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Post by bookend57 on Jan 14, 2014 1:29:23 GMT -5
I've always preferred having a physical copy of my books. The only time I use comixology is if they are giving a book away for free or if my local store didn't have what I was looking for in stock. I'm the same way with my music. The negative is, of course, the clutter it causes.
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Post by saucyimp on Jan 14, 2014 10:18:15 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! I used to when I attended NC State but I actually go to Capitol Comics in North Raleigh. One of my friends works at Foundation's Edge though. It's a great store! Maybe a good way to approach is by the artist? There are some artists I would never want to read digitally because of their layout choices. For example, J.H. Williams's work tends to take up entire pages and it's gorgeous. I feel like trying to read that in the guided view or even on a screen smaller than the size of the page would really hinder the effect of the art. Pretty Deadly is another one where I would just prefer to read it in print than online because it's just so beautiful. But part of why I buy comics is because I feel like I'm not only buying a story, I'm also buying really great art. Another reason why I actually prefer to buy physical books is because it's easier for me to loan someone a physical copy than it is to do a digital one. So if a book is good enough that I think I could loan it out to people such as Saga or Hawkeye, then maybe it's worth buying the physical copy. Just a thought? |
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Turk
Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
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Post by Turk on Jan 15, 2014 22:50:26 GMT -5
Saucyimp - i totally get all of your reasons. I'm with you. If I had a lot more room I would probably continue buying physical books. There's just something about holding that book in my hand. So in a perfect world I would have a physical and digital copy of everything in my collection. I love being able to pull out my tablet and read a book whenever I want.
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Post by wjohnson22 on Jan 15, 2014 23:22:16 GMT -5
I used to when I attended NC State but I actually go to Capitol Comics in North Raleigh. One of my friends works at Foundation's Edge though. It's a great store! Maybe a good way to approach is by the artist? There are some artists I would never want to read digitally because of their layout choices. For example, J.H. Williams's work tends to take up entire pages and it's gorgeous. I feel like trying to read that in the guided view or even on a screen smaller than the size of the page would really hinder the effect of the art. Pretty Deadly is another one where I would just prefer to read it in print than online because it's just so beautiful. But part of why I buy comics is because I feel like I'm not only buying a story, I'm also buying really great art. Another reason why I actually prefer to buy physical books is because it's easier for me to loan someone a physical copy than it is to do a digital one. So if a book is good enough that I think I could loan it out to people such as Saga or Hawkeye, then maybe it's worth buying the physical copy. Just a thought? Nice, I hear Capital Comics is awesome, though I haven't made it over there myself yet (I usually go to Chapel Hill Comics, Ultimate Comics, or Atomic Empire). I definitely agree that there are some artists whose work compels me to buy physical copies of books. I had to pick up an issue of Sandman: Overture for J.H. William's art, and I've been picking up physical copies of Jeff Lemire's Trillium series. I love his art, and since he plays a lot with different reading formats, it's a much better reading experience with the actual book compared to a tablet. Plus I still wonder if it makes more of a statement to buy physical copies and subscribe to certain series to increase the preorders. Thoughts? |
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Post by saucyimp on Jan 22, 2014 16:38:48 GMT -5
I used to when I attended NC State but I actually go to Capitol Comics in North Raleigh. One of my friends works at Foundation's Edge though. It's a great store! Maybe a good way to approach is by the artist? There are some artists I would never want to read digitally because of their layout choices. For example, J.H. Williams's work tends to take up entire pages and it's gorgeous. I feel like trying to read that in the guided view or even on a screen smaller than the size of the page would really hinder the effect of the art. Pretty Deadly is another one where I would just prefer to read it in print than online because it's just so beautiful. But part of why I buy comics is because I feel like I'm not only buying a story, I'm also buying really great art. Another reason why I actually prefer to buy physical books is because it's easier for me to loan someone a physical copy than it is to do a digital one. So if a book is good enough that I think I could loan it out to people such as Saga or Hawkeye, then maybe it's worth buying the physical copy. Just a thought? Nice, I hear Capital Comics is awesome, though I haven't made it over there myself yet (I usually go to Chapel Hill Comics, Ultimate Comics, or Atomic Empire). I definitely agree that there are some artists whose work compels me to buy physical copies of books. I had to pick up an issue of Sandman: Overture for J.H. William's art, and I've been picking up physical copies of Jeff Lemire's Trillium series. I love his art, and since he plays a lot with different reading formats, it's a much better reading experience with the actual book compared to a tablet. Plus I still wonder if it makes more of a statement to buy physical copies and subscribe to certain series to increase the preorders. Thoughts? Sadly I don't know much about physical copies vs digital and how that sends a message back to the publisher. I think they talked about that in the latest podcast though. |
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Flasshe
Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Pronounced "Flash" as in Barry Allen. Or Wally West. Or Thompson.
Posts: 58
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Post by Flasshe on Jan 23, 2014 13:53:09 GMT -5
Very interesting thread. I've struggled with the guilt a LOT, esp since one of my oldest friends is an LCS owner. Luckily, he mostly understands. I hope. Here are my reasons for going digital only (mostly Comixology): - Storage. My physical collection totally took over my basement and I had to get rid of it. When I did the purge, it was like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. I can never go back to that point again. If it weren't for digital comics, I wouldn't be reading comics at all these days.
