Ah… the three P’s –- where do I stand? It’s the question everybody is asking… maybe. Regardless – I’m going to tell you where I stand. I’ll preface by saying I haven’t read all the comments posted on the three previous articles (Mike’s, Conor’s and Sonia’s), I’d have to quit my job to read them all – as a result I apologize if some of this sounds redundant.
Paper – I’m done with it. As Madonna once said (or meant to say), “We are living in a digital world, and I am a digital girl.” We just don’t need paper anymore. As a matter of fact, today, in a highly controlled scientific experiment, I tried to track all the paper I use vs. what I think/know others around me use.
I went to a meeting – I noticed that almost everybody had printed the minutes from the last meeting – I did not. A motion was made to approve the minutes – they were approved and we moved on. WTF?!?!? If we are just going to approve them, what is the point of printing them out? There was absolutely ZERO discussion! I liken this to people printing out emails. If I had wanted you to carry around a piece of paper I would have sent you real mail… with a stamp and everything! Read it on your screen as was intended! (Yes, my emails have that little “think before you print” thing at the bottom). The list at work goes on and on. I’m clearly winning that “paper race.”
I started thinking about the rest of my life with paper – I have no more magazine subscriptions, I’ve tried putting myself on those no junk mail/catalog lists, all of my bills are paid online – I’m doing okay. Even when I draft for theatres, I do it in AutoCAD and send everything in digital format. The only thing I still use paper for is making scale models (for the theatre), books and, of course, comic books.
Books, I’m hoping to take care of soon. I really want a Kindle. I no longer have a desire to “own books.” I read them and then they sit on a shelf. Sometimes I lend them to a friend (is that piracy?) – but for the most part they just take up space. Comics are the same way – and in my dream world they would end up on the Kindle (or other fancy electronic reader thingy). They are to the point where they are “inconvenient” for me. I know this sentiment is not shared by everybody – but it’s where I am. I’m annoyed with paper and books. They are archaic.
Let me give you a little example — if I am lying in bed, it is difficult to hold a book, get light on the pages (without waking the wife and dog), etc. etc. If I finish one, inevitably the next one that I want to read is in the other room – so then I have to get out of bed (without waking the wife and dog) – get the book and carefully work my way back into bed and find my “spot” – which is now either cold or inhabited by the dog. With a Kindle (or other reader thingy) I can have a plethora of books on “pages” that are back-lit and I don’t have to worry about laying at awkward angles to make sure the “other” pages aren’t falling in my way.
Or – for all of you students and former students out there – what if your textbooks were on a Kindle? No more heavy backpack or satchel! And what if your comics were on there, too? You can read them during class! Think about it…
Anyhoo, I start thinking of my life beyond paper – I haven’t bought a CD in years. I’ve been curbing my DVD purchases in the hopes of moving to Apple TV (or something like that). I’ve been using a digital camera for years – and I certainly don’t print every picture – as I had to do when getting a roll of film developed. Now I can just print the good ones – or post them to facebook, flickr or something of that ilk. I haven’t looked at a map in a long time – I have a Magellan in my car, GPS on my phone, google maps on my computer – what’s the point? Is there some mystique or intrigue to a map? Not to me (I know – and I call myself an artist – my apologies to all the cartographers reading this). Now that I think about it – I even remember carrying around an address book! It’s like I used to be a caveman or something.
If it can be digitized, and put in my pocket – give it to me!
Of course this brings up the piracy issue. For those of you that didn’t read Mike’s article – go do that. I would say I agree with just about everything he says. I find myself surrounded by people that pirate and people that are negatively affected by piracy. As a result I often question what exactly is piracy – or I try justifying something that may or may not be considered piracy.
For example – my friend is a lawyer (that makes him legal and smart in my book). He is also a fan of the library. He heads to the library, gets music and/or books on CD (formerly books on tape) and puts stuff on his iPod. He then returns the things to the library…and keeps them on his iPod. And he can justify that to himself. I have a hard time seeing the justification with that one.
However, if my friend sends me some songs because he thinks I might like them – is it okay for me to keep those? I mean… if he paid for it… and I am just one person… and I might buy the rest of the album… so it’s okay, right? Besides – if there is a concert I’ll go – and t-shirts or other such things will be purchased. So really – it wasn’t piracy, right? It was my friend turning me onto something… building interest – and ultimately I’m still supporting the artist!
