The Green Goblin is a huge inspiration to me.
Ever since the end of the Skrulls’ Secret Invasion (which, let’s face it, was technically over before any book bearing that name came out and wasn’t a secret after about page 12 of issue #1, but never mind all that) I have been a huge fan of Norman Osborn. This is nothing short of amazing even to me, because when I returned to comics readership and heard what had happened in my absence I thought the resurrection of Norman Osborn was the dumbest idea I’d heard since The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer. C’est la vie, say the old folks; it goes to show you never can tell. I’ve started to enjoy the Sentry. I just bought some Green Lantern hardcovers. Miracles happen every day.
What I love about Normie’s Dark Reign is that he is a sadist, he is a nutter, and out of the context of the Marvel universe he is absolutely right about almost everything he says. At least, I think he is; he’s in so many books right now (more on that later) I can’t be entirely sure I’m keeping up. I do know that, in the hands of Brian Bendis, he is my favorite baddie since the Purple Man. Did you read Dark Avengers #5, for the love of all you hold dear? Just when I thought Clint Barton had him dead to rights, Normie goes on the tee-vee and gives an interview full of silver-tongued satanic seductiveness and all the delicious spin that drives you nuts when you see it on [whichever cable news channel you hate for being biased against your team]. Then came Dark Reign: The List: The Unnecessarily Convoluted Title: The Payoff to the Colon Manufacturers’ Association: Avengers a couple of weeks ago. Within the first few pages, Normie explained his plan to Ares, and the explanation hit me like a bolt from the blue. Yes, we all love Spider-Man and the Hulk and the Avengers, but if they were actually happening to us right now their continued existence would be insanity. We would burn every politician in office in effigy until those “heroes” were dead.
So Normie made a list, and the way he put it struck me just-so. “There is the way things were… and there is the way things should be now that we are in charge.” I thought, “My God! I have a gap like that in my own life. There’s the way things are, and there’s the way things need to be for me to calm down and be happy. What do I need to put on my List to bridge that gap?” The bullet points came quickly. Why are these pants so ill-fitting when there’s a treadmill down the hall? Why am I so drowsy and cranky, when the bed is right over there? Why is that cat still walking around on the coffee table and laying on my books like he owns the place, when all I have to do is make it look like an accident and pretend to be sad for a while? Why is my daughter watching My Friends Tigger and Pooh when she could just as easily be watching G.I. Joe: The M.A.S.S. Device?
But these are all examples from my personal life, which even I don’t really care much about. What about The Comics Biz, though? Don’t we all have a List of how we would change things if we were in charge? Of course we do! I know; I’ve spent ten minutes on a message board. If superheroes are really just male power fantasies, then Norman and his List are just the next logical step in the evolution of that fantasy, from a juvenile definition of “power” to the grown-up, actual version. Given that, what would I change right now if I were put in charge of the world?:
No more characters who appear in every book. Sorry, Norm. As much as I love you right now, you’re more over-exposed than Lady Gaga. You’re the new Wolverine, which is sort of amazing. Same goes for you, Sentry and Ares. Surprisingly, same goes for you, Black Widow, who seems to be popping up everywhere from Nomad to Iron Man to Thunderbolts in wildly different situations that are nearly impossible to reconcile. Don’t even get me started on the gulf between the Hood’s characterization in Dark Reign: The Hood and The Punisher. I am usually able to puzzle out in my own head how all these storylines could be happening at the same time, but even as I say that I realize that my brain is often doing the writers’ heavy lifting for them, working harder than James Brown on a Saturday night to make everything connect and add up. If I had my way, the first two scribes with seniority to cry “dibs!” would get to write for a character, and everyone else would have to submit some kind of application in triplicate to get a permission slip.
The “Previews” problem. As much as I enjoy knowing what the December cover to my favorite book is going to be in September, does that really sound like the way things ought to work? When you face facts, aren’t 70% of your problems as a reader caused by knowing what’s coming a year in advance? Here’s what I suggest: let’s just admit that Batman readers are going to stay Batman readers no matter what, and Spider-Man readers are going to stay Spider-Man readers no matter what, and make Previews indie-only. The books no one has ever heard of will get blurbs to attract buyers, and everyone else will get, for example, “Moon Knight: It’s Moon Knight. Either you like that or you don’t. Buy it, or whatever. $3.99.” Save everybody the frickin’ aggravation.