- Convenience. Pretty much no matter where I am, I can pull up whatever I want and start reading.
- Cost. I never buy at full price, I always wait for the price reductions (which is why I don't buy a lot of Marvel except for the 99 cent sales, since their price reductions don't cut in until like a year later).
- The books just look better. The artwork is gorgeous on an iPad Retina screen.
- Accessibility. Much as I hate to admit it, I'm getting older and my eyes don't work like they used to. Even with my glasses, it's sometimes hard to make out the art and the word balloons in print comics. On the tablet, I can easily zoom in and read/admire everything.
- The sales. Comixology has awesome 99 cent sales quite frequently and this has exposed me to things (both old and new) that I otherwise might not have ever read (like Locke & Key, Fatale and Runaways).
Negatives: - I'm not supporting my LCS. They need to make it easier for the local LCS to get a cut of the digital sales. I realize that entails some work on the part of the owners to get digital storefronts going and all, but some just don't have the time, knowledge or resources for that.
- I may actually be spending more money (because of the sales) then I did when I was buying print-only.
- Having to wait for the price reductions and not being able to read something new immediately.
- I'm afraid of what might happen if Comixology goes under or loses a contract with one or more publishers. (Or even if the technology changes and the books become obsolete somehow.) I wish they had some guarantee that the books would always be available to read somehow. I've spent too much money on them to lose them.
- Not having a physical copy to handle. As a collector, I enjoy browsing through a collection. It's not quite the same on a tablet. Although truthfully, this doesn't bother me as much as it seems to bother most collectors. The tablet's a physical object after all...
- The publishers really need to be counting digital sales more quickly/accurately. I'm afraid that series I support digitally (like The Movement) aren't getting counted like they should.
So that's my 99 cents. I feel the positives far outweigh the negatives for me. |
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Post by othersummersbrother on Jan 28, 2014 21:38:51 GMT -5
Don't feel guilty. Print comics are too expensive as it is. Digital is a more efficient means to deliver a product to buyers. That should drive down the price of the good, but we still get charged print cover for digital! That's complete bs! I don't care what so called authorities write about digital being the same price as print, it can not rationally have cost parity. It's these giant corporations putting bottom lines over their loyal customers. The technology should drive down the digital price, period. This is maddeningly frustrating.
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Post by TealProductions on Jan 29, 2014 16:13:57 GMT -5
I split my time. I use my LCS for the books I need for my podcasts and buy digital for anything else I want in a given month. Price is the determining factor as to when I push my digital button full price for a digital file is not acceptable to my wallet.
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Kal
Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
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Post by Kal on Jan 30, 2014 18:28:17 GMT -5
I think if you have a good comic book store in your area it's nice to support them. All our town has is a place called the Book Review. The first 20 aquare feet is comic book stuff and then a huge section of used books that look like something out of hoarders. The guy working in the stor was playing on his computer and looked very annoyed by me. Eventually He sighed and asked "can I help you?" In a very unfriendly tone. Because of this I started to go mostly digital, and if it wasn't for comixology there are many books I wouldn't have discoverd. It was always so annoying the way xmen storlines chopped up story arcs between their multiple titles. Comixology let's you search by story, writer, artist. And HD panel view has this cinematic quality you don't get from print books. Not arguing it's better, I know that's a losing battle. But I don't think anyone should feel guilty.
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Post by optimus on Jan 31, 2014 19:06:43 GMT -5
First thank you so much for starting this thread.
I was suffering from the same level of guilt about not supporting my local comic shop even though in most cases I only have the ability to do digital comics when it comes to dealing with kids.
So this is how I support my local comic shop, do digital, and save space.
1) I have a comic box at my old comic shop that I have had close to 10 years now
2) I get only comics that have free digital copies with it (Singles or Hardcovers) or Trades (less face it the stories are written to be read this way anyway)
3) If a physical comic is worth keeping because of collect ability or stories I want to pass on I keep it.
4) If it was a good read but not noteworthy I get rid of the physical copies
5) Then, and this is the hard one, I try to only keep one run (or story arc) of a specific character. Example: If I have a really good run like Captain America Ed Brubaker run then I am done with collecting cap.
That is is not to say that I don't keep reading more cap, but it means that I don't keep it physically unless the new series is so much better than the old one and then it replaces the old series.
This essentially always keeps my collection the same size but always buying new ones.
This is not the same for event books, which I am sucker for, and always collect the Hardcover editions (that all come with digital copies now)
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Post by optimus on Jan 31, 2014 19:14:22 GMT -5
On a slightly related note.
Does anyone have any idea how marvel decides to make a hardback vs. paperback?
I have been getting some series as singles because of the free digital copies just to find out they come out with a hardback with a free digital copy.
If I had to choose I would rather collect the hard covers physical instead of the singles for space and easy reading.
