2011 Comic Book News Archives
July 7, 2011: Comic Books - Digital vs Print
Last week I sent out the following "Big Blue Report" newsletter (issue #241) discussing the news that DC Comics will be releasing their relaunched comic books in digital format on the same day their printed versions hit stores.
- One of the major points coming out of the news that DC Comics will be relaunching the entire DC Universe of comic books was the fact that the new books would be released in digital format on the same day their printed versions hit stores.
The idea to "go digital" has caught the interest of many fans, and I thought I'd examine the Pros and Cons of Digital vs Print.
Collectibility
Comic book readers tend to also be comic book collectors. Like Sheldon and his "Big Bang Theory" friends, comic book readers are known to haunt comic book stores, scanning through back bins looking for that particular comic book issue they need to fill a gap in their collection. Unlike newspapers and (to some extent) magazines, comic books are not just reading material... they're collectibles. We read them, we bag and board them, and we box them.
You can't exactly do this with digital comic books. There's really very little collectibility value in downloading a digital comic book. It's just there... sitting on your computer or electronic device. Once you've read it, you close it off and that's it. It doesn't sit on your shelf. It doesn't look impressive sitting amongst all the other comics in your long boxes. It really has no physical presence.
However, it will be a heck of a lot cheaper to buy digital copies of that run of comic books you need to fill in the gaps in your collection. Printed editions of rare comic books can be quite expensive.
Storage
Which brings me to my next point... storage. Not having a physical comic book to collect isn't all bad. Those of you who have been collecting comic books for years know that long boxes filled with comic books can take up a lot of space. Trade paperback and hardcover collections take up shelf space. We quickly run out of room.
But it occurs to me that digital storage may also become a problem years down the track for the digital comic book collector. What happens when your digital collection starts taking up gigabytes of space? Can you back them up and store them on an external harddrive so that your iPad or whatever device you're reading them on doesn't get too full? From what I understand, storing your digital comic books works much like storing your digital music. For example, in iTunes when you sync your iPad to your computer you can tell it which items (i.e. songs or comic book issues) it should keep on your iPad and which it should store away on your computer. So all the comics you've purchased are safely stored on your computer while the comics you want to carry around with you are copied onto your iPad. Obviously, like with any of your computer data, you should have a backup procedure in place.
Price
Both the digital version and the printed version will be released at the same price on the same day. However, if you're not in a rush and you're happy to wait four weeks, the price of the digital version will drop by a dollar. For most DC publications the price will be US$2.99. So you can either buy the printed version for $2.99 or the download the digital version for $2.99. If you want both the digital and the printed version (for whatever reason), DC will be selling "combo packs" for $1 more.
There's no real loser here. DC obviously want to protect the specialty comic book stores who are a major part of their business, and therefore cannot offer the digital version of the comic books at a lower price than the printed versions when they are initially released. Most comic book fans will not want to wait four weeks before reading a newly released issue, so they'll have to pay the same price for the digital version. Some may decide that if they're going to pay full price anyway they may as well get the printed version and have something physical to show for their money. I guess it's up to individual preference.
The price of the comic books themselves isn't the only factor you need to take into consideration. It costs money to travel to your local comic book store (whether you're driving your own car or catching public transportation), and for some people the store isn't exactly next door. Alternatively, you may subscribe to a mailing service that sees your comic books posted to you. That costs money too. Add to that the need to buy bags, boards and boxes to store your comic books, and the costs of buying and keeping printed comic books can start to add up.
Assuming you already own a digital device on which to read comic books on, the only added cost to buying digital comic books is the internet connection which you already have and pay for regardless. Down the track you may need to invest in extra storage (assuming you can back up digital comic books at all, but that's something I need to look into).
Re-sale
Speaking of money. One thing you cannot do with a digital comic book is re-sell it. With printed comic books you can list them on ebay, sell them back to comic stores (who sometimes buy older/rarer books), sell them to friends, at garage sales, market stalls, etc... You often see fans selling off their comic books because they've outgrown their comic book reading phase or need to make room or earn some extra cash. But you won't be able to do this with digital comic books. Once you've paid for it it's connected to your digital account. You can't copy it to someone else's computer/device... and you can't un-buy it.
Sharing
Same goes for sharing your comic books. With a printed version you could lend it to a friend to read. They could take it home for a few days or longer and bring it back to you when they were done. You're not exactly going to give your friend your iPad to take home are you? So handing down your old comics to your younger brother, cousin or even your own child isn't going to happen anymore with digital comics.
