Sign me up for downloads

[Simon Garth]

Just read the latest LITG - I completely agree about downloading, for exactly the same reason - I just don't have anywhere to put the damn things.

I've accumulated 2-300 comics since I returned to the fold, and I'm completely out of space. I don't know what to do with the ones I've got, most of which I don't particularly want to keep, and I really don't want any more.

I would gladly pay a reasonable price, for a downloadable version. NB. "reasonable" does not mean "more or less the same as the physical version, even though there's no physical reproduction cost and the vendor and wholesaler mark-ups have been removed " (that's you I'm talking about, iTunes).

God know what this does to the comic shops, but I would happily spend the same or more on comics that were dematerialised, but were (say) half the cost.

[RichJohnston]

Just read the latest LITG - I completely agree about downloading, for exactly the same reason - I just don't have anywhere to put the damn things.

I've accumulated 2-300 comics since I returned to the fold, and I'm completely out of space. I don't know what to do with the ones I've got, most of which I don't particularly want to keep, and I really don't want any more.

I would gladly pay a reasonable price, for a downloadable version. NB. "reasonable" does not mean "more or less the same as the physical version, even though there's no physical reproduction cost and the vendor and wholesaler mark-ups have been removed " (that's you I'm talking about, iTunes).

God know what this does to the comic shops, but I would happily spend the same or more on comics that were dematerialised, but were (say) half the cost.

I have about 10,000. Feel my pain.

[MichaelMogg]

It's funny how this topic keeps coming up. Hopefully within a year or so the big companies will have something up and running, even if it's a fledgling attempt.

The same arguments and reasons keep coming up (like space saving, convenience [especially for those of us overseas with no LCS], ease of reading, etc), yet the companies haven't really taken steps to launch anything.

What worries me is that they will implement a downloading system or format that sucks. I downloaded a first issue from Vertigo's website and it was in a horrible .pdf format. Yuck. I hope they actually embrace the .cbr/.cbz format since it is by far superior.

[StrikeForce Albert]

I'd be OK on this IF for a small fee they would ship you the actual issues if you so wish. These physical issues would be worthless completly, considering there is no limit on te actual amount of issues that could be made. Also you could do a "create" a TPB.

Lets says I have bought the digtal version of the last Deadshot mini and the Ostrander mini from years ago. For an extra fee for each issue plus a binding fee they would send me a TPB with both minis in it.

though since I'm not in the prniting business I have no idea how costly this would be.

[dancj]

I can't quite see the price dropping to anything near what I'd consider reasonable.

[outlander78]

I dearly wish they'd listen!

What would you consider a reasonable price? For me its $1 Canadian, just like a song from iTunes.

[king mob]

I'd pay a quid per issue, plus it may well encourage me to actually buy more comics so considering I'm in a similiar state to Rich, I think it would be a great idea.

Probably won't happen though.

[StrikeForce Albert]

I dearly wish they'd listen!

What would you consider a reasonable price? For me its $1 Canadian, just like a song from iTunes.

IF there are no advertisements

if there are advertisements that damn well better be free

[Simon Garth]

I can't quite see the price dropping to anything near what I'd consider reasonable.

Me either - I can see the companies looking at iTunes and saying "hmm, iTunes is selling songs for virtually the same price as buying the CD, so we can sell for virtually the same price as buying the comic book, and look at all the profit we'll make!"

I see the iTunes prices and thing "you have got to be £$%&^%$£ kidding me! Bring on the Russian websites and Torrents". Result - instead of iTunes gettting £££££s from me they get sod all - great marketing, Apple!

Unfortunately, I see the comic biz following that model

[Namora]

I'd be OK on this IF for a small fee they would ship you the actual issues if you so wish. These physical issues would be worthless completly, considering there is no limit on te actual amount of issues that could be made. Also you could do a "create" a TPB.

Lets says I have bought the digtal version of the last Deadshot mini and the Ostrander mini from years ago. For an extra fee for each issue plus a binding fee they would send me a TPB with both minis in it.

though since I'm not in the prniting business I have no idea how costly this would be.


