http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/20700.html

The numbers are pretty bad, especially for the non-marvel/DC books. Even Dynamite, with their recognizable characters (in the DM), barely gets in the teens.

I suppose they're making enough revenue to make it worthwhile, otherwise I'm sure they would have abandoned it by now.

You think that's bad for indies - take a look at the bottom of the 300 from 10 years ago:

http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/445.html

Allen, I don't think I understand your point. Could you explain to me WHY they should abandon the DM? They clearly make money or they wouldn't bother. I don't understand why you seem to be promoting one all-eggs-in-one-basket plan (digital) over another (the current DM)? Surely if a market makes money, you keep doing it? Sure, try other venues and forms, but just dropping out makes no sense. Could you explain further?

I don't believe the indies are supported anymore by the DM. Especially the smaller ones so embrace the future, cut your costs and go digital full steam.

You're making a really large assumption that there's enough of a digital audience at this point to support such a move. Indies will make the jump when they see that it's both profitable enough and sustainable enough to do so.

It's not really a move. It's more like "who wants to buy this comic book?" If the orders are there in the stores, fill them.

Right. If they get to a point where physical sales aren't making enough money to make it worthwhile and digital sales are large enough to sustain their business, you'll see this happen.

Otherwise, it's stupid to cut off a huge chunk of your profits for no reason -- it's perfectly feasible to sell in both markets.

Exactly.

There is a cost with selling in the DM. I doubt the smaller publishers are making enough of a profit.

And where's the evidence that they'd make up all the profit they're making in the DM via digital?

Depending on how much you're paying talent, you only need to sell a few thousand to turn a profit in the DM. Savage Dragon only sells around 5,000 copies, is printed full-color on glossy paper, and still makes a profit according to Larsen.

No one said there's evidence they'd make up the profit but they of all people don't have a choice. And speaking with numerous indie publishers at SDCC, there is barely a profit anywhere for an indie, unless you belong to one of the tope 5-6 publishers. The stores simply don't order the books.

I think the question is, are they making more money selling in both the DM and digital than they would be selling solely in the DM? At this point it seems obvious that they still are, otherwise they WOULD stop putting out print comics and bypass the DM.

I think the success of Cowboys & Aliens shows that publishers will always be interested in indie comics.

Technically, Cowboys and Aliens was originally bought based on a concept. The graphic novel wasn't published until almost ten years later.

The best place for indies right now is the comic shop. Where their covers can get people 'browsing' to try. I think the shift to digital is going to impact my indy comics buying more than anything else. It's harder to find something that just catches your eye. Maybe they'll find a solution like an I-Tunes "Genius" that can give suggested reading, but now its tough.

But they do have a choice and it's the choice they've made -- going print and (in some cases) digital. I don't see why you're against the "best of both worlds". In this case, you can have your cake and eat it too.



And what makes you think there will be a profit for indie anywhere online? If people didn't want it in print, they probably won't want it in digital.

Interesting.

"Cowboys & Aliens is based on the comics of the same name published by Scott Mitchell Rosenberg. The project began development in 1997 when Universal Pictures and DreamWorks bought film rights to a concept pitched by Rosenberg, former president at Malibu Comics, which he described as a graphic novel in development. They hired Steve Oedekerk to write and direct the film, which Oedekerk planned to do after completing Nutty Professor II: The Klumps. Rosenberg, who formed Platinum Studios to pursue adapting Cowboys & Aliens and other Malibu Comics properties into film and television, joined as a producer. By 1998, Oedekerk left the project to pursue a remake of the 1964 film The Incredible Mr. Limpet with Jim Carrey. By 2004, the film rights were acquired by Columbia Pictures, who did not move the project beyond development.

In 2006, Rosenberg published Cowboys & Aliens as a graphic novel. In the following year, Universal and DreamWorks partnered again to adapt Cowboys & Aliens into a film."

If only he'd abandoned the DM and gone straight to digital...

He's suffering along with Kirkman (Walking Dead), Mignola (Hellboy), Miller (Sin City, 300), Niles (30 Days of Night), etc.

All those people are with the bigger indies, like Image or Dark Horse. I'm talking about the small press guys who barely clear anything trying to sell to the DM.

The bottom line is if you truly believe that digital is the future and the shops barely give you any attention or orders, you should go in full blast and make a splash while you can.

Unless I have some sort of financial stake in it, I tend to just let companies run themselves as they see fit, but I'm funny that way.

It's only a "splash" if anyone cares. If Frank Miller announced he's going "digital only", it would definitely be a splash. If some guy you've never heard of goes in full blast, no one will care.

You seem to be ignoring the possibility that this move would destroy a small publishing house rather than help them -- which is actually more likely than them "making a splash".