Bye-bye, floppies! I’ve been bringing this up about every six weeks since I got a forum via iFanboy, but… come on. Are we really still not going to give people comics online? Are weekly visits to the specialty shop for chapters of a story really the way we’re going to cling to? I’m reminded of my career as a student of Russian in the early 90s, when Soviets had to buy bread at the Bread store and fruit at the Fruit store instead of having access to a supermarket. Either let’s get comics into iTunes and Amazon Digital or let’s wake up and face the day before us. In my world, if you liked 26 titles, you’d get a trade for each of them twice a year. Each week would be a different trade’s week. Ooh, it’s Daredevil week! Next week is my biannual Superman fix! And so on. If you couldn’t hang on for twice-a-years– and even I might have a problem waiting for the newest of the New Avengers— each chapter would be available digitally each month. Eek! Light-through medium, instead of light-on? How would that work?? Would the world explode? No, turns out it wouldn’t. (I think a world like this might actually exist now, but I am too callow to stop buying floppies and find out.)
Dead Means Dead.
Unmarry Spider-Man.
…hang on, sorry. I brainstormed using someone else’s old list. Still, those items do remind me of a few bullet points of my own.
No deaths, okay? Let’s be honest with ourselves: in comics, anyway, we don’t care when people die. This is no way to go through life, but let’s face it: when a character gets stabbed right through the chest, blood and viscera all over the page, even if it’s your favorite guy, do you believe even for a second that you won’t see him again? Or even that you won’t see him again this year? It all turns out to be a big fake-a-roo. This is, in a way, a noble comics/your mom’s soap opera tradition, but even so: what’s the plus side? If Janet van Dyne stays dead, is she really in line to become the next Captain Marvel? The next Bucky? Isn’t she basically the next Colossus? Rather than killing everyone and cheapening death, why not (without telling the fans) knock it off until a special occasion that makes death matter?
Brand Newer Day. I have decided that, under my regime, people still complaining about “what they’ve done to Spider-Man” will be relocated to a new hobby. They say they’re comics fans but, really, look how miserable they are. It’s obviously out of their conscious control. For their own good, after two years, we need to forcibly shuffle them elsewhere. I suggest gardening, where they can stop worrying about things like Mary Jane and devote themselves full-time to getting upset about aphids and broccoflower.
These are my head-top suggestions, but I’m sure you have your own. If the world was your milky oyster, how would you shape it? Pretend the fans and shareholders don’t exist. Lord knows I do.
In a way, isn’t Jim Mroczkowski also in every book coming out right now? He’s certainly as omnipresent on Twitter as Norman Osborn, and often as emotionally unstable. Broccoflower is genuinely upsetting.
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Deaths should definitely still be in comics, but the people that complain about comic book deaths should be shuffled off into that same category as the Brand New Day complainers. A good death story can still be impactful, and if told correctly, so can a good ressurection story.
Nice list. I’d contribute some of my own except that I’m pretty sure I’d end up listing a lot of things that most comics fans would not want to buy, and so then I’d feel extra hypocritical about telling someone else how to run their business. Though if I were Norman maybe I’d be working on a way to replace everybody who buys Jeph Loeb books or X-Force with people who like the same things I do.
oh i have one
Previews on Newsarama and IGN for big big books – We all knew exactly how Civil War started about a month or so before the first issue hit. We had read the first few pages and new all about stamford and i think that lessed the emotional impact of this huge disaster in the story. If we had gone in cold i think it would have made all the difference. Now i know it was my choice to read it, but even if i hadn’t everyone was talking about stamford everywhere on the internet. it was unavoidable for that month before issue 1
Unfortunately, the industry is dependent upon comic book fanboy zombies buying floppies and then buying them again in trades and deluxe hardcovers, so it ain’t gonna happen.
I am so for that relocation plan!
The death of floppies would/will be the death of 90% of the remaining comic shops in America. Just thought I’d point that out. When trades of older material are available online for 30% off, it’s no secret that trades are not enough to keep most comic shops afloat. The only advantage comic shops have these days is that they’re where you need to go (legally) if you want to read the latest installment of titles on the day they’re released. But, hey, if technology is just going to make comic shops all but obsolete, then that’s the way the cookie crumbles. Just make sure that all you guys clamouring for digital comics direct from the publishers are also effectively arguing for the demise of most comic shops. Where’s Tower Records these days? Where’s Sam Goody? Where are most neighbourhood cd shops? They’re gone, or severely downsized. They still had record sales (no pun) when illegal mp3s were widely available, but what killed them was iTunes, in a hurry.