But by the same token, handing a kid a printed comic book may soon seem "old school" to future generations. Who knows...
Size
Let's face it, reading a comic book on an iPhone/smart phone, iPod or even a Sony PSP just isn't going to cut it. They're too small. Even reading a comic book sitting at your desktop computer doesn't seem right. If you're going to read digital comic books it has to be on an iPad or similar tablet device. The size of the device's screen has to be similar to the size of a printed comic book in my opinion. I don't want to have to zoom in and slide around on a page to read the story and see the art. It needs to be similar (or better) than the reading experience you get when reading a printed comic book.
Portability
Now an iPad is heavier than your standard comic book. But your iPad can hold hundreds (thousands?) of comic books digitally without getting any heavier. Try lugging around hundreds of printed comic books at one time...
Depending on how many titles you buy, you could walk away from the comic book store with a dozen books or more. If you're traveling to school or work on public transport you might take two or three comic books with you to read. If you're going away for the weekend, you might wish to take a lot more. Buying your comic books digitally means you can take them ALL with you at the same time.
Durability
If you are taking your printed comic books with you anywhere, you're always concerned about keeping them safe. Sunlight, dust, dirty fingers, food, water... they're all enemies of the comic book collector.
Even if you just keep them in the safety of your home, the majority of comic book collectors like to ensure their collections stay in the best shape possible. As I said earlier, most collectors not only bag, board and box them, but they sometimes look into whether they've bought the right type of mylar bag to ensure the longevity of their collection. Comic book collectors can be quite pedantic.
Digital comic books don't crease, they don't fade, stain or rip.
However computers, iPads and digital equipment can be broken, stolen or destroyed in a fire. I'm almost certain that the digital store will keep a record of the comics you've bought, which means you should be able to retrieve them once you fix/replace your digital device.
You can't do the same with printed comic books. If they're stolen or destroyed, they're gone. You'd have to buy them all again or chase down the thief and steal them back.
Conclusion
The question on whether to go digital or stick with printed comic books comes down to personal preference.
Digital comic books are arguably the way of the future. New readers (those who don't currently buy comic books) will likely jump on board the digital revolution and enjoy the ease with which they can buy the latest comic book offerings. They won't worry about the whole "collecting" side of things. They'll just read the stories and enjoy the artwork like they do any other type of reading material they might buy.
Existing comic book readers will need to consider their own situation on an individual basis. Some might welcome the change and gladly bid farewell to the bag, board and box routine, alleviating their storage worries. Others might decide to stick with what they know and enjoy, and remain faithful to the printed version. Others still might give up and use this relaunch of the DC Universe as an excuse to stop collecting comic books altogether. Some may embrace both worlds and choose to buy both printed and digital varieties.
Me? The pros surrounding the idea of going digital is enticing. But I'm a collector too... I like seeing shelves filled with books... I'm still undecided.
2011 Comic News
Listed below are all the Comic News items archived for 2011.- January 5, 2011: Fan Letters Return to DC Comic Books
- January 5, 2011: Details and Cover Image for Action Comics #900
- January 5, 2011: DC Comics Look at Superman in 2011
- January 6, 2011: Chris Roberson on Writing Superman
- January 7, 2011: Supergirl and Superboy vs Doomsday
- January 11, 2011: Eclipso Rises in Epic JLA Saga
- January 12, 2011: Superman in Des Moines, Iowa
- January 20, 2011: DC Comics Drops Comics Code Authority
- February 1, 2011: DC Joins Forces with Hero Initiative
- February 1, 2011: Reign of Doomsday
- February 2, 2011: Superman Variant Cover for DC Universe Online Legends #1
- February 2, 2011: Joe Shuster Award Nominees Announced for 2011
- February 10, 2011: Superman Skips Omaha in Grounded Comic Story
- February 11, 2011: A Call to Arms! - Dark Knight Over Metropolis
- February 21, 2011: DC Wins Big in 2010 Diamond Gem Awards
- February 24, 2011: Roberson Talks About Grounded Superman Comics
- March 1, 2011: Eddie Berganza Talks Reign of Doomsday
- March 7, 2011: Meet New Action Comics Artist Kenneth Rocafort
- March 10, 2011: Jeff Lemire Talks Superboy vs. Doomsday
- March 11, 2011: Cullen Bunn Talks Superman/Batman
- March 23, 2011: Paul Cornell Talks Action Comics #900
- March 23, 2011: James Robinson Talks Doomsday vs. JLA
- March 24, 2011: No Love for Lois Lane: Girl Reporter
- March 27, 2011: MegaCon Panel - A Spotlight on DC Comics
- March 28, 2011: A Look at Action Comics #900 and Superman After Grounded
- March 30, 2011: Paul Cornell Talks Action Comics
- March 31, 2011: Details on Action Comics #900 Short Stories
- March 31, 2011: Panini Comics Presents Special Superman Comic in Brazil
- April 4, 2011: Retro-Active Superman Comics
- April 7, 2011: Paul Cornell Talks Action Comics
- April 7, 2011: Kelly Sue DeConnick on Writing Supergirl
- April 8, 2011: Utah Comic Stores Prepare for Superman
- April 14, 2011: Tiny Titans Turns the DC Universe Pink
- April 26, 2011: Lost Mastermind Takes on Superman in Action Comics #900
- April 26, 2011: Pete Woods Talks Action Comics #900
- April 28, 2011: Superman Renounces U.S. Citizenship
- May 3, 2011: Happy 73rd Birthday Superman!