Translate that to comics. Would I be more apt to read more comics if my friends could help turn me onto them by sharing one or two? I already know I’d read more if they were more convenient (not on paper). And if I could download them in a way that still supports the artist… and of course interest leads to other products…
That discussion leads to price. As Conor mentioned price is going up. I’m a working adult (just like Sonia) so I can afford it. But what am I paying for? Paper – don’t want it. Advertisements for Honda Elements? Don’t want those. Supporting other artists/creators of comics that I don’t care about? Not for me. I want to support the artists/creators of the book I am reading. I don’t want to pay for the rest of the fluff.
If music, movies, books and magazines are any indication – comics on my imaginary Kindle will be significantly cheaper. My money… theoretically (leap of faith here)… is going to the artists and creators – not all the other crap. If comics only cost $1 – how great would that be? I’d buy more, read more, store more, and be able to talk/write about more – which might help to get even more interest in the books. Win. Win. Win. Sheesh. Bring on the next world problem – I’m ready to solve it!
Find us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Subscribe to our RSS Feed
Some rights reserved.
Gordon, I could not agree more. For the past few years I am been really trying to simplify my life and your philosophy about going digital happens to coincide with what I believe.
When I think about it, we live in such a materialistic society that values the accumulation of "stuff" just for the sake having "stuff". Now, I don’t have a problem with "stuff" per say, but in my life, I have learned that I can live with less and still be happy. I don’t continually have to have the latest "gadget" unless it truly saves me time and helps decrease all the clutter we place into the environment.
Also, I love comics. However I decided few a years ago to sell most of my collection. Why? Because most of the comics I had were not read in over 15- 20 years! I mainly read trades now anyway. When I moved to my current residence, moving those long boxes was an ordeal I never want to experience again!
It was time for me to let them go, let someone else enjoy them, and free up some much needed space. It was tough at first, but in reality I do not miss them and now I have much more space to live in!
I will eventually get a Kindle and go digital that way as well. That is important for me because I currently buy a lot of hardcovers . Wagging all those around gets tedious really quickly. More importantly is the number of trees that wil be saved by books going digital.
Devices like the Kindle, iphone, ipod, etc., can really help decrease the clutter many of us have in our lives, and believe me, the difference you feel living in a de-cluttered state is amazing.
I’m just saying.
I’m still not sold on digital comics. On a device like the Kindle or a laptop…maybe. I cannot see relegating someones beautiful intricate artwork to a screen the size of an iPod or an iPhone. I’m old school about my comics and enjoy being able to just toss some of them in my messenger bag and bring them to work to read at lunch.
I’m not fully against them, and I have checked out digital comics in the past. I also agree with going with less paper in general for society for economic and more importantly, environmental reasons. I work for a company that is trying to go paperless and it is working out very well. Personally, I just like paper comics.
This article follows along with my thoughts all week as I read everybody’s articles. We need comics on the Kindle (or any e-reader). I just did a quick google search for color e-paper, and it now does exist, but probably another year, at least, away from the consumer marketplace.
On a similar, but different topic, does anybody use a tablet pc to read digital comics? I usually turn my pos laptop on its side to read them, but have always wondered about the benefits of a tablet for something like this.
Totally with you on this. The Kindle would be useless for comics except black and white ones like Walking Dead though. They need to make a color one, preferably 8.5 x 11" screen. Maybe a cheap tablet PC would be the ideal device for comics.
Well over a year ago I started a company which has been creating a digital comic solution so I may be bias but I really believe that digital comics will change the industry for the better. Not only will the readers benefit as Gordon described but because the cost of production will be lower for publishers, the publishers will have less risk and more new titles will be allowed to get beyond the 3 issue slump giving new ip’s, and talents chance to grow.
Digital comics will allow for more creator own titles and independent self-publishing, with the talent behind them having a profitable product from far less sales, Kirkman’s comment about how writers and artist can just do creator own and make a living will then be more realistic, for more creators.