You bought Green Lantern Hardcovers? Are you freaking kidding me man?! It’s so overrated! It ain’t Marvel, and it ain’t good! The only reason people like it is cause it’s the best DC book there is, but the best DC book still isn’t good enough for a true Marvel fan! You won’t enjoy it, I predict that just now.
The thing is, Sam Goody is not the spotted goddamn owl. I am not interested in keeping an outmoded shop from going extinct; I am interested in owning a product. It is the store’s job to keep the store afloat, not mine.
Great article. I’d definitely get rid of previews. I avoid it anyway. A little more explanation on continuity now a days new readers like me are definitely going "WTF just happened?".
sorry for my n00b question, but what happened in brand new day?
If Spider-Man was real, I’d join Norman in the crusade to destroy that freak. A man dressed as a spider? MENACE.
I like floppies. That have a smell.
Good list…. except for the death of floppies. 😉 And in all honesty, if this biannual model existed, I would probably end up not reading comics. I barely remember to pick up the 3 series I do trade wait now. Still, I really would love to place a moratorium on using Wolverine in comics. ::shakes fist angrily at kids to get off lawn.::
I’d be absolutely thrilled if every series came out twice a year in trade format.
@Jimski – PLEASE continue to speak your mind openly and honestly. I don’t always agree with you, but you almost always make me think.
You sounded like an economist in that last post. Stifling innovation to keep a failing business afloat is preposterous (kinda like the recent tariff on Chinese tires).
I would love to see the models DC/Marvel use to estimate profitability and how they account for potential digitization of the medium. I find it very hard to believe that an iTunes-like model (iVerse or Longbox) putting an end to floppies could decrease their profitability (unless they foresee something extremely competitive developing).
@Stepho-Brand New Day (BND) was what Marvel called the dissolution of Peter Parker’s marriage to MJ Watson.
Contrary to the position of many, it was not a bad idea. It was a ‘shake up’ to get new life into a character that editorial felt had grown stagnant.
That much said, it was not the best execution of that idea. This was then fueled further by the writer of BND describing, in detail, the flippant feelings and remarks that editorial had about the situation. This fueled many fans to feel as if Marvel ‘didn’t care about them.’ And now they hold grudges.
Without trying the bi-yearly trades thing is basically what I’ve done for the past year. A little more regularly than that, but due to work I’ve been lax on getting into my comic shop, so I’ve been going through huge stacks of floppies every couple of months.
The only downside I’ve seen is having no idea where books connect. I’m reading every damn Avengers title and I get through one to read another and I have to think "Was the Hood taken out by now? Did Black Widow reveal herself yet?"
A lot of that could possibly be solved by your character rationing though.
I generally love your columns…but cat-killing jokes are a big fat unfunny that spoil the mood.
The comic market should follow the same trajectory as the music industry.
I’m not sure how piracy is influencing comics sales, but I’d assume that the drive for free product with no consequences is the same drive for comics and music.
A digitized comic outlet like iTunes is the logical progression, but I don’t think it will make the comic industry any more "healthy" than iTunes made the music industry.
Comics shops are going to close just like the big music chains like Tower Records.
Do shops even make that much money off single issues? My shop gives a 15% discount. I don’t see them recouping much through single issue sales.
Great article. Although I didn’t think you were so big on Norman.
I would want to get rid of solicts. Mainly now because Newsarama spoiled the end of Captain America: Reborn with a certain one-shot coming out in December. I’m always fine with previews because lately I have been buying issues on the fly because of seeing the previews. But the solicts are really starting to bug me now a days. Although it does help me manage my spending for future months…
But that’s the price I will have to pay if I want to get rid of them.
@Jimsky: GREAT article. It’s nice to see someone take a critical look at our hobby and then provide ideas on how to improve our experience.
@BrownCoatJedi: I am surprised nobody attack you with that "comic book fanboy zombie" comment. HAHA.