Not very really. I think Café Press and Zazzle do something similar and there are a few online indy comic publishers that self by the issue publishing.

I love having 44 years of the Fantastic Four on a dvd-rom. (Okay, DC where's the entire original LSH on dvd-rom besides bittorrent?) Yeah, it is .PDF. But those can be converted to .cbr or broken down to jpgs to read on TV using your dvd (if the resolution is really good).

[dancj]

I dearly wish they'd listen!

What would you consider a reasonable price? For me its $1 Canadian, just like a song from iTunes.
10-20 pence (which is 20-40 American cents or about 25 Canadian dollars ;))

[outlander78]

10-20 pence (which is 20-40 American cents or about 25 Canadian dollars ;))

I know your kidding. Still ... did know that the Canadian and US currencies are quite close in value currently? Most days it's about a 10% difference, though retailers continue to set prices as if the difference were 30%, leading to more cross-border shopping - going to the US to buy goods is becoming a good deal again, especially for big-ticket portable items like cars or anything that can be mailed for a reasonable price. I bet this is making life harder for the local comic book stores, considering how cheaply East Coast Comics and others ship comics across the border.

Assuming that cbz/cbr or pdfs were used then ads would hardly be a problem to skip. For current comics I'd prefer no advertising, but if they scanned in classic comics I'd love to see the classic ads included.

I do realize that widespread digital distribution would be a disaster for the local comic stores and anyone who bought comics as an investment, but they would be a boon for anyone who wants more comics then they have room to store, and I suspect to the companies that only had to pay 4-8 people to produce a comic and no distributors or printing companies.

I recently moved from a condo to a house and still wish I could ditch my long boxes for a spindle of dvds. I haven't bought a comic in about eighteen months now, but would quickly resume if there was a DC or Marvel iTunes-like setup.

[JimShelley]

I have about 10,000. Feel my pain.

Ouch! :D

Just wanted to say, "Thank You!"

Your original column many years ago on the subject of DC++ was what introduced me to the Digital Comics scene.

And now I make them. :)

- Jim Shelley
http://www.FlashBackUniverse.com (http://www.FlashBackUniverse.com)

[The Xenos]

bumping this for Rich's comments in this article:

http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article2289162.ece

Rich Johnston, a columnist who specialises in the comic books industry, predicted that mobile phones would become a popular medium. “The principal audience for comic books is young people, who are much more used to reading things in digital form,” he said. “Screen sizes are getting larger, and devices like the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP are ideal for viewing images on.”

Man. Now I feel old. I still prefer the printed word and image. I think. I do a lot of reading online, like message boards and news sites, but that's all free. If I was to pay for something, I want something physical. I just don't buy spending money on something digital.

Yet that's me. I know some other kids in their mid 20s like me switch to that iTunes crap. I know younger cousins who swear by it.

Still, is the printed book lost? Is everything switching to digital? I guess as long as people still read, it won't be all Fahrenheit 451 bad, but I am still hesitant to give up hope for the continuation of the printed word.

[Simon Garth]

Marvel have just announced something that is damn close to what I was looking for (see the story on Newsarama and here)

I'd prefer to batch download only the stuff I wanted rather than read it all online, but I think having a subscription model is an extremely astute move by Marvel - it temps you to read stuff you wouldn't otherwise have bothered to read, and maybe gets you hooked on something that was so you rush out to get the paper copy because you want to close the 6-month.

Needless to say, overwhelming view on Newsarama seems to be negative, though with the occasional sane interjection - that lot would moan about free beer, because they didn't like the shape of the glass!

[outlander78]

Streaming is a good start, but please notice that the streaming/rental services all lose to iTunes and Amazon in the music digital download market.

Widening sales could be accomplished by free first issues, or free first ten pages of first issues - just like iTunes gives you 30 seconds of sampling.

This is still a huge step forward - I'm glad to see it, I just wish they were offering files I could buy and own.