- May 4, 2011: Jeff Lemire's Superboy Nominated for Eisner Award
- May 5, 2011: Young Justice Part of Free Comic Book Day Sampler
- May 8, 2011: Superman Rated No. 1 Comic Book Superhero
- May 9, 2011: Paul Cornell Talk About Reign of Doomsdays
- May 12, 2011: DC Announces Superman Beyond One-Shot
- May 12, 2011: Marty Pasko Talks Retro-Active Superman
- May 23, 2011: Bombshell Superman Announcement Coming From DC
- May 25, 2011: Joshua Hale Fialkov Puts the Crime in Superman/Batman
- May 31, 2011: DC Comics to Relaunch DC Universe
- June 2, 2011: DC Comics Announces Printed/Digital Combo Packs
- June 2, 2011: Dan DiDio's Open Letter to Comic Book Fans
- June 6, 2011: George Perez to Write Superman #1?
- June 8, 2011: New-Look Superboy and Teen Titans
- June 9, 2011: New-Look Superman, Supergirl and Superboy
- June 10, 2011: DC Comics Announces Relaunch of Superman Titles
- June 10, 2011: Brett Booth Talks Relaunch of Teen Titans
- June 13, 2011: Grant Morrison Talks Action Comics Relaunch
- June 16, 2011: Missed Opportunity - Supergirl in the 9th Grade
- June 16, 2011: Berganza and Harras Talk New DCU
- June 17, 2011: The Marriage of Lois & Clark - Is it Over?
- June 20, 2011: Kelly Sue DeConnick Talks Supergirl
- June 21, 2011: Christopher Jones Talks Young Justice Comic
- June 22, 2011: New Contents Announced for Superman #712
- June 24, 2011: Can DC Comics Relaunch On Schedule This September?
- June 30, 2011: DC Comics - The New 52 Presentation
- June 30, 2011: Two New Men of Steel, But Only One's a Keeper
- July 1, 2011: DC's FAQ For The New 52
- July 6, 2011: Tom DeFalco Talks Superman Beyond
- July 7, 2011: DC Comics Announces SDCC Schedule
- July 7, 2011: Lobdell and Booth Talk Relaunching Teen Titans
- July 7, 2011: Comic Books - Digital vs Print
- July 11, 2011: Join the Justice League at Comic Con
- July 11, 2011: Brandon T. Snider Talks DC Comics: The Ultimate Character Guide
- July 13, 2011: Grant Morrison's Bruce Springsteen Superman
- July 13, 2011: DC's The New 52 Free Sampler Comic
- July 13, 2011: New Justice League Artwork on SDCC Souvenir Book
- July 14, 2011: Justice League and Teen Titans Comics for October
- July 15, 2011: Exclusive Interview with Joshua Hale Fialkov
- July 18, 2011: DC Comics Introduces the New Superman
- July 18, 2011: Dan DiDio on Making Superman More Accessible
- July 18, 2011: Green & Johnson Talk Supergirl
- July 18, 2011: Hardcover Publication of DC: The New 52
- July 18, 2011: Another Look at New Action Comics #1
- July 19, 2011: DiDio and Lee Discuss Superman, Marriage, Death and More
- July 19, 2011: David Goyer Talks Superman and "Action Comics #900"
- July 19, 2011: Grant Morrison Talks "Action Comics"
- July 21, 2011: SDCC - Grant Morrison Panel
- July 21, 2011: Lois Lane's New Boyfriend Revealed
- July 22, 2011: SDCC - Superman Panel Report
- July 24, 2011: Superman Family Preview Art from Comic Con
- July 25, 2011: Lobdell Talks "Superboy" and "Teen Titans"
- July 25, 2011: Mahmud Asrar on Supergirl's New Costume
- July 28, 2011: Grant Morrison Says We Should Emulate Superman
- July 30, 2011: Superman 101 Digital Comics Sale
- July 30, 2011: New DC Comics House Ads and Preview Art
- August 1, 2011: Jim Lee Talks "Justice League #1"
- August 2, 2011: "Justice League #1" Variant Covers
