Li'l Jay wrote:
I am now convinced that something like the Kindle will be the first breakthrough that causes the Big 2 to do their whole line as webcomics. Here are the reasons:
1. They fear piracy, and will like a closed format like Kindle. Something that is connected to the Whispernet, and you read the comics without actually acquiring a licensed copy of them. Sort of "read only on this device." It's hackable, obviously, but they want formats that the normal folks won't hack and email to their buddies.
Agree that this is up their alley. The funny thing is I've said for years that one solution to piracy IS to have the files in an account on the net. Unless you wanted to give the whole world your login (and theoretical access to your account), it would hamper you trading files. Yet as long as you had the login, you could have the fiels ANYWHERE and on ANY item you wanted.
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2. The Big 2 have the ability to confer an effective monopoly on the standard (a la Diamond). Other types of publications aren't like that. You have to herd a bunch of cats. But comics are dominated by two big fish that already work together on distribution.
Diamond is the one REALLY behind on this issue. There is no excuse for them not to have put into place a uniform distribution platform.
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3. Comic books are the one type of publication that you might actually read on the Kindle but still buy for collection purposes. They may sell Netflix style memberships where you can read everything that's out there for a flat fee.
The way to go so its like the old days where ANYONE could read the whole line, like 9.95 for all of Marvel's books etc.
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4. The one big worry -- the price point. The public always balks when they find out how much of the price was NOT paper, printing, and distribution costs. They have a hard time paying 2/3 the price for a ecopy. I know I do -- Kindle books aren't cheap enough to tempt me.
The one thing that pisses me off the most. They still use traditional price points when their cost is significantly lower. If mp3s were $.25-.50 you would reduce piracy by 80% in my opinion. Digital price shuld be at a MINIMUM, 1/3 the price. Monthly comics hsould be no more than $.50 distributed digitally. Sell ads to enhance the revenue than when you collect the stories in a trade, its added value.