Until we move to a digital format as the dominant format what about printing the comics as single issues as well as a digital comic and also publish a compendium of related titles as a trade. For example all of the Superman and batman titles can come out as trade on a monthly basis for $12. Then publish the individual titles twice a year as was suggest by Jim. Each one is aimed at a slightly different reader. It’s smart thinking, with the proper distribution and marketing. This is not a new idea. CrossGen did this back in the 90s but they made some mistakes with regard to how they put the books together.
@rush: No one attacked BrownCoatJedi because that term accurately describes a good portion of comic book readers, unfortunately.
@connor: Oh I agree, but some people can be sensitive.
@PraxJarvin
I’m with you. Not only would I probably not remember to buy the trade, but I wouldn’t remember what had happened. The one time I’ve ever had to wait for a trade (between walking dead 9 and 10) I ended up forgetting so much that was happening that I just put it down and decided I’ll read the whole series again later.
Besides, paying $3-4 monthly 6 times for a book makes me feel better than dropping $13-20 all at once. Not to mention how many books I wouldn’t give a shot. There are books I won’t try because $4 seems like much, so imagine if it were trade price. I never would have tried Chew, Adventure Comics, Power Girl, or Vengeance of Moon Knight for that price, and now those are some of my favorite books.
To be honest, I doubt I’d buy very many comics if twice-a-year trades were all there were, either. Also, I’d have to find something else to think and talk about for the 40 or so weeks of the year i wouldn’t be buying anything. God forbid! 😉
Jimski, love your articles both here and at Murmur. There’s one point that i always agree with you and Conor on, the end of floppies. I’m getting a little older now (turned 30 this year) and i have a ten month old. With responsibilities that i have, i don’t like to go to the store each week or every other week to get my few books, then reading them for 20 minutes and storing them away, mostly likely not being read again and passed onto my son. Really, that’s the only reason i’m still getting some floppies, to give to him. Storing them is a pain, and it’s a pain to read again having to find the issue you want and so forth.
Trades is where i want to turn to, well let me correct that, I’d totally do Longbox’s "buy the individual issues, get a coupon for the trade" deal. That is if the cost of the trade after the coupon is cheaper than buying it from Amazon or IST. That way i can spend my few minutes reading my comics on my computer where i am anyways and then have a trade later for trips or whatever.
And i know that if i hate going to the comic store so much i could use DCBService, but if i’m going to save money and time, that doesn’t seem like the fit more me. Kieron Gillen really opened my eyes when they said they could making a living selling Phonogram on Longbox. Cut out all the middle men and the creators can make money on what they love.
As for shops going out of buisness, again i agree with Jimski. If they can’t adapt, then that’s their problem. I’m pretty sure that my shop makes more on collectables and toys than on comics anyways. Also the service leaves something to be desired as my pull list is often screwed up. Just let me click a button and have my book now, while also saving $3.
@rush – that’s a good idea, i’ve never heard that brought up before
My 2 cents: Sam Goody and those stores closed down because they wanted $18-20 for a CD i could get at Best Buy for $11-13
@slockhart: Did you read Jim’s article? The twice a year trades would be in conjunction with digital single issues every month.
@conor
Ehh, skimmed it. But still, I’m "that guy," yknow, the one who doesn’t buy anything digital because he loves the tactile product and never having to back up his media, so I still doubt I’d read very many comics on that plan.
Nice list. I agree with a lot of what you’ve said here, Jim.
Especially BND. I visit a lof of Spider-man boards, as he is my favourite character, but no one wants to talk about the stories anymore, just how long til OMD is reversed, or how Peter is going to hell for making a deal with the devil. Why can’t we just enjoy the stories.
One thing I don’t agree with though is loosing the "floppies". I openly admit this, I am a creature of habit. I like having weekly books. I am also from the Ipod generation (I think, I’m in my early 20’s – am I old?) but reading a book or comic on my Ipod does not appeal to me. I’ve tried it and found it a pleasureless experience.
I think my "Trades" plan hinges on the fact that I read enough titles that… my feeling is, if I could just work it out, I wouldn’t even feel like I was missing anything. There would still be a reason to go to the shop every Wednesday and spend the same money, but it would be for two big books instead of 11 little ones. If I sat down with the weekly pull lists and charted it out, I could probably pull it off right now. But under my Dark Reign, there would be no charting; I would just set the schedule myself.