Gordon, I’m glad you added this to the conversation (I was going to make many of the same points in yesterday’s comments, but work does tend to get in the way of internet fun sometimes). I think once a decent sized, color e-reader reaches a reasonable level of market saturation, the whole digital comics sitation will be a no-brainer. I was able to finally play with Sony’s reader at Borders last week. It had a really nice feel to it. The screens are not back-lit, but resemble looking at a printed page (totally different technology than LCDs and the like). More comics for less money without the paper is, as you say, win, win, win.
That said, I’ll hopefully never stop buying comics – the actual physical floppys and trades. But these days, because of time, money, and access, most titles just pass me by.
They day that they come out with a device that is affordable and easy to read comics on, and I can purchase legal digital copies is the day I stop buying paper issues. I wouldn’t even mind getting a cheap tablet like IroncladMerc mentioned. I have looked on ebay for tablets before, and you can get one pretty cheap. All I need is a legal and affordable (not 3.99 an issue) way to buy the books I love to read most.
It’s all inevitable. Look at the Kindle’s magazine subscriptions, wireless and automatic. With a flat subscription rate. It’s gonna happen. We just need the device.
I hate to sound impatient – but it’s ridiculous that we are waiting for a device. It seems that the speed of technology we would already have gone through a few generations of devices – especially since (at least the big publishers) are working from *.pdf anyway. So the material is there waiting to be read…
I think the problem is demand. It’s a luxury device and it’s somewhat specific. An E reader isn’t as robust as a full-on tablet. But it needs a really great display. I’d prefer the digital ink technology over a typical lcd display. Just easier on the eyes. But would full color be possible? Theoretically, someone could make this thing right now just as a modded tablet PC, sans the color ink technology. But they haven’t. Maybe the real answer isn’t simply a comic reader, but a magazine reader that would also incorporate comics. Wider appeal, more of a market.
@PaulMontgomery – I was reading some stuff this morning and from what I was reading the color e-ink/e-paper is here, but the resolution is not. Those were also year old articles. I am very interested in seeing what the kindle 2.0 will be. I could very easily see them waiting until they can have a "full" color version.
I don’t need a device. Just give me a way to buy new releases legally on my pc and I will pay for it. Its that simple. An Iphone app would be great as well. Several sites started pimping ComicZeal over the last 2 days and I started playing with it today. Great APP!
I’m sorry if I sound like a caveman on this (I go to school in Maine, so I guess that counts?) but what exactly is a kindle/how does it work?
I’m just trying to imagine a podcast where the trinity is trying to talk about their comics after reading it on digital format:
‘So josh what was your pick this week?’-Ron
‘I…I couldnt tell you. My computer must’ve crapped out cause the loading was terrible. Even when my issues did load correctly it took me just an hour to read an issue of Fear Agent. So…I got nothing to talk about’-Josh
‘Well alright, shortest podcast we’ve ever done…..If you wanna leave a message call:’-Ron
I just think digital comics are impractical. The loading times, god forbid you dont have the money for the NASA computers and laptops they put out today. Even if you do get it to work get ready to move the task bar left to right and up to down constantly. I tried doing the Marvel Digital Comics and I just couldnt do it. It’s too impractical right now to do it.
Even if it’s just me…..I’ll be damned if I am a generation behind with everyone else; I cant be the only one who thinks this way.
@deezer – The Kindle is Amazon.com’s electronic reading device (see the second image in Gordon’s article). It’s a mobile device with a free wireless connection to Amazon’s store where you can purchase digital versions of popular novels or subscribe to magazines and newspapers. It uses a digital ink display which looks more like actual ink on paper than a typical computer screen. This is easier on the eyes, but in the current incarnation it only displays black on white. You can store multiple book files on the device and it automatically saves your place. There are a number of other bells and whistles. Many of us are waiting for a drop in price and, hopefully, full color.
Good article, but can’t say I agree with you on everything.
Really interesting article, Gordon, but I’m also not sold. I just don’t want to read digital comics. I’ve tried read comics off a screen before and it gives me a mother of a headache. Also, I like buying paper books. I like adding things to my bookshelf.
I also still buy CDs (well, more vinyl these days) and DVDs, so I guess I’m destined to be behind the times. As long as I have a choice, I’ll always buy the physical item.
