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Post by Don Garvey on Jan 9, 2014 21:20:33 GMT -5
I've come to a recent decision to go digital for at least 50% of my books. For context - I don't "collect" comics, I "store" them. I rarely go back to my long-boxes to pull runs and read them, it's too much hassle.
The road to this decision went something like this:
Stage One: No way am I paying the same price for a digital comic as print.
Stage Two: Oh, but these $.99 deal digital comics are good. I'll buy those.
Stage Three: Hey, these Digital Marvel Redemption codes are cool.
Stage Four: Hmm... my non-Marvel comics that don't come with Digital Redemption codes aren't getting read, they're just piling up.
Stage Five: Dropping Daredevil because it doesn't come with a code, skipping Hawkeye for the same reason. I'll pick them up in trades. Dropping all Image titles, I'll get those in Trade, too. Dropping all Dark Horse titles because Dark Horse.
Stage Six: Resentment toward comics that don't come with digital redemption codes gets harsh.
Stage Seven: WHY AM I STORING ALL OF THESE COMICS? I never read the print copy, ever.
Stage Now: I'm only purchasing print books that I share with my kids. Books for just me get paid for digital.
That's where I'm at now, starting Jan 2014. I'm really close with the couple that owns my LCS, in fact I'd say we're friends - but here's the thing, I can't buy things that aren't what I want just because. I love going to the store once a week, but I don't get any discounts for buying print, there's no incentive for me to do so.
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Post by joroak on Jan 10, 2014 0:44:23 GMT -5
I turn around and sell the physical copes and keep the digital one. Get a run of like 20 issues and sell it as bulk (if you're into digital). Works pretty well.
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Post by joroak on Jan 10, 2014 0:46:11 GMT -5
I've come to a recent decision to go digital for at least 50% of my books. For context - I don't "collect" comics, I "store" them. I rarely go back to my long-boxes to pull runs and read them, it's too much hassle. The road to this decision went something like this: Stage One: No way am I paying the same price for a digital comic as print. Stage Two: Oh, but these $.99 deal digital comics are good. I'll buy those. Stage Three: Hey, these Digital Marvel Redemption codes are cool. Stage Four: Hmm... my non-Marvel comics that don't come with Digital Redemption codes aren't getting read, they're just piling up. Stage Five: Dropping Daredevil because it doesn't come with a code, skipping Hawkeye for the same reason. I'll pick them up in trades. Dropping all Image titles, I'll get those in Trade, too. Dropping all Dark Horse titles because Dark Horse. Stage Six: Resentment toward comics that don't come with digital redemption codes gets harsh. Stage Seven: WHY AM I STORING ALL OF THESE COMICS? I never read the print copy, ever. Stage Now: I'm only purchasing print books that I share with my kids. Books for just me get paid for digital. That's where I'm at now, starting Jan 2014. I'm really close with the couple that owns my LCS, in fact I'd say we're friends - but here's the thing, I can't buy things that aren't what I want just because. I love going to the store once a week, but I don't get any discounts for buying print, there's no incentive for me to do so. Wow. This is exactly what happened with me. |
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Post by drocat on Jan 10, 2014 15:54:06 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. Wow I wish I had a friend I could do this with. I've never thought about this idea. Bravo, good sir. EDIT: @don, I have a feeling that this is exactly what's going to end up happening with me. I just started redeeming the digital code in my marvel books and realized how cool it is. Also: Can someone explain to me why the Marvel Comics app is exactly the same set up as Comixology? Do they own both? |
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Post by Don Garvey on Jan 11, 2014 11:14:18 GMT -5
Also: Can someone explain to me why the Marvel Comics app is exactly the same set up as Comixology? Do they own both? ComiXology is a privately owned company that has contracts with Marvel, DC, Image, and a few others to provide the technology and software for their digital books as separate apps. No one has ever mentioned the duration of these agreements or anything, but I suspect it would be very difficult for any of the publishers to change. Dark Horse is one outlier, they have their own (horrendous) app solution that doesn't have anything to do with ComiXology. I don't know if you know this - but even though you have to redeem your Marvel codes from the Marvel website, you can have your ComiXology and Marvel accounts linked so you can read the redeemed Marvel books inside the ComiXology app. |
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Post by drocat on Jan 11, 2014 12:07:52 GMT -5
I actually didn't know this. Thanks for the heads up. I figured the reason they were so similar had to be something along those lines. Especially the "New to comics? Start here!" section.
How do you link the accounts?
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Post by Don Garvey on Jan 11, 2014 12:11:29 GMT -5
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Post by monkeywithamonocle on Jan 11, 2014 13:17:59 GMT -5
This is a toughie for me - I've got Comixology on my Kindle Fire and iPhone and to be honest, I downloaded the Kindle App via a third party website so I could get the US deals, and now have to do all my purchasing on my laptop via the Comixology site, then download to my account - which is an annoyance to say the least.
