digital comics.. why not?

[Jeffro.]

 

Im still not back to buying or reading comics like I used to be, but I can see a clear advantage in the immediate gratification aspects of downloadable comics. Im sure nearly all of us will come to the same conclusion.

 

I can understand the appeal of digital comics for some but it's not for me. Having something tangible that I can hold and call my own will always be more important to me than the gratification of an instant download.

 

I agree. Plus the battery never runs out on a physical comic the way it does on a kindle or iPad....

 

Uh... Your mom could throw it away.

 

Lose your iPad and your comic is still there in cyberspace.

 

 

Still want the feel of the paper on my hands. Still want to own something tangible and solid. Can't do that with electronic.

[sckao]

Sometimes, the sum total is greater than the individual parts.

 

Atomic Avenue has 181,498 unique issues listed... and they only have a fraction of all issues published.

 

Say there are 1 million unique comic book issues printed since the early 1900's.

 

Say the average size of a High Resolution Digital Archive is 20 MB. That's 20,000,000 MB or 160 Terabytes to have a Digital Archive of EVERY SINGLE COMIC EVER PUBLISHED.

 

(Hard Drives these days are in the 4-Terabyte range... so an array of them would be needed.)

 

And that's for an extremely High Resolution Archive. Lower resolution archives would require a MUCH smaller space requirement.

 

 

[Comicopolis]

Sometimes, the sum total is greater than the individual parts.

 

Atomic Avenue has 181,498 unique issues listed... and they only have a fraction of all issues published.

 

Say there are 1 million unique comic book issues printed since the early 1900's.

 

Say the average size of a High Resolution Digital Archive is 20 MB. That's 20,000,000 MB or 160 Terabytes to have a Digital Archive of EVERY SINGLE COMIC EVER PUBLISHED.

 

(Hard Drives these days are in the 4-Terabyte range... so an array of them would be needed.)

 

And that's for an extremely High Resolution Archive. Lower resolution archives would require a MUCH smaller space requirement.

 

 

Give it 5 years or so and the average home computer will have the minimum of one single 5TB hard drive, possibly two of those. What you will need to make sure is that whatever digital comics you have stored on your computer's hard drive are backed-up on another external hard drive and possibly have other copies stored on disk. Because those hard drives will stop working at some point.

[Davenport]

Say there are 1 million unique comic book issues printed since the early 1900's.

 

Say the average size of a High Resolution Digital Archive is 20 MB. That's 20,000,000 MB or 160 Terabytes to have a Digital Archive of EVERY SINGLE COMIC EVER PUBLISHED.

Mind-numbing to think about. For those of us old enough to remember pre-net/pre-eBay times, when you might not know what a cover looked like unless you saw one at a convention or ordered one via mail order.

 

Access to every single comic ever published seems beyond fantasy. Except it's not.

 

 

 

[Cat-Man_America]

Say there are 1 million unique comic book issues printed since the early 1900's.

 

Say the average size of a High Resolution Digital Archive is 20 MB. That's 20,000,000 MB or 160 Terabytes to have a Digital Archive of EVERY SINGLE COMIC EVER PUBLISHED.

Mind-numbing to think about. For those of us old enough to remember pre-net/pre-eBay times, when you might not know what a cover looked like unless you saw one at a convention or ordered one via mail order.

 

Access to every single comic ever published seems beyond fantasy. Except it's not.

 

 

 

 

 

Access and pride of ownership are two different things. When you factor in the actual experience of holding the actual comic book, the aroma of pulp paper and inks, the feel of the book in hand, even the fragility of paper, the difference between digital and published copies is a bit like comparing a McDonald's happy meal to five star dining.

 

Like McDonalds, the digital copy provides the convenience of a quick "fix" and limitless availability on a budget and you can always count on the taste achieving an indistinguishable sameness. Of course, there's nothing wrong with chowing down at McDonalds, bargain shopping at Walmart, selecting music based on who just won American Idol or any of the multitude of other things that contribute to our culture of mass produced consumerism.

 

But what if that were no other choices?

 

Setting aside new releases for the moment, the DC Archive and Marvel Masterworks series are nice hardcover recreations, but far from perfect restorations of the classic originals. As those formats wind-down should we assume better reproduction from the next generation of recreations via cheap digital downloads? Providing easy access of a reading copy certainly justifies the expanded marketing opportunities afforded digital conversion. OTOH, if it becomes sui generis, replacing the experience in part or whole that not only built the great comic empires, but the fan community which supports the comic book culture will it survive?