@Eyun
To each their own, but I am quite the oposite. If something is available in digital format, that is what I am going to get. I love having my entire music collection on one portable device. I love not having a shelf full of movies. I have a media center pc in the livingroom. Any time I want to watch a movie, I can just pick it from a menu on the screen with my remote. Much more convenient and space saving. I say bring on the bits! 1s and 0s for life!
@tigermojoe – Good thing – if everybody agreed with me the world would probably implode…or be really awesome!
@Eyun – To each his own. Personally I have less and less desire to own "things" and I have no desire to continue "wasting" (my opinion) resources. I find this especially difficult with my theatre work – because it is so temporary – but I take great strides to recycle and reuse everything – but that is not always possible. I then try to overcompensate in my home life so I don’t feel as bad at work.
@Eyun – Again, E-ink and the electronic paper display mimics the visual sensation of ink on paper, so there’s no more eye strain than in reading traditional print media. That’s a big part of it for me too.
@xebix & Gordon – I wasn’t trying to be argumentative, I swear. And I really appreciate the notion that things going digital makes life easier and less cluttered. I have an mp3 player and mostly use iTunes for convenience. And I’m very strict on recycling things I won’t use again.
But I guess I’m just old fashioned in that I like owning things. Maybe it’s a nostalgia thing, and I’m certainly not saying I’m right. It’s just my thing. I like collecting stuff. Sorry if I came off abrasive, wasn’t my intention.
@Eyun – no you didn’t at all. I just was spitting out a few more ideas that I didn’t throw into my already lengthy article.
@Eyun I didn’t take it that way at all. Now worries, man.
I’ve weighed in on this debate before, but… a couple of days ago, I downloaded Proof #1 to my iPhone. I read it on my phone and I really enjoyed it. I was a nice distraction while i was waiting in line or doing something else.
Would this ever completely replace my collection? No. But there are pamphlets that I would not mind reading in this fashion.
In this case, the end result was that, rather than pay $0.99 for the next issue on my phone, I just walked into my shop and bought the first trade for $9.99. Worth it. I can see doing more of this. Using digital rather than pamphlet to make determinations about series, and then buying trades.
I just went to the Marvel site and looked through their digital comics and didn’t care for it at all. Gordon mentioned in his article that he hasn’t bought a CD in years which is his perogative, I still buy them for the simpple reason they sound better than any compressed format. There are still those who have a strong dedication to the LP because of its superior sound, in comics I am the same way, I don’t want digital, I don’t want to be tied to my laptop or any Kindle, I just want the books like I have always had them, in a stack next to me on Wednesday nights, I don’t like the price increases, and it will cause me to lose some new titles and be less inclined to give new things a try, but I will always continue to want books in the comic format as we know it today.
@k5blazer – my father is an audiophile – and he can afford the good stuff. I can’t. Plus my ears are so shot from too many punk shows – I can really tell a difference.
I am a big fan of books – seeing the paper – but, as I mentioned earlier – I am a bigger fan of not wasting the resources. For me – I can get the same net result with soemthing on my screen, or an iPod, etc. I still enjoy my music – I still read email (just as I would a letter), so on and so forth.
It’s just how I roll…
@gordon – "my father is an audiophile."
I’m so sorry, man.
If you ever need somebody to talk to, let me know. My thoughts are with you and your family.
I’m with Eyun. Call me an old man but the day my house gets cleared of all my books, CDs, DVDs, and vinyl will be the day my kids pack everything up after I croak. 😉 I have no problem adding to these collections, either, because I love surrounding myself with the things I love.
@Gordon
What’s surprising to me isn’t that we’re waiting on a device, but that we’re waiting on digital reading period. We may be waiting on the next big break to make comics digital and portable, but for now what’s the harm in selling it to me to read on my laptop/desktop? I’d be all over it, and buy a LOT more comics than I do with paper copies.
I stick to trades because single issues are to expensive (€4 in Ireland) although I would really like to get into single issues. I would totally buy a device like this for cheaper books as long as it supported the creators of the book.