You should also be able to subscribe to trades. And get a free frozen yogurt with every purchase.
@KickAss
Ugh, with the towing of the party line! Come on, it’s not like political theory/red state-blue state BS; the two companies aren’t diametrically opposed, they’re COMPANIES! Not even one’s that differ greatly in what they produce! Green Lantern is a great book, I too was reintroduced to the DCU thanks to Hal Jordan and his light wielding band of merrymen, because it’s a great book! So are Superman, Batman, Flash, JSA at times! Why deprive yourself of some great books because of a non-existant Mason-Dixon line??
It’s Coke and Pepsi, my friend. And my stance on those two is, if you drink soda and you ask for a Coke at a restaurant and are told they only serve Pepsi, and then you disgruntledly refuse the beverage: that makes you a douche. My feelings are not quite the same for comics… but they’re close.
I dare you, I double d- nay, triple dog dare you to read Superman Secret Origins this week. If you can keep your venom in check, I guarantee you’ll at least like it a little bit. Go on. What? Ya scared? Hm? Hmmm?
I’m so ready to be rid of single issues that I’ve noticed an increasing subconscious habit of forgetting to buy a book, thereby severing my commitment to continue on with the next issue. Hence, waiting for the trade.
Sign me the hell up for the trades only movement.
I can’t wait in the future when someone posts an article titled:
"My share file of digital comics" Or "Why I my computer can’t store any more information because I have so many comics I haven’t read yet"
Someone is going to complain about how much they haven’t read yet on their laptop and it’ll become full circle when it does happen.
@captbastrd-I admire your attempt, but its useless. He’s just baiting everyone, like always. Just ignore and you’ll be a happy camper.
I’m all for digital comics and 2x a year trades, and I stopped reading previews a long time ago. I check to make sure my titles are coming out, but that’s it.
And I agree entirely that characters should stop appearing in so many books! I don’t know what the cut off number should be though, so I’m going to go with 3 books max.
Amen to that TNC.
As for the trades only movement. I’d like to sign up right under Paul, that I do.
@drakedangerz
I know, but I live like I actually am whenever I’ve gone camping: slightly agitated.
I’ll say this much for Norman: unlike Wolverine, he actually has some business in every book and an unlimited travel budget.
The problem with Previews and solicitations is the trickle-down. I don’t read them, but if you spend any time online it’s only a matter of time before someone reports them as news all up in your face. Just this morning, I saw a Captain America thing I didn’t want to see as an unlabeled link in a Twitter posting.
I want a pony.
Your wish is granted! Of course, given the confines of my List, it must be a pony in a comic.
I should add while I’m thinking about it that my hard drive and I are already in a constant battle for space against all the digital books and comics I have. But you know, when it’s time to put ’em away, I’ll take burning a DVD-ROM over buying a shelf and a box and a storage locker any day of the week.
Good article, but I have to say that I really enjoy buying comics in issues. I love the aesthetic of flipping through a comic book, rather than staring at a computer screen (I do enough of that already). Buying in trades is also good but I hope the single issue format stays around for awhile.
I agree with everything said in this except the getting rid of single issues. Personally, I prefer things that are tangible compared to data and digital files, but thats just my opinion. Also, I do buy many new comics, but most of them I pick up at comic shows and conventions, where I can buy the issues that came out a year ago for only fifty cents or so. I may end up being a little behind on the comics, but for people like me who cant afford buying all my comics weekly, its nice to be able to still get the books I want for a very reduced price to what they were when they were new. If it all goes to online and digital, I doubt we will ever see reduced price comics regardless of how old they are, and all the people who dont have the money to buy new stuff wont be able to be as involved in the comics industry as they would have been otherwise.
I like the term "nutter." I’m going to start using that more often…
@Jimski: If your referring to me about that Captain America thing; sorry I forgot that you were on twitter. 🙂
I would also disagree with Norman being in every book. Best example would be in Incredible Hercules; why he had to be thrown into the mix with Hera made no sense to me.
Digital Comics is the Health Care Reform issue of our world.
MR. FLANAGAN I WILL BE HEARD!
YOU AND YOUR DIGITAL COMICS ARE GOING TO MURDER MY GRANDMOTHER!! WHERE’S YOUR BIRTH CERTIFICATE? YOUR NOT A LEGAL CITIZEN TO BE A LEADER OF THIS SITE!!!!!