 

Publishers reinterpret their own history as do film producers and revisionist historians, but in the end what we're left with as fans and collectors are the hard copy originals. Undoubtably the digital realm is a game changer for how future comics will be delivered to a broader market, but I do not see an end to "treeware" or some form of hard copy delivery system in place for the collector market. It may be numbered limited edition or print on demand or something along that line, but the physical media won't go away. That's the way it has always been, and as long as fandom thrives that is the way it will always be.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[sckao]

 

Let's look at how we listen to music.

 

Historically. Acoustically. Around a fire-- a single musician. Then in a concert hall with a symphony. A composer. A conductor. A shared experience.

 

On a wax recording.

 

Add Electricity.

 

On a tape.

On a CD.

 

Digital.

 

How we Listen:

Listening in person. Then using Headphones. Now earbuds.

 

Going from a live audience at an Opera to listening via earbuds.... Maybe not the same experience you could argue.

 

But Music Endures. As will comics.

 

 

 

 

[Davenport]

Going from a live audience at an Opera to listening via earbuds.... Maybe not the same experience you could argue.

 

But Music Endures. As will comics.

Exactly. (thumbs u And maybe even "thrive", if readership balloons.

 

Plus 'digital' isn't the enemy of physical. Nothing says someone can't print them out, if that's their thing.

 

Who knows, maybe print technology will improve right alongside digital, someday kicking out 10-point-ohs on demand.

 

 

 

[Davenport]

Access and pride of ownership are two different things. When you factor in the actual experience of holding the actual comic book, the aroma of pulp paper and inks, the feel of the book in hand, even the fragility of paper, the difference between digital and published copies is a bit like comparing a McDonald's happy meal to five star dining.

Us collectors who were blessed enough to be around during a time where we could own our dream-books have to be honest: The admission price to all that ink sniffin' and page fingering produced a deterrent long before 'digital' came on the scene.

 

Now if someone can't toss down the equivalent of a month's groceries, or a year's wages, or a house, they might still flip through what we did, cover to cover. Not a bad thing, all considered.

 

[ComicConnoisseur]

Access and pride of ownership are two different things. When you factor in the actual experience of holding the actual comic book, the aroma of pulp paper and inks, the feel of the book in hand, even the fragility of paper, the difference between digital and published copies is a bit like comparing a McDonald's happy meal to five star dining.

Us collectors who were blessed enough to be around during a time where we could own our dream-books have to be honest: The admission price to all that ink sniffin' and page fingering produced a deterrent long before 'digital' came on the scene.

 

Now if someone can't toss down the equivalent of a month's groceries, or a year's wages, or a house, they might still flip through what we did, cover to cover. Not a bad thing, all considered.

I bought two modern comic books today at a lcs,each at $2.99 for a total of $6.00 bucks after tax and I felt ripped off,yet when I download 300 page e-books for a $1.99 on my Kindle Fire I don`t feel ripped off. That`s the problem entertainment value for money.

[ComicConnoisseur]

Let's look at how we listen to music.

 

Historically. Acoustically. Around a fire-- a single musician. Then in a concert hall with a symphony. A composer. A conductor. A shared experience.

 

On a wax recording.

 

Add Electricity.

 

On a tape.

On a CD.

 

Digital.

 

How we Listen:

Listening in person. Then using Headphones. Now earbuds.

 

Going from a live audience at an Opera to listening via earbuds.... Maybe not the same experience you could argue.

 

But Music Endures. As will comics.

 

 

 

A big difference is music has worldwide mainstream appeal,and superhero comics have niche appeal.

[PovertyRow]

Let's look at how we listen to music.

 

Historically. Acoustically. Around a fire-- a single musician. Then in a concert hall with a symphony. A composer. A conductor. A shared experience.

 

On a wax recording.

 

Add Electricity.

 

On a tape.

On a CD.

 

Digital.

 

How we Listen:

Listening in person. Then using Headphones. Now earbuds.

 

Going from a live audience at an Opera to listening via earbuds.... Maybe not the same experience you could argue.

 

But Music Endures. As will comics.

 

 

 

A big difference is music has worldwide mainstream appeal,and superhero comics have niche appeal.

 

But not all comics are superhero comics.

[ComicConnoisseur]

Let's look at how we listen to music.

 

Historically. Acoustically. Around a fire-- a single musician. Then in a concert hall with a symphony. A composer. A conductor. A shared experience.

 

On a wax recording.

 

Add Electricity.

 

On a tape.

On a CD.

 

Digital.

 

How we Listen:

Listening in person. Then using Headphones. Now earbuds.

 

Going from a live audience at an Opera to listening via earbuds.... Maybe not the same experience you could argue.

 

But Music Endures. As will comics.

 

 

 

A big difference is music has worldwide mainstream appeal,and superhero comics have niche appeal.

 

But not all comics are superhero comics.

Which is why the Walking Dead and non-superhero comics will make the transition and do much better in the digital world of comics then their caped crusader counterparts.