I agree with this completely and not only that, but it feels inevitable. I agree with esophagus in that I don’t need to wait for a reader to be developed. If they make them available in .cbr so that they can be read with CDisplay then I would be subscribing right now. If you can access the files from a password protected website so the files can be accessed from any computer you can just through cdisplay on a jump drive and be good to go. I would certainly be more willing to try out a new digital title for say…a dollar or even 2, than I will be soon when the wave that is 3.99 paper comics finally smashes into us.
Good discussion. I’m with you on the paper right till you get to books and comics. I have given up my newspaper and most of my magazines. But books and comics I have to hold. Plus, there is an emotional attachment to the experiance of reading a real book. Hell I won’t even by paperbacks unless I can’t find something int he hardback. The tactile senations and the smells can not be duplicated. This is especially true with books from some of the indy presses. There is a distinctive odor that is pure pleasure when I open the book. No e-reader will give me that emotional resonance.
@Mike – There is nothing wrong with being an audiophile.
@Gordon – I think this discussion is shaping into an either/or propsition, is there a way to achieve both like with popular music? Some prefer one delivery format over the other but we all essntially want the same thing, satisfying stories. It seems like the marketplace can sustaiin the digital delivery and the paper product as well, by offereing a digital service that can create an additional revenue stream which couuld be used to offset the higher production costs.
The screen limits the size of the panel people can view. When an artists will want to go from small panels to big characters that take up the whole page they won’t be able to do so and it would limit the art.
Also maybe nowadays it can go there, but with hand made comics that show they are hand made and not drawn using a tablet PC – I don’t want to read through a screen.
I would pay for the big tree killing collection that is Box Office Poison instead of buying the tree friendly and cheaper digital version of that book.
And I’m the type of guy that wants space and to get rid of most of the books and comics he has. I have about 200 that I’m selling and that is after a few dozen donatead, and maybe a hundred sold. Nowadays I’m trying to buy really cheap used boojs so it will be easier to sell them, or use the library. I’m trying to buy more used comics to save money but since I’m not near a comic book shop my options are limited and people don’t like to trust me or use the mail as a third party in the transaction which they can do here with a small added cost that I was happy to pay (the guy never got back to me – he said he doesn’t like using the mail and that means I’m to this day buy mostly brand new copies).
Kirby’s energy dots or Watchmen in the end where the Dr. returns and sees the mass of colors – that effect would get diminished and that would hurt the medium.
@chlop – thanks for pointer to mini on MIA comics in another thread…enjoyed it.
As for going digital…used to be against it, but I’m warming to it. But with a big ole bright color monitor only.
Am enjoying the Watchmen motion comics…what a heretic!
If we all just switched to rice paper, we could stop killing trees.
As for digital comics, I’m in the camp of wanting the future now. I’d still buy trades, though.
The biggest problem with the Kindle (and the reason our iVerse books aren’t on it right now) is that Amazon isn’t offering a fair deal to creators. They’re only offering 35% of the retail price of the books – and that’s not going to work for anyone.
If they offer up something a little closer to what Apple and Google are doing I think you’ll see plenty of comics on the Kindle.
And there will be a Kindle Shuffle, and software updates will make the old format obsolete and make the panels appear out of order, and it will only work on Windows, and only for three computers, and if you change the memory card it counts as another computer, and it will take a lot of battery life in the laptop, and the screen will get scratched, and they will create a ne Kindle with a different type of cartridges that are shaped differently, and the battery life will be enough foronly one TP, and you’ll have to sign a guarantee to stay for three years with the service to get a good deal and at the end prices will jump.
And it will heat up, and the batteries will explode and you won’t be able to bring it on the plane, and when the ice melts it will electrocute you – your paper comics would have soaked the flood, and the new software updates will require 2 GB of memory since it will run on Vista, and the back lighting will become illegal due to pollution and the people that have old versions of the device will need to pay a tax since they are polluting the air and they’ll need to buy new ones and sell the old ones but the price will drop because buyers will need to pay the annual tax, and the prices of steel will increase, and china will control the comics market that way, and it will get spam SMSs and with each new version the cable will change so you won’t be able to use the old cable, and it will use a proprietary format that will change all the time requiring you to buy the new 2009 edition, and a new censorship law will make those display a rating before the comics and people will have to give a biometric sample to prove they are 18 +, and parents will be the only one able to buy the comics because of the age restrictions, and someone will hack Paris Hilton’s one and find all that furry sex comics and the database ofthe buyers will get released all over the internet, and trying to fuel those devices’ chargable batteries to save money, the rain forest will be cut and turned to fuel and eventually electricity, and when you’ll read wizard it will slip to the toilet.