I've got a few books on my Kindle (I wanted to get into Green Lantern so bought rebirth through the amazon app and started from there). A few days later I met 2000AD Illustrator Lee Carter who gave me a signed print from a Graphic Novel he was involved in called Forty-Five, feeling guilty that I'd not read it I bought the digi version that same night, the last books I bought direct through Amazon was Locke and Key before moving onto Comixology.
I've only really used digi to buy books that I'm really not sure on/are really cheap/that I can't get in print any more at the minute - I love my local store, and my worry with having monthly subscriptions particularly online is that I know I'd end up spending way too much justifying it as "only a couple of quid" and before you know it I'm broke weeks before payday every month.
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Turk
Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Posts: 97 
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Post by Turk on Jan 12, 2014 9:21:33 GMT -5
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Post by wjohnson22 on Jan 12, 2014 19:56:44 GMT -5
I'm fortunate in that there are three great comic shops near where I live (Durham, NC). Even so, I struggle with the ease of buying comics digitally, trying to justify using more storage space for comics to myself and my wife (she's cool with me reading comics, but not into it herself), and wanting to support the independent, small-business comic shops in my area.
My imperfect solution has been to cap my physical subscription at 5 titles (my favorites), and buy everything else digitally. Some obvious challenges include deciding on the 5 titles, and not being tempted to buy more when I pick them up. In addition, I miss being able to share physical copies with friends (the new Comixology feature to allow sharing is nice, but still not quite the same). This solution will probably continue to evolve.
Also I wonder about certain comics I like, such as The Movement, that don't sell many physical copies, and if buying a copy digitally sends the same message as buying a physical copy to help keep the title alive?
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Post by drocat on Jan 12, 2014 21:55:56 GMT -5
Wow. Now THAT was easy. Good lookin' out, man. |
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Post by saucyimp on Jan 13, 2014 13:06:56 GMT -5
I'm fortunate in that there are three great comic shops near where I live (Durham, NC). Even so, I struggle with the ease of buying comics digitally, trying to justify using more storage space for comics to myself and my wife (she's cool with me reading comics, but not into it herself), and wanting to support the independent, small-business comic shops in my area. My imperfect solution has been to cap my physical subscription at 5 titles (my favorites), and buy everything else digitally. Some obvious challenges include deciding on the 5 titles, and not being tempted to buy more when I pick them up. In addition, I miss being able to share physical copies with friends (the new Comixology feature to allow sharing is nice, but still not quite the same). This solution will probably continue to evolve. Also I wonder about certain comics I like, such as The Movement, that don't sell many physical copies, and if buying a copy digitally sends the same message as buying a physical copy to help keep the title alive? Small world - edthehyena and I live in Raleigh, NC! |
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Post by saucyimp on Jan 13, 2014 13:30:53 GMT -5
The shops in the area are great and very courteous, especially the one right near my home. They've ordered stuff that's been out of stock and they give us a discount. I've never walked in there and been treated poorly by any of the staff because I'm a girl. Nobody's ever tried to "babysit" me in the store. If they did try to, I probably wouldn't go there as I don't believe in supporting LCS that make customers uncomfortable. The customer service goes a long way towards keeping me in there. If you live near a store that treats its customers poorly or isn't really doing anything that is an incentive to you giving them your money (such as a discount) there's no reason to feel any guilt for going digital. After all, it's on the business owners to make their store a success, not you. They're competing with the digital stores at this point, whether they like it or not.
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Post by wjohnson22 on Jan 13, 2014 14:21:26 GMT -5
The shops in the area are great and very courteous, especially the one right near my home. They've ordered stuff that's been out of stock and they give us a discount. I've never walked in there and been treated poorly by any of the staff because I'm a girl. Nobody's ever tried to "babysit" me in the store. If they did try to, I probably wouldn't go there as I don't believe in supporting LCS that make customers uncomfortable. The customer service goes a long way towards keeping me in there. If you live near a store that treats its customers poorly or isn't really doing anything that is an incentive to you giving them your money (such as a discount) there's no reason to feel any guilt for going digital. After all, it's on the business owners to make their store a success, not you. They're competing with the digital stores at this point, whether they like it or not. Nice to see some more representation from the Triangle! Do you go to Foundations Edge? I'm glad to hear you've had positive experiences at the local shops. I've invited female friends to come visit local stores and they've had a great time. All this contributes to me feeling bad for buying most of my comics digitally because we're so lucky to have not one, but many quality stores in our area. Maybe I'll have to up my cap from 5, but that's a slippery slope! |
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Post by Don Garvey on Jan 13, 2014 18:21:31 GMT -5
Wow. Now THAT was easy. Good lookin' out, man. Ha! I have a friend who works there, so this kind of stuff comes across my Twitter timeline pretty regularly. |
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