- August 3, 2011: Grant Morrison Talks Superman and "Action Comics #1"
- August 5, 2011: JMS Talks "Superman: Earth One" and Sequel
- August 9, 2011: "Action Comics #10" Sells for Record Price
- August 11, 2011: Three Comic Book Covers for November Releases
- August 14, 2011: Jim Lee's Rejected "Action Comics #1" Covers
- August 17, 2011: DC Comics The New 52 TV Commercial
- August 23, 2011: DC Pre-Order Sales Rise as Comic Stores Die
- August 23, 2011: Rags Morales Talks Action Comics
- August 23, 2011: Chris Roberson Talks Superman, Sharif, Grounded and More
- August 25, 2011: Interior Artwork from Superboy #2
- August 27, 2011: Don't Be Afraid of the Relaunch
- August 29, 2011: Grant Morrison on Reinventing Superman
- August 31, 2011: Geoff Johns and Jim Lee on ABC News
- August 31, 2011: It's Here! DC Comics - The New 52
- September 3, 2011: Super Sneak Peek Action Comics #1
- September 7, 2011: DC Reveals Variant Cover for Action Comics #2
- September 12, 2011: Justice League #1 is Top-Selling Comic Book of 2011
- September 13, 2011: Chris Conroy Talks Superboy and Teen Titans
- September 19, 2011: Johnson and Green Talk Supergirl #1
- September 20, 2011: DC Comics Panels at New York Comic Con
- September 27, 2011: All 52 First Issues of DC's New Comics Sell Out
- September 29, 2011: Grant Morrison Talks Action Comics
- September 29, 2011: DC Brings Graphic Novels to New Kindle Fire
- September 29, 2011: The Changing Face of Clark Kent in Superman #1
- September 30, 2011: Giffen & Jurgens to Replace George Perez on Superman
- October 3, 2011: Grant Morrison Looks at Action Comics #2
- October 9, 2011: Andy Kubert on Action Comics
- October 11, 2011: Green and Johnson Talk Supergirl
- October 11, 2011: Nicolas Cage Copy of Action Comics #1 at Auction
- October 13, 2011: DC Sells Over 5 Million Comics in 6 Weeks
- October 16, 2011: Superman Panel at New York Comic Con
- October 17, 2011: Dan Jurgens Explains New Superman Direction
- October 26, 2011: The Superman Comic Marvel Wanted to Publish
- October 26, 2011: Jim Lee on Why You Should Read Comic Books
- November 1, 2011: If you're not a comic book reader, why not?
- November 2, 2011: Nicola Scott Provides Art for Superman Comics
- November 2, 2011: Superman Plays Christmas Spirit in Batman: Noel
- November 4, 2011: DC Comics Overtakes Marvel For Top Sales
- November 8, 2011: Steel Debuts in Action Comics #4
- November 11, 2011: Lost & Found Action Comics #1 For Sale
- November 15, 2011: Supergirl is Still Relatable Say Writers
- November 22, 2011: DC Announces Launch of Amazon Storefront
- November 22, 2011: Dan Fraga Unveils Unpublished Superman Story
- November 22, 2011: Alvin Schwartz Dies Aged 95
- November 22, 2011: Best New Costume Design - Poll Position
- November 29, 2011: Superman Comic Set to Smash Expensive Record
- November 30, 2011: Action Comics #1 Smashes Expensive Record
- December 1, 2011: The Changing Face of Superman
- December 2, 2011: The Many Styles and Faces of Lois Lane
- December 6, 2011: Sholly Fisch Talks Action Comics Back-Up Stories
- December 12, 2011: DC Announces Superman Family Adventures Comic Book
- December 20, 2011: Johnson and Green Discuss Supergirl Comics
- December 20, 2011: Greg Weisman Talks Young Justice Comic Books
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