Even if they do start making digital comics, I doubt that they’ll be released on digital format until months after they have already been on the newsstand so people who are big Batman fans would probably just pay the $2.99 to read the comic now, rather then wait six to eight months to save a dollar by reading it on some Kindey or whatever it is called. Come on now. What’s next? Digital museums? People won’t even paint portraits anymore, they just digitize them so people don’t have to pay the $5.99 to get into the museum anymore? Then will be digital sculpterists. They just build digital sculptures with virtual reality hands from some Lawnmower man type movie instead of just carving a damn rock?! Then they’ll just come out with a computer that plugs into your belly button so you don’t even have to eat anymore, it will just pass digital nutrition the wire. People won’t have to wear clothes anymore, they’ll just have digital holograms to cover their private parts until winter rolls around and they freeze their ass off…
@robbydzwonar
I see no reason why they wouldn’t do it day and date. Books are being done that way now. You can usually buy the audiobook, and the regular book the same day. I’m pretty sure its available in a kindle stype format as well.
I am just not buying comics as much now because I don’t want to hold a physical media. There are others that will. Most of my friends would probably keep buying physical comics because thats what they want to do.
For people like me however they are leaving money on the table. I would gladly pay them for their work to just be able to read new comics on my pc or other device.
I see a lot of talk about quality, but most comics nowadays (especially those from the major companies) are finished on computers. They are colored and lettered on computers. The coloring is optimized for the computer screen that the colorist is working on. The high quality pdfs that I’ve been given look a hell of a lot better than the printed versions of the same comic. There is a loss of brightness when you go from a big, bright monitor to a printing press. People who say that the quality of the art would be worse in a digital comics clearly haven’t seen many.
Yes, and it sucks. Old hand coloring produces a great looking comic. There is still the issue if the screen size. A laptop might work but other devices will need to either reduce the image or go through it but will be able to show you just a part of it each time and that sucks as well and it ruins the art.
Also there is the issue of wether the device will resize panels, again changing the artist’s intention.
Has anyone subscribed to Marvel’s Digital Comic’s? Are they update with new comic releases every Wednesday?
@danj – They don’t put new comics on there. I don’t know how long it takes for them to put new books on there, but it’s definitely not week of. It’s months later, I think.
@conor – thanks for quick response.
I think I would go-digital if Marvel released new books weekly. Although I love my local comic book shop and the guys that work their. I’m for digital but I hope your LCS doesn’t disappear. That would be a sad day.
They will dissappear. The only people that the industry will still need are artists and writers, and coders.
If everything is digital – made digitally, published digitally, bought digitally, there is no need for comic book shops, if books will become all digital than the guys that package the books for you when you buy online will be gone.
There is also a problem of format and will the publishers start a new format war, and will it be easy for beginners to use that format.
Also adding the extra step needed of scanning your indy comics will weed out some creators. Having the ability to take a pen and paper and produce something and copy it many times cheaply and standing in front of a building that draws people that might be interested in your work will be taken away.
The ability to arrange with the owner to have some copies of your work on the shelf or just standing in front of the store and selling it will be gone.
Also if Marvel and DC will use a distribution system that will download the new comics books you bought straight to your device will again cut back the exposure to other material. You can go to a store and glance at an indy. With that distribution system you will need to seek it and that extra scanning step or format problems will make it harder
You will need to go to several forums where people will post their creations.
Also it will make it harder to distinguish between good comics or bad ones. The "Look – I payed for this to get printed, went around to comic book shops and made deals with owners to display this, and I’m ina table selling my book" will go away. Middle class with scanners will be able to publish their crap in a nice website or pay for the advertising.
Also that might drive indys towards the three four panel strip that many sites feature and might limit the creativity to punch lines.
It’s interesting that the next R. Crumb or Harvey Pekar might decide to leave the comic book industry.