Do you feel guilty?

I've only ever read digital singles, one shots & a few trades on sale and a lot of trades for either older things or really awesome editions of books.
I love that I can get my comics sitting on the sofa and enjoy them asap and access them even on holiday or on the train.

However I HATE that essentially my buying power is nil and void. I would love to be able to influence the marketplace with my wallet and help support newer books, local comics and things that I love. I would welcome a system where the digital comics sales matter as much as the physical comics. What I can't figure out is why it takes so long to get data back from digital sales. Its digital. Its all electricity at the end of the day just one's and zero's.

I spoke to a few creators at the recent Thought Bubble Festival and they were all really pleased to here I had found their content on Comixology. However they all said that I was the first person they had heard from who got it digitally. They said their books had been out for months and were still awaiting any stats back. How can they not be told how well their book is selling?! It's so crazy.

It feels like there is still some fear that the unlimited digital copies of a comic will endanger the brick and mortar stores and in turn hurt the industry. If I'm honest I would love for the shops to stay and focus on trades more, have everybody (*AHEM...DC*) release trades swiftly and bring in punters via other methods. I would get down to my LCS a ton more if there were incentives such as discounts on digital comics for regular customers or exclusive content only available via the shops. One thing I do hate in this regard is how digital comics get extra things. It really should be the other way around to encourage people like me to spend my money at the store.

I'm really glad you started this thread. When I tell my friends why I still go they look all puzzled, they don't understand going somewhere for so long and building a relationship. It's hard. I hope more people comment about what they think. I thought I was the only one struggling with this.

My area doesn't really have any good comic shops, only one chain which sucks as (although the bigger version in the city is pretty wizard) and the other one is so tiny and is pretty barren, they mainly make money via their ebay store. Would love to be able to have a cool LCS near me that I can go to and hang out and chat with people.

One way I've tried to support books is by buying digital direct on Comixology's website rather than the app. Can't remember where I heard it but it was a podcast which said that you if you buy it via the site then you are skipping Google or Apple from taking a cut and that way the creators/publishers get more of the money. I know it doesn't really matter for Hawkeye or Batman but for creator owned and indie/small press and the Comixology Submit stuff I hope that it's giving them a few more pennies per issue to help them out and continue making great content.

You're totally right. I spend way more money on books digitally than I would in the store. I love the convienence of having the books on my tablet.

I also like the fact that I am reading the original X-Men series from way back in the day. I would never have to financial resources and I wouldn't have the energy or time to track down all of those old classics but now on a whim I can just buy it from Comixology and read the whole series without selling a kidney.

I don't feel guilty at all for Marvel or DC it's the local owner that I hope doesn't suffer. I still go in and buy trades but my issues are all coming digitally now.

That is crazy that digital sales numbers come so late. You would think that it would come almost instantly. Maybe DC should upgrade their 56k modem to broadband of some sort.

I wish I could buy my digital books through my local store. When I go in and buy a trade and walk out with no issues (They're not thinking this) I feel like they're looking and me and can smell the digital stink on me. They know I've cheated.

Or if I haven't been in for a while I feel like it's my wife wanting to know why I had to work late but have lipstick on my collar. (I've never cheated on my wife btw)

I get the supporting of local stores, but sometimes it is not possible or a local store might suck.
While I was back home this summer I ended up going to the store weekly, but I was only buying Marvel 3.99 issues so I could get the digital codes. I gave the physical issues to a kid I know from the IGN Assemble Facebook group that had to cut his books to help out his family.

Ok anyways, back to the point. I went to two local shops in the area while back in town. One was pretty well laid out, had markers for books released that week, a huge trade section, toys area, and a section for kids comic. Back in the day the place was kind of a dump run by basement dwellers (I don't mean any offense, but picture the stereotypical comic shop owner). The staff today may still be basement dwellers, but they appeared to be showered, the store was clean, and no smells, a huge difference from the past. The store actually felt welcoming as a "new" person walking in.

The other store I went to was that dingy, smelly mess of a shop where the staff eat Taco Bell on the counter next to the register. It's the kind of place that scares new readers away.

I think digital is a place readers can go to if they have crappy local shop. It also serves as a means to get comics for people that have no shop.

To address why digital comics often have additional content... well you can add extra pages for very little extra cost. That is ink and paper in the physical world that translates to an even smaller profit margin unless prices are raised.

I also think for physical comics you are pulling the numbers from one place, Diamond. With digital comics you have to look at Comixology, iBooks/whatever Apple calls it, and Amazon Kindle comics, and Dark Horses app. Each company probably has a different protocol for when they total it up. It also takes a person to push/click those buttons. Comixology might have to wait on payments to clear from Apple for comics bought straight from the app. It's digital, but companies still love to double-check their numbers and hold to money for as long as they can (it gains interest while in the bank, right?).

Just my thoughts though, I am no expert.

I think that's a problem for most people, dude.

Early last year I had to have a purge where I sold of gave away a load of stuff I knew I wouldn't read again or just didn't want. I was drastically short on room!

Personally, I can't get away from buying physical books. I just love having them all there in a collection in my room. I also have to admit I really enjoy sorting and ordering them.

For me, what matters above all else is that the industry survives and that people are reading comics. Everyone should read them in whatever way is best for them. With current sales year on year being up and hopefully continuing to grow, I think the local comic shop will survive for a long time to come!

Herman, what I have done with a lot of Marvel titles is found someone that buys them physically. We split the cost and they send me the codes. Win-win for both parties.