Digital just isn't the same

[Comicopolis]

Once Ipads and thier upcoming pc copycats eventually go down in price and more people have access to this technology,the digital comics will take off with the younger generation

 

Why? Digital comics aren't cheap, I was going to keep up with some titles I'd dropped through my iPhone, but once I saw the price I didn't bother. If you think kids who don't already spend money on floppies are going to spend $2 a shot on something that will last them five minutes to read you're wrong. I don't see how anybody thinks this digital format is going to get more kids into comics, they either like them already or they don't.

 

One thing to keep in mind is Digital Arts won't stay static while companies figure out how to market the comic book medium, digital or hardcopy. Who knows how broad fandom will be or what price point fans will accept. Whatever we can imagine today is probably wrong.

 

As for back issues, the net is already awash with back issue scans. That could be locked down, like music, but the price will have to be cheap enough to avoid cost-resistance. Future marketeers will figure that one out.

 

music isn't locked down.

[JasonNewcomb]

As Scott McCloud would say, do not judge the content for the container...

[dupont2005]

I don't get the "Kids won't pay that" argument. What's a video game cost these days? How many iPods does the average kid have? Those things cost money too. If someone really likes it, they will buy it. The key is making kids like it. I don't think mainstream comics have been looking long term in their sales marketing. These variant covers and events appeal to the people who already buy super hero comics and pretty much nobody else. The big two have long ago abandoned their horror, romance, and Saturday morning cartoon licenses to pour all their eggs into the capes and lasers basket. They abandoned the convenience store racks where a kid like I was might spend my pocket money on a floppy instead of a microwave burrito and a slushie. IF a kid has three home video game consoles, a stack of games for each, a fancy cellular, a couple iPods, and a laptop, the kid has money. Seems lots of kids are hooked up like that these days. I guess not buying the killer new BMX bike and a basketball hoop for the driveway frees up some cash though.

[Boozad]

I don't get the "Kids won't pay that" argument. What's a video game cost these days? How many iPods does the average kid have? Those things cost money too. If someone really likes it, they will buy it.

 

You mean the parents will buy it.

 

They abandoned the convenience store racks where a kid like I was might spend my pocket money on a floppy instead of a microwave burrito and a slushie.

 

Because the majority of kids aren't interested in comic books anymore. They're not 'cool' like they used to be.

 

IF a kid has three home video game consoles, a stack of games for each, a fancy cellular, a couple iPods, and a laptop, the kid has money.

 

No, the parents probably bought them. And if a kid does have all of those things, the last thing they're probably interested in is comics.

[dupont2005]

I don't get the "Kids won't pay that" argument. What's a video game cost these days? How many iPods does the average kid have? Those things cost money too. If someone really likes it, they will buy it.

 

You mean the parents will buy it.

 

They abandoned the convenience store racks where a kid like I was might spend my pocket money on a floppy instead of a microwave burrito and a slushie.

 

Because the majority of kids aren't interested in comic books anymore. They're not 'cool' like they used to be.

 

IF a kid has three home video game consoles, a stack of games for each, a fancy cellular, a couple iPods, and a laptop, the kid has money.

 

No, the parents probably bought them. And if a kid does have all of those things, the last thing they're probably interested in is comics.

By that standard no kids have had money since labor laws were introduced, and kids haven't bought comics since the Golden Age, parents did. Either way, if a kid can acquire a PS3 game by whatever means kids are acquiring PS3 games these days, they can acquire a comic.

[sckao]

 

Parents want their kids to read... (I hope.)

 

How many books need to be sold to get on the NY Times Bestsellers list?

 

Answer: Over a period of six months, the median best seller in the Stanford study averaged weekly sales of just over 3,600 copies.

 

http://www.slate.com/id/2108296/

 

So not a lot when you consider how many people there are.

 

 

[Boozad]

By that standard no kids have had money since labor laws were introduced, and kids haven't bought comics since the Golden Age, parents did. Either way, if a kid can acquire a PS3 game by whatever means kids are acquiring PS3 games these days, they can acquire a comic.

 

I didn't say kids don't have money, you're putting words into my mouth there. But how many kids do you know that could afford to go and buy multiple games consoles, iPods, iPhones, Blu-Ray players...

 

And if you read carefully into what I wrote, I'm insinuating that kids don't really buy comics any more. They prefer to have the video games, music on the go, handheld devices for portable video and gaming etc.

 

Over here in the UK, kids do go and buy games with their pocket money, or birthday money, or Christmas money. Where else do they have the means to 'earn' money? And if they can buy games then that's what they'll do, not comics.

[dupont2005]

I agree kids don't buy comics anymore. I disagree that comics were ever "cool." Maybe in the 50's or something, but not when I was buying comics. Whatever made kids want comics back then is gone now. It's not because video games are more fun, it's because comics are less fun. Comics went from

to

They simply aren't for kids anymore. Sure, BOOM has a couple, Archie has a couple. They aren't at 7-11 anymore. They aren't even really at the comic shops. If by some miracle a kid decides to go to a comic shop to buy a kids comic, it most likely won't be stocked. He'll have to buy an issue of previews (or somehow already know the comic exists, which is unlikely), look for the comic he wants, and set up a pull list to even get the comic shop to carry it. That's a lot of commitment. I'm an adult comic fan and I won't even do it. Back when kids read comics, they were available as convenient impulse buys, now a kid would have to go way out of his way to even cross paths with a comic book, and when they do it isn't for them. I think that is why kids don't read comics. Where I live video games are at Walmart, Best Buy, any one of several video game specialty stores, and the remaining video stores still operating. I drive nearly 80 miles to see comic books on a rack. A kid out here that had money and wanted a comic couldn't get one without getting online or convincing his parents to take a 160 mile round trip.