 

I remember when my one screen movie theater would have the same movie all summer. I remember the first indiana jones movie doing that. We went to visit family in michigan that summer and they had a three screen. I was in heaven, you mean there's another movie out besides Indiana Jones?

 

[t3quila]

Digital Comics will become the mainstream, Paper will be niche product, you forget that for many that the PC/Mac whatever is the mainstay of people's lives, TV Shows/Music/News/Movies are increasingly consumed on the computer.

 

Doesn't mean comic collecting will die out, there will always be a market for books/magazines/comic to be printed, just the share they have will be much smaller.

 

I for one do not fear this new world.

 

"Anything that is in the world when you are born is normal and ordinary and just a normal part of the way the world works. Anything invented when you're 15 and 35 is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it. Anything invented after you're 35 is against the natural order of things" - Douglas Adams

[MR.COMICBOOK]

I agree that the current state of digital comic reading, and digital reading in general, falls short enough that standing alone it will never trump the paper experience. The thing is, consumer technology is advancing at an unbelievable pace, and someone (probably Apple) will create an enjoyable digital reading experience that will be embraced and eventually become the norm. There were mp3 players out before the iPod but few cared, look how quickly thoughtful design changed that.

Apple will be the shaker, digital comics won`t be taken seriously till after the Ipad comes out then interest of digital comics will go from marginal to hot then eventually the norm.

[dicjones]

Also, digital distribution of comics is inevitable. It will take a while for print comics to die off completely, but one only has to look at music to see which way the winds are blowing. I am of a generation that appreciates the touch, feel, and even smell of comics, but newer generations of comics fans will be less and less attached to the physical format. Perhaps if we're lucky, comics will continue to exist in a print-on-demand format, which would have very interesting implications in regards to comics as collectibles.

 

There is a big difference between owning music and owning comic books. I never buy CD's, only iTunes music, but I could care less about online comics. Vinyl records have been making a comeback over the past few years...why? Nostalgia...collectibility? Even with a dial-up connection you can download music at a decent pace, that is why iTunes works

 

Also, people are convinced that videogames will be like iTunes sooner than later...but I think that day is a long way off. As hard as it is to believe there are a lot of people out there without access to high speed internet. In fact there are a lot of people without access to internet at all. I live in rural Iowa, luckily for me I live close enough to a decent sized city, without any trees in the way, that I can get "high-speed" wireless internet broadcast from a radio tower. My neighbor a quarter mile up the road, has only one choice and that is satellite internet...which, I had at one time, and it sucks...you have a limit on how much you can downlaod each month. Even MY internet is crappy. It comes and goes and I have no hope of playing online games on my XBOX 360. .

 

Comics are online to capture more readers, not replace printed comics. My wife found an interesting article that showed that online comics actually increased the sale of printed comics, people who read the online comics then went and purchased the printed comics because they became interested in the character and wanted to read more about them.

 

 

[dicjones]

Digital Comics will become the mainstream, Paper will be niche product, you forget that for many that the PC/Mac whatever is the mainstay of people's lives, TV Shows/Music/News/Movies are increasingly consumed on the computer.

 

Doesn't mean comic collecting will die out, there will always be a market for books/magazines/comic to be printed, just the share they have will be much smaller.

 

I for one do not fear this new world.

 

"Anything that is in the world when you are born is normal and ordinary and just a normal part of the way the world works. Anything invented when you're 15 and 35 is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it. Anything invented after you're 35 is against the natural order of things" - Douglas Adams

 

I agree, they may print fewer copies, but that only inceases the collectibility factor as far as I am concerned.

[Ogami]

Digital Comics will become the mainstream, Paper will be niche product, you forget that for many that the PC/Mac whatever is the mainstay of people's lives, TV Shows/Music/News/Movies are increasingly consumed on the computer.

 

Doesn't mean comic collecting will die out, there will always be a market for books/magazines/comic to be printed, just the share they have will be much smaller.

 

I for one do not fear this new world.

 

"Anything that is in the world when you are born is normal and ordinary and just a normal part of the way the world works. Anything invented when you're 15 and 35 is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it. Anything invented after you're 35 is against the natural order of things" - Douglas Adams