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IanX

Name: Ian X

Bio: I grew up on Marvel Comics, especially the 80s Silver Surfer, X-Men, and Excalibur. More recently, I read a wider variety of "grown-up" comics like Hellblazer, 100 Bullets, and Preacher. I'm also an aspiring comics writer, currently working on The Deathlings (http://thedeathlings.com) and a second book. Finally, I'm probably best known as a portrait photographer.


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IanX's Recent Comments
April 2, 2010 2:56 pm @Josh - I'm not personally upset. I just think it would be better for all of us (the publishers, creators, and consumers) if comics made a transition to digital that could expand the audience and volumes. I see it as a missed opportunity to make me (and people like me) happy in a way that causes me to give the publishers (and thus creators) more money.
April 2, 2010 2:47 pm If their strategy is to only offer back-issues, fine. But I think that blows apart the "these comics could be $4, so $2 is a steal" argument. These comics are cheapass back issues, not brand new $4 comics.
April 2, 2010 2:12 pm @josh - Right, but they aren't saying they will have same-day releases on Wednesday, right? So isn't this ONLY for back issues?
April 2, 2010 2:09 pm @Earwigg - I think that would be fantastic. It's actually part of why I'd rather see Marvel use iBookstore than a standalone app-- let Apple handle the clients, and the content will show up in more platforms.
April 2, 2010 1:56 pm The iPad supports standardized epub files, from what I have heard.
April 2, 2010 1:46 pm It's also entirely possible that the other publishers will see Marvel charging $1.99 for back issues, and decide to take the easy way out and follow-suit. Short term, it will seem good for them, because they take less risk. Long term, we continue to lose readers and the entire industry suffers.
April 2, 2010 1:24 pm

You're right that we did little to prove to the publishers that $4 comics aren't acceptable. I do think the point is coming where it's costing them, but it was after the first wave.

When comics went to $4.00, most of us had to consider the effect on a real human being we like (our shop owner) combined with a desire to keep reading the major books that we're hooked on. As this has crept to minor books, we've clearly pushed back (look how SWORD #1 sold).

It's too soon to tell, but you're probably right. As a whole, our community looked Marvel (mostly) in the eye and said "Hell No"... and then forked over our $4 anyhow.

I really WANT to be excited about this-- I'm an early adopter, a huge Marvel fan, and an Apple fanboy. At $1 per backissue issue, and $1.50-$1.99 for new issues, I'd be buying a $500 iPad, and shifting my $40 a week mostly over to those comics. I won't be forking over $2 per book for digital back issues.

April 2, 2010 1:14 pm

I can get back issues from my local shop for $1. Why would I pay $2 to get them online?

I can get 8-issue trades from Amazon for $12. Why would I pay $16 to get them online?

 I can get new comics from DCBS for under $2. Why would I pay the same to get them later online?

April 2, 2010 1:13 pm @josh - That's a fair point, but I don't think that's all there was to it. I wanted to read those books, but a premium $80 edition isn't the way to get me to buy them. An inexpensive digital edition solves everyone's problems. (And I wouldn't buy a $80 piece of hockey equipment for $10. It wasn't all about the discount.)
April 2, 2010 1:11 pm @gobo - Sure, because printed Omnibuses have a production expense. There's no such loss for having some steals on digital collections to draw in new readers, right?