Turk
Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Posts: 97
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Post by Turk on Jan 8, 2014 12:47:21 GMT -5
I feel so guilty for reading digital comics. I prefer reading physical comics but I cant throw away or trade my books or sell them. I have a small house and no where to pit my books plus i love having my collection available on my tablet.
So im reading some physical books but the vast majority is digital.
I feel guilty. I like to support local businesses plus My store has been around for ever. I go there and instantly travel back to my childhood.
Do you think about stuff like that?
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Post by Almeida77 on Jan 8, 2014 14:34:01 GMT -5
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.
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Post by joroak on Jan 8, 2014 14:59:15 GMT -5
This is something that I struggle with. I've been going to my comic shop since I was 10. That's 20 years now. I do enjoy reading physical better than digital, but digital has grown on me. The problem is two fold for me. One, my collection has grown and grown to the point where I started selling my single issues on eBay because I was running out of room. I sold my entire Spider-Man run and made a decent amount. I rather trades than single issues collection wise.
Two... My shop really doesn't care that much any more. It's less of a hobby for them now. Some of My pulls don't show up on time and I have to wait weeks. I love them, but that's crazy frustrating.
So I started buying only things that had a digital voucher in print and everything else on comixology. What's nice is that their store has a digital marketplace so I can still support them. In the next year or so I'm going to go all digital. For me it's just the easier way.
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Post by joroak on Jan 8, 2014 15:02:05 GMT -5
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.
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Post by Blencs on Jan 8, 2014 16:11:23 GMT -5
To be honest I've only just got into reading comics consistently due to the digital apps. I also definitely only read things that are not super hero related due to comixology and the ease of purchase. Prime example being Locke and key and the wake. After hearing about them on numerous shows I just thought go on then I'll have a look. A week later id bought and read every issue bar the last L&K. If I'd of had to go to my nearest shop and search them out or order them on amazon I doubt id have been anywhere close or would have even bothered stepping out my comfort zone. I've been reading on my iphone up until Christmas and as my main focus is on story and not the art this has been fine. However, I bought my daughter a 7" tablet and now enjoy the experience of digital comics so much more (obviously a happy accident and not at all planned) because I'm able to really look at the artwork which in my heathens view looks better on a screen than a page. So I wouldn't feel guilty about going digital because it has made the medium that you love more accessible to everyone. Plus if a store is good and friendly it will always have custom as with little record stores as there are always people who prefer owning a physical item than a make believe stream of 1's and 0's. Plus If your like me you've spent a boat load more on digital comics than you might have done on physical because it's so easy to click buy so don't think the industry will be wanting you to feel too guilty. Plus, plus, my mate downloads illegal copies so it's those naughty people who should be the only ones feeling guilty. And again Joroak, your man room is amazeballs!!!
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Post by Almeida77 on Jan 8, 2014 16:16:06 GMT -5
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.
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Post by Blencs on Jan 8, 2014 16:36:58 GMT -5
Wow if that's true I'm gonna do that too. Good call :-)
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Turk
Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Posts: 97
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Post by Turk on Jan 8, 2014 17:02:38 GMT -5
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)
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Post by drocat on Jan 9, 2014 0:52:37 GMT -5
Yes... just the thread I've been waiting for.
I am really struggling with this. I have always only read trades until this year. I started a subscription box at my LCS and now my collection is actually pretty large. I love reading paper, and everything about it (the smell, the feeling, the ads *ahem*) but I just have this feeling that my collection is going to get too big. I'm in college and I move around alot so having to lug around all these books is going to prove difficult.
I've been interested in going digital but for the same reason, I don't. I feel bad for my local shop and don't want them to go out of business. I have a cool connection with everyone there and don't really wanna lose that.
I would go digital but my pull box gets a 20% discount (plus free bags and boards) so it actually ends up being more expensive for something that isn't tangible. I think I'm going to stay with physical for now, but digital keeps pulling me in closer and closer. I kind of want to switch to digital issues and physical trades, but it's more cost effective to stick with physical until I move farther away from my shop.
But boy do they look good on my tablet.
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knownothingnerd
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Post by knownothingnerd on Jan 9, 2014 0:59:12 GMT -5
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.
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Post by tundra on Jan 9, 2014 7:11:48 GMT -5
I like the idea of supporting a local comic shop (I had a great relationship with my local shop in the last two cities I lived in) but I don't have one anymore and the only reason I'm back into reading on a regular basis at all is being able to buy digitally - mostly but not only through Comixology - I do have the Dark Horse app installed too for BPRD related goodness. Had a great time on a recent visit to Nottingham browsing around the amazing Page 45 and would love to have something like that locally, but otherwise digital is my only way to reliably get new comics.
btw, the idea that sales figures from digital formats are very slow to report is mysterious to me - a quick glance at the Comixology site shows that at the very least they're updating a running total online on a day-to-day basis (obviously not publishing the numbers there, but equally obviously they have the figures easily to hand and must presumably be paying the publishers/creators for each license they sell). Is it not just that, unlike distributors and stores, no-one involved in the sale of digital comics has any real incentive to publish the figures in much the same way as prior to the direct market the big publishers kept their circulation figures very close to their chests. Just a thought...
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Post by Huw on Jan 9, 2014 8:21:38 GMT -5
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!
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Post by hermanthegerman on Jan 9, 2014 14:48:06 GMT -5
When the retina iPad was announced back in early 2012 i knew it was the time to switch. I cut all my physical comics and went all digital. With DC and Image being the publishers I most read, that was no problem....but Marvel....uhhh. I started with Marvel Now but I just cannot justify paying 3,99$ on a digital book with 20 pages. So I waited for time to pass, cause Marvel needs 6 to 11(!!!) month until they drop the price? Which is totally RIDICULOUS! One month later is totally cool, but even DC switched to two month which made me angry aswell. But the main problem with marvel is, that there is no shedule of price drop. Some series are at 1,99% from June 2013 other series from january 2013 are still up to a full price. this is sooooo frustrating cause I just dived into Hickmans Avenger and new Avenger. They are so good, but I have all the cheap Comics now and have to pay 3,99$ insted of 1,99$...and then there is Marvel Unlimited...
It is really not that simple to get into Marvel digital cause there is no real concept. And when I see how userfriendly DC and Image are and Marvel just doesn't care.....
So yeah, thats pretty fucking annoying. And on the show the TC dudes are constantly talking about Marvel. What a mess...well i guess I could starr in first world problems - the movie
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knownothingnerd
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Post by knownothingnerd on Jan 9, 2014 17:56:28 GMT -5
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.
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Turk
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Posts: 97
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Post by Turk on Jan 9, 2014 18:02:21 GMT -5
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. Brilliant!!
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