🙂
If digital music can’t save the music industry, why would digital comics save the comics industry?
That is, if the comics industry needs saving . . .
@ScorpionMasada: It’s less about saving an industry and more about facing the digital reality. You can’t stop progress.
@conor: Tell that to the Aztecs and the Mayans…
Sorry I’m nitpicking here lol
people who didnt like brand new day arnt complaining about it anymore, they are just not reading anymore 🙂 and about the digital comics thing, they have been around for a good while now and havnt caught on yet and dont think they ever will. i dont mind them but thats just the reality of the situation. i think you guys gave the spiderwoman webcomic some flak for being a webcomic ?
@ScorpionMasada – Let me state upfront that I don’t listen to music, so I am basing this on conversations I’ve had with people who do (and the murmur podcasts relating to music): Hasn’t the digital music "revolution" actually made it much easier for "indie" bands to get a foot in the door and actually earn some money. The traditionally powerful companies may have suffered (and I’m not even sure that is true), but the quality of the music probably hasn’t. Essentially, from an outsider’s point of view, it appears that the digital transition lowered cost, lowered prices, and increased quality/quantity (as measured by variety of artists).
I can only hope that is what will happen to the comic book industry.
@peterporker: Digital comics haven’t arrived yet. Pirated scans have arrived. And motion comics have arrived. Neither one are digital comics.
And if only it were true that people have stopped complaining about Brand New Day…
@conor: I mutter about it in my sleep. My sister work me up wondering who the hell was Joe Quesada and why I wanted a Vendetta on him.
Being formerly against digital comics, I’m all for them now that my weekly pull list has reached unfathomable heights. I’m ready for $1 digital comics.
I also can’t wait for the future article:
"Why I’m not paying $2.99 for digital comics anymore"
Surely that will happen as well in the coming years.
@josh
That’s incredibly apt.
Today it is Broccoflower (TM) , tomorrow it’ll be triffids.You are right to be upset,sir.
@Fugmo: my God, have you seen those things? Imagine what they must taste like!
While we can denigrate the regualr comics buyer and act like Alan Moore when talking about comic publishers (I do that all the time), stating them as the reasons for no digital comics, but going digital for comics does not mean the same as going digital with music and movies. You can’t just put the CD/DVD in and press "rip", it requires reformatting the whole work to the screen, which incurs extra costs , while the sales potential is mostly unproven. Not only that, most digital solutions are doing it wrong. The best presentation I have seen is "pirated" re-edits of the first 3 issues of Old Man Logan, where each panel was meticulously re-edited to appear beautiful on a widescreen display and the comic was read panel by panel, more or less.
Thats what creators should be doing from the start. Only then will we have digital comics.
@josh YOU LIE!
Long live floppies!
…and death to annoying cats!
I’m not against digital comics at all.
I’d like to point out that rampant piracy of music has made music, an art, become absolutely disposable for a good portion of the general public.
I don’t think digital music has made the music industry "healthy."
I’m not even talking money or profit.
Music became disposable long, long before the digital revolution. That happened around the time that ‘pop music’ became a genre. As soon as teenagers were able to easily obtain, and then easily discard, music it became disposable. Blaming Ed Sullivan is a lot more accurate than blaming the internet.
If you take money out of the equation of what is ‘healthy,’ you make judging it entirely subjective. Personally, I believe that any system where I am not forced to buy ‘filler tracks’ or whatever term you want to give to the 50% of a disc/album/whatever that I will only listen to once, is a marked improvement.
If comics went digital, I’d probably stop reading them all together, and pirated "digital" comics are one of the things that got me back into comics, ironically enough. I downloaded a few just to check out what it was like and to try to get myself caught up, but it wasn’t for me. That’s what forced me to seek out an online comics distributer that would ship overseas.
I like being in the digital age as much as anyone my age, but I’ll be damned if I have to use a computer for everything in my life. I spend all day at work looking at a computer screen. When I come home, I turn on the computer and continue to work, research, or do whatever all while looking at a screen. The TV is also nothing more than a screen, and if I watch TV or DVDs, or play video games, I’m still looking at a screen. Comics and books are something I can relax with almost anywhere and not have to look at a screen. I’m sick of it. I just hope my vision doesn’t go like so many other people I know who didn’t have congenital vision impairments but developed them from looking at screens all day. I don’t know any of you or what your professions are, but those who are for digital comics, do you really want to spend that much more of your time looking at a screen? I love that I can read a comic anywhere. I don’t want to have to be forced to read them at my computer.