[sckao]

First you say there's a big difference between Music and Comics... And then you say Walking Dead and non-superhero comics will do better.

 

How is this different from the various musical genres?

 

The point is there is diversity in Music. There is diversity in Comics.

 

Each will survive as an Art form. Paper has nothing to do with it... It's just Nostalgia and music/art appreciation.

 

The difference is appreciating a band live in concert (like Springsteen) but still be able to enjoy listening to them on your music device in high fidelity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ComicConnoisseur]

First you say there's a big difference between Music and Comics... And then you say Walking Dead and non-superhero comics will do better.

 

How is this different from the various musical genres?

 

The point is there is diversity in Music. There is diversity in Comics.

 

Each will survive as an Art form. Paper has nothing to do with it... It's just Nostalgia and music/art appreciation.

 

The difference is appreciating a band live in concert (like Springsteen) but still be able to enjoy listening to them on your music device in high fidelity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To be fair

First I said there's a big difference between Music and Super Hero Comics.

 

[genrlzod]

There are times when you just want to read the story. I never had the chance to read Zero Hour (I stopped collecting in the 90s needed money for college). Anyhow I have been looking for a complete run so I could read the series in one sitting. My LCS had issue #2 so I was out of luck there. I could try my luck at a comic con, but they don't do well in the Harrisburg area so they are few and far between. My other choice was the internet. I can get the 5 issue run from ebay for $6.99 and 6.75 shipping. Not bad, but this past weekend the issues were on sale for 99¢ each. I was able to read the story for $4.95. Not a bad deal if you ask me.

 

Don't get me wrong I like both formats and will continue to buy both formats. If I like the book enough I will buy a hardcopy and keep it. If I just want to read the story I will go digital. I compare it to DVDs. Sometimes you buy it and sometimes you rent it. I see digital as a rental. This of course means there better be a discount. If I am paying $2.99 to $3.99 for a book it better be a hardcopy. I am not paying more than $1.99 for a digital copy and it better be something that I really want for $1.99. Most of the digital copies that I have purchased have been either free or ,99¢ making it easy for me to purchase them without any regret.

[COI]

There is nothing wrong with FREE digital comics, but I'm not paying one red cent for air.

Amen brother.

 

Nothing wrong with having a preference for physical copies, but that's a ridiculous way to look at it.

[dupont2005]

There are times when you just want to read the story. I never had the chance to read Zero Hour (I stopped collecting in the 90s needed money for college). Anyhow I have been looking for a complete run so I could read the series in one sitting. My LCS had issue #2 so I was out of luck there. I could try my luck at a comic con, but they don't do well in the Harrisburg area so they are few and far between. My other choice was the internet. I can get the 5 issue run from ebay for $6.99 and 6.75 shipping. Not bad, but this past weekend the issues were on sale for 99¢ each. I was able to read the story for $4.95. Not a bad deal if you ask me.

 

Don't get me wrong I like both formats and will continue to buy both formats. If I like the book enough I will buy a hardcopy and keep it. If I just want to read the story I will go digital. I compare it to DVDs. Sometimes you buy it and sometimes you rent it. I see digital as a rental. This of course means there better be a discount. If I am paying $2.99 to $3.99 for a book it better be a hardcopy. I am not paying more than $1.99 for a digital copy and it better be something that I really want for $1.99. Most of the digital copies that I have purchased have been either free or ,99¢ making it easy for me to purchase them without any regret.

Agree 100%. I'm excited for digital and I'm about to drop a few titles for digital. If I like it I'll drop a few more for HC's later. I'm ready to abandon the floppy. I used to love them for the editorials and letters. With Internet forums the letters page is useless, and with creator websites the editorial is useless. Now it's just if you want to read it NOW (like I do with WD) or if you want a nice HC (like I do with American Vampire). The things I don't want to shell out for a nice HC probably aren't worth buying in floppy format anymore either. All the money saved can go toward tracking down rarities unavailable in reprint collection or download

[Comicopolis]

I've got thousands of comics collected over 40 years but hardly ever read any of them. Even when I was still buying moderns, up to 50 titles a month, I wouldn't read them until I had completed a 6 issue run.

 

Digital comics I read every day.

[Prince Namor]

I've got thousands of comics collected over 40 years but hardly ever read any of them. Even when I was still buying moderns, up to 50 titles a month, I wouldn't read them until I had completed a 6 issue run.

 

Digital comics I read every day.

 

I'm the same way. I'll read a single issue digital of what I would normally wait to have a couple of physical issues of to read. Strangely enough I've even started to read some Marvel and DC's digitally when before I had completely given them up....

[Gsims718]

I read way more digital comics, and if I read something I really like I will buy the hard copy. I don't know why but I like to have the physical ownership part.