Subject has come up a few times recently, and with a vacation coming up it's on my mind, too ... so let's talk about it.

(If WANderground material, I understand.)

We just saw the launch of two legit download services, dealing in the 'Net standard CBR format. I think this is a very positive step in broadening the reach of what comics are, what they can be, how you can get them and how you can enjoy them. Reading on the screen isn't for everyone, but for an increasing number of people it's a legitimate reading choice. That legit companies are addressing this earlier in the downloading life cycle than the music industry did is wise. Here's to hoping they stick with it.

I'm going away in a short bit. Last year, for the same vacay, I packed a back full of books and trades, spending the entire week reading quietly on the beach or on the balcony. (Eight books and five trades read that week.) Very low-key, mind-clearing time off.

This year, I plan to take my laptop, load it up with comics - probably Sandman and Swamp Thing, both of which I own - and use it to read those epics during my downtime. One slim laptop compared to a dozen or more trades. Makes sense to me. I can leave the actual books at home yet still take them with me.

Like jamming tons of music onto an mp3 player, digital comics can have their advantages. For me they could never, ever replace the feeling of having a book in your hands, but they are a nice alternative and one I'm increasingly comfortable with.

Think Marvel or DC have plans in the works to begin tapping into this world to a great extent than their webcomics?

No. Should they? Yes.

I don't believe that they'll convert soon enough, and it will be the final straw that finishes off their publishing arms. At this point I'm convinced they won't last to see the next "Crisis" in 20 years.

As licensing houses, as Pixar-esque creative enterprises, DC and Marvel have wonderful futures. But the future of comics belongs to others.

I've seen the idea floated before, and have to imagine someone is giving it serious consideration: An iTunes-like service for comics.

Can you imagine, say, downloading a custom app from Marvel made specifically for reading and downloading comics? It could sort them, display covers, and do all that nice organizational/browsing fun stuff. When you click through to the marketplace, issues from Marvel's archives would be available at a nominal cost. Say, 99 cents an issue or whatever. They're selling DVDs, so clearly they have this stuff scanned already. I get the urge to read Avengers: Under Siege, I fire up my iComics app, click, and buy digital versions.

But yeah, it's probably not happening. They'll be just behind the curve. Not as bad as the music industry was, of course ... there is still time.

Many someones, including folks in this forum, have. I don't believe people in power at DC or Marvel are any of those someones.

Can't you talk to them about this?

I'm still not John Byrne, even now.

Marvel and DC are too afraid of angering the huge retailers by doing digital comics. If they do it, it will only be low-selling, backlog stuff - and there will be a long lead time before the print version and the online version.

Many retailers would instantly cut orders for Marvel and DC if they saw a recent comic up there as a paid download.

Sure, I think it would be a given that newer stuff wouldn't be immediately available via such a service. You test the waters with archival stuff, see how it pans out, and do so without getting retailers antsy about the prospect. While lots of folks are reading new comics in digital form, I think the availability of classic stuff and backlog material could be a pretty decent draw.

Yes, DC should make their golden age stuff available, Marvel their silver age, to start. Marvel could even offer the old ww2 Timely stuff. "Serious" collectors would still be buying their masterworks and people who just wanted to read them could do so with electronic versions which cost Marvel and DC nothing but bandwidth and would cost consumers about the same as an Essential/Showcase phonebook (assumes 99 cents an issue for 20 issues). But in color.

Well, it isn't what you are talking about in terms of breadth or anything, but some kind of start but....


April 21, 2006 - After an enthusiastic response to their inaugural launch of digital comics, industry leader Marvel Comics is proud to announce the debut of several new releases on Marvel.com.

The books that can now be viewed digitally on the company's website are WOLVERINE #20, RUNAWAYS v2 #7, NEW THUNDERBOLTS #1, DEFENDERS #1 (modern series), BLACK PANTHER #1 (1977), NEW X-MEN #20, ULTIMATE VISION (part 1), ULTIMATE NIGHTMARE (first issue), CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS #1 (1982), ETERNALS #1 (1976), MARVEL TEAM-UP #15, SAVAGE SHE-HULK #1 (1980), SHE-HULK vol. 2 #1, and UNCANNY X-MEN #466.

The initial test launch of digital comics in late 2005 scored hits far beyond expectations. Now, Marvel is meeting the reader demand for more digital comics with these additions to Marvel.com.

"We are extremely excited about the fan response to our new digital comics", says John Dokes, Marvel VP of Marketing and Business Development. "Our digital comics are not only great for our traditional comic fans but they are a great way to convert the swell of readers coming to our site for movie and game information into comic fans."

David Gabriel, VP of Sales went on to say "I was certainly pleased to see the research show that 82% of digital comic readers are more likely to purchase our books from the comic stores." He continued, "We're making it easier for them by showing the related trade and the comic store locator information on the opening page" (see below)
"This is a symbiotic relationship, between the online landscape and the brick-and-mortar retail world", adds Dokes. "Bottom line is more fans in comic shops, more sales of trades, healthier industry overall."

Readers are invited to log onto Marvel.com, click on "Digital Comics", and see the beauty of the system for themselves. There are currently over two dozen books from a wide variety of titles to choose from.

Marvel's so-called "dot.comics" of a few years back got them some cash from me. They had online the whole first Ultimates arc, the first JMS Spider-Man arc, and the first Ultimate Spider-Man arc, among others. I read them all on marvel.com for free, and went on to buy them all because I enjoyed them so much. They were a stepping stone in my getting back into the MU about a year ago.

I remember following the first two Ultimate X-Men story arcs through dot.comics. Mostly at school

I think I'd just as soon buy the DVD's. If they do DVD's of some of the more obscure stuff that's hard to get. I'd love to read some of those 70's anthology titles - like Worlds Unknown and stuff like that. Those back issues, when you're lucky enough to find them, are ridiculously pricey (over here, anyway).

I guess I'm old-fashioned but I like to hold the thing I'm reading in my hands while I'm reading it, if possible. I'd consider downloadable stuff if it meant I could get some of the more obscure titles from way back, though.

I'd buy them, but only if they were cheap. I may have mentioned (!!) that I no longer read comics, but that is as much to do with being unable to easily access them as anything else...I might well give them a go if readily available, and to me that means online.

Scanning the thread quickly I missed this...I'll definitely have a look when I get home

Looked - and read a comic called Avengers 2nd series or somesuch with art by Rob Liefeld...now, I had only ever seen a few examples of his work before, like the oft shown Cap with pumping chest...but this was brilliant - brilliantly entertaining, I mean...I haven't laughed so much in ages...I still have tears in my eyes...fair play to him

From this week's LITG column:


The full text, with additional links, is available at the link at the top of my post.

It's quite simple: If publishers do not quickly embrace the digital model with something easy, affordable and innovative, they'll be playing catchup just like the music industry was (and continues to be to a small degree). Just on board NOW, and do so HARD, and they'll make bank by staying with the times.

Based on the blurb, this ComicMix endeavor sounds great, not at all unlike the television model. Free digital comics supported by advertising, with trades/GNs released later, ala TV-on-DVD sets. I will most certainly check out what comics they have to offer, and if something is good, you can bet that I'll end up wanting it on my bookshelf. I'll be keeping my eyes on this project. Good luck to them.

Hey Taft,
We've been talking about the ComicMix thing in the "initiative" thread below. Join us!

Oh jeez, I didn't know that. Thanks for the heads up!

A comic shop that doesn't sell Marvel or DC?

'Taint none. Not unless they want to go out of business fast.