Hey there Bulleteers, this is a special column I decided to write after Episode 29. During the first listener e-mail segment, Sean and Jim took an e-mail from Anthony Cole. Anthony wanted Sean and Jim to comment on digital comics and what DC would be doing. I listened to what Sean and Jim had to say, and I started jotting down notes on what I would like to see. I didn't want to put up a two page post on the forum, so here it is my first special edition column. Plan on seeing this during special events, like conventions.
I am of a mixed mind when it comes to this topic of digital comics. As a comic collector, I don't want to see the printed comic book end. I doubt that the industry would shift to an all digital focus, that would just alienate so many readers. How could you replace the feeling of running to the store (or post office/mailbox) and see your book. Pull it out. Open it up... there is something special about that. Then you have those special books you buy that you never touch... but then again, I'm also a comic book reader...
As a comic book reader, I am all for digitalizing comics and being charged a small fee for downloading them. I read anywhere from 25 – 50 comics a month, half are DC, half are Marvel, a SMALL percentage is independent. I spend anywhere from 80 – 150 dollars a month, a lot of money for a college student. It's expensive, but it also means that my buying is limited. As I stated, I buy 99% Big Two, 1% independent. When Sean and Jim promoted Athena Voltaire... I didn't start it. When people tell me Invincible is awesome... I tell them great, I'll wait for a big trade, and then I back off from getting it. I read the Trinity and I read Gen 13 and Martian Manhunter and Checkmate, but Mystery in Space, Most of Vertigo and Planetary are not on my pull lists... and I feel bad that I don't read all these great books, but I also love the books I'm reading.
What I would love to see is something like a comic book iTunes. Like a dollar a comic, or a monthly unlimited download fee. I would pay 30 dollars a month for each companies' comics. I'd get my money's worth out of it, as would a lot of friends I know, and you, my fellow Bulleteers. The problem is that there is no device out there right now that is set up for portable comic reading. PDAs, like my Palm Pilot, don't have big enough screens. Laptops are pretty pricey for just reading comics. Again, maybe Apple can save the day, with the new iPod news I've heard. They could make an iPod with a larger screen and they could format comics to be read panel by panel, Flash optional. That's still a bit problematic. As great as technology is, it can't recreate a comic book on a 3 ½ inch screen. Although, I did do my homework. All these comic pirates do is they scan the comics in and put the jpegs into a special zip type file.
I guess digital comics, ultimately, has it's positives and negatives. Security and convenience are problems with the format. No device has been created that would optimize the experience and make it affordable. Plus, pirates always find a way through the system. The positives are that, for fans who are on a budget, they could download comics they are interested in at a discounted rate, while still buying the hard copy versions if they want them.
This is just my point of view, what do you think? Do you have any ideas for devices that could allow for portable digital comics? Do you hate digital comics and favor the tried and true print format? I've already put a thread on the forum, so please, leave your comments there. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts, and I hope to have a column in this Thursday for this week's DC picks. Until Thursday, make sure to iron your undies, wearing wrinkled undies outside your tights isn't cool...