These are the examples I have seen:
1) Singles issues (3.99) with free digital copies
2) Hardcovers (compiling a bunch of 3.99 issues) with free digital copies
3) Single issues (2.99) with no digital copy
4) Singles issues (3.99) with a digital copy but they are only compiled into a paperback that does not have one
Pedro
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Post by CaptainSuperior on Feb 1, 2014 14:42:33 GMT -5
Personally I utilize digital and physical copies both. I only buy physical copies of the series that I really really want to collect, which primarily contain my three favorite characters Black Panther, Spider-man, and Doctor Strange. Almost everything else I buy digitially to cut down on the space that physical comics take up. I've had to move a few times since I started collecting, and the stress of packing and moving comics when your changing you living situation is an unneccesary stress. I support my LCS also by buying my trades and back issues through them, which really that is where it seems they can make most their money.
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Post by optimus on Feb 2, 2014 1:34:39 GMT -5
Personally I utilize digital and physical copies both. I only buy physical copies of the series that I really really want to collect, which primarily contain my three favorite characters Black Panther, Spider-man, and Doctor Strange. Almost everything else I buy digitially to cut down on the space that physical comics take up. I've had to move a few times since I started collecting, and the stress of packing and moving comics when your changing you living situation is an unneccesary stress. I support my LCS also by buying my trades and back issues through them, which really that is where it seems they can make most their money. I am thinking of eventually doing that with my titles and keeping Hulk, Hawkeye, and Black Widow I do cheat of course and still get omnibus that I can shelve in a normal book shelf |
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Turk
Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Posts: 97
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Post by Turk on Feb 3, 2014 15:50:56 GMT -5
On a slightly related note. Does anyone have any idea how marvel decides to make a hardback vs. paperback? I have been getting some series as singles because of the free digital copies just to find out they come out with a hardback with a free digital copy. If I had to choose I would rather collect the hard covers physical instead of the singles for space and easy reading. These are the examples I have seen: 1) Singles issues (3.99) with free digital copies 2) Hardcovers (compiling a bunch of 3.99 issues) with free digital copies 3) Single issues (2.99) with no digital copy 4) Singles issues (3.99) with a digital copy but they are only compiled into a paperback that does not have one Pedro Wow that takes much more discipline than I have. When I used to go (Reading entirely digital now) to the my LCBS I would tell myself that I'm only getting the books that I collect then I walk out with a couple new books and maybe a Trade plus the books that I went in for. After that I just can't part with them. I am organizing my collection right now and I will start selling them in groups but the one offs that I have aren't worth much and I can't just throw them away. It's not in me. I'm not worried about the money so much or that I'll throw away book and some day find out it's worth a ton of money. My issue is that when I look at a book it's a collection of multiple peoples passion. The folks that created that put their heart and soul into it and that doesn't belong in the trash or in the hands of someone who isn't going to treat it with the same respect that I would. |
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Post by optimus on Feb 3, 2014 18:05:33 GMT -5
On a slightly related note. Does anyone have any idea how marvel decides to make a hardback vs. paperback? I have been getting some series as singles because of the free digital copies just to find out they come out with a hardback with a free digital copy. If I had to choose I would rather collect the hard covers physical instead of the singles for space and easy reading. These are the examples I have seen: 1) Singles issues (3.99) with free digital copies 2) Hardcovers (compiling a bunch of 3.99 issues) with free digital copies 3) Single issues (2.99) with no digital copy 4) Singles issues (3.99) with a digital copy but they are only compiled into a paperback that does not have one Pedro Wow that takes much more discipline than I have. When I used to go (Reading entirely digital now) to the my LCBS I would tell myself that I'm only getting the books that I collect then I walk out with a couple new books and maybe a Trade plus the books that I went in for. After that I just can't part with them. I am organizing my collection right now and I will start selling them in groups but the one offs that I have aren't worth much and I can't just throw them away. It's not in me. I'm not worried about the money so much or that I'll throw away book and some day find out it's worth a ton of money. My issue is that when I look at a book it's a collection of multiple peoples passion. The folks that created that put their heart and soul into it and that doesn't belong in the trash or in the hands of someone who isn't going to treat it with the same respect that I would. I had the same issue getting when it comes to getting rid of issues. When I am getting rid of stuff I start by putting them a short box. Once the short box is full up, and I didn't miss anything that was in the box the whole time, I give away to the comics to other fellow comics readers either at work or at a get together. I tell them that they are all good reads and worth a look, but just didn't make the space cut. After that I think the best of people, that they either kept it themselves or passed it to one of there other friends to enjoy. As far as keeping them for a big payout I have had really bad luck and can't honestly get what makes one comic go up and not another from time to time. Star Wars: Dark Empire 2 is worth more than 1 Hulk 180 (the first appearance of wolverine) is worth less that 181 where they actually fight. Almost everything I kept does not go up in value and everything I get rid of does so I have given up trying. I get comics in the form the story made them in. Some comics do 6 issues story arcs that read better all together in a trade or Hardcover other comics (Hawkeye, black widow, Paul Dini Detective Run) read better as singles. digital first comics I of course get digital instead of waiting for the physcial one to come out. I try to get the ones with free digital copies whenever I can to make it so if I can't read a single (I have kids it gets hard) at least I can use my tablet or phone |
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