As far as twice yearly trades go, I wouldn’t mind that in theory, but in practice, I’m not sure if I could bring myself to buy trades of books that I enjoy but don’t necessarily want to put on my shelf. Of course, the twice-a-year trades might force more comics to run their shops like books stores, and in the end that could prove to be a better business model than the one they have now.
@captbstrd- I prefer Pepsi! It’s sweeter, newer, and not my father’s soda. Marvel is my Pepsi.
Good day to you sir bastard.
I SAID GOOD DAY!!!
I’ve been debating to mostly going to "trade waiting". This would solve the problem of waiting for a single issue that is delayed and probably be better economically for me. However, I just can’t do it. I get to much enjoyment out of going to my shop and discussing comics every week and having something new. I also like to get on the net and rant and rave about my favorite comics and the industry itself (looking at you iFanboy, it’s your fault!!! j/k). So like most people, I’m caught between two worlds. I "trade wait" where I can and visit the comic shop every week. Honestly I like having the option. When a online distribution becomes more common I’ll probably use that as well to preview cheap comics to see if I want to purchase either in trade or floppy format.
I agree with Jimski’s "no more characters that appear in every book" and I want to add some others to the list. Namely, Dr. Doom, Namor, Daken, and sadly Bullseye and Deadpool. I also agree with "no more deaths". I want the deaths to mean something and unlike most I don’t mind seeing other characters take up the mantle of a iconic character.
"Brand Newer Day" is where Jimski and myself differ in opinion…kind of. I am not a Spider-Man fanatic nor do I follow the current ASM. However, I did grow up reading him. I have actually heard from most folks that Spider-Man is enjoying a nice resurgence and it’s going well. My only beef was I felt that OMD was rushed. I hated the "Mephisto" explanation. They should have just shot MJ instead of Aunt May, problem solved. Despite my problem with how we got there I am glad that Spider-Man seems to good these days.
Good article Jimski!!!
@KickAss
Well, you sure didn’t surprise me. It’s okay though, it’s not your fault. You’re the victim of branding and media campaigns that trick you into this insatiable need to have one product be better than another in your mind (even when there’s no damn difference). Break free of the corporate hands grasped ’round your throat, KickAss!
I SAID GOOD DAY!!!
@KickAss: You don’t know what you have unleashed. Do not started a cola debate. I like COKE..er wait that didn’t sound right. I like Coca-Cola. Everyone knows Coke is better.
You know, not everybody buys a bajillion titles. I buy three. No I will not wait for trades. Nor would I buy trades if I’ve already read single issues.
@JJ-Yes, you make that point in every post you make. You don’t buy many, and you reread like crazy. We know 😉
That hurt.
Yeah, blame young people for ruining music.
Not only does that seem stupid, it also disregards the historical trend that music depends almost entirely on young people to thrive creatively and commercially.
Music has never been so disposable since you can download untold amount of music, half listen to it, spew a negative review on the internet (cuz you want your "voice" heard) and delete it off your hard drive or throw the CD-R away.
Obviously there are positive aspects to digital music. I’m totally for digital music, but I’m also very aware of the consquences, psychological and financial.
You know, I’ve been thinking about this, and it occurs to me that there’s a reason to be annoyed at solicits even if you don’t read solicits. I’m increasingly starting to suspect that major plot points in the comics I read are driven by what will look awesome in an out-of-context solicit 3 months out (Emma Frost is wearing black, oh my god!) rather than by what actually works as a story.
I’m all for digital monthly comics and bi-annual trade collections. You can’t fight the future, folks. Well, you can, but you’ll lose eventually.
Digital comics will be here eventually, and I’ll probably buy them. That being said, I enjoy my current Wednesday night ritual. I enjoy going to the comics store and conversing with the clerk (or clerkess if they come out on a different day). And I enjoy the way I read paper comics. Currently, I’ll get my stack, get a mug of tea, sit in my big, comfy chair, read and relax for an hour or so. And while I’ll still be able to have discussions with you guys online in the age of digital comics, I don’t know if I want to sit in front of my computer and read comics.