I'm the opposite, i use to buy physical since it is what i was use to and it was easier but not being able to find HOX really got me into digital and i am loving it. Especially when the modern comics taken into account the framing of panels and this era of Xmen in particular reads very well in the digital format. The X of Swords book in particular i found to be a more engaging read shifting through the panels. Then i'll do one last past over to to see the pages as are or if i feel like a full page experience i just flip my tablet pc. I don't think i will go back to non digital aside from hardcovers to be honest.
It's easier, more convient, and i got the incentive of getting little titles i use to love like Gold Digger for $.99. One thing is for sure if comics ever go all digital people with original prints will be rich.
Imo for comics to truly go to the next level though they have to find the format where it moves beyond being something someone collects to something someone consumes. The fact that people collect it comes with an understandable feeling of attachment so they need the stories to be consumed. At some point i wouldn't be suprise if single issues are released digitally and then collected stories are what is released in print. Depends on where people want to see the industry going.
Last edited by jwatson; 05-05-2021 at 08:52 AM.
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Well we are gradually getting more used the thought of consuming rather then owning. A digital issue is linked to your account, witch is linked to your platform. Take away one and your access to said issue is gone. Things that aren’t in our control.
It’s a sliding scale. Softcover books are looked on as less valuable to own and collect rather then hardcover. Some see them as purely consumable objects.
Digital is a plus for the companies since their is no secondhand market. Sure you lose the speculation market that drives up orders. Still variant covers can still be a thing. Perhaps they will collectible bonuses that can be printed. Higher res images customized for specific uses.
Mostly though Marvel and the others committed to a business model based on mortar and brick stores. Even if we and them might outgrow these stores they can’t drop them without fear of consequences. These stores needs regular buying costumers. So we are stuck with digital being limited in how much it can grow until both we and the companies are ready to ditch these stores. To let them die.
The music industry faced a similar problem. A problem that ultimately got out of their hand. What they failed was to give us a product that we wanted to own. A format to store our music in that had value to us. Instead it evolved into a product that was to be experienced and the format adapted to our choices off how to experience it.
All books I own digitally are books I’m ok with losing. Like a fancier version of renting them.
Collect is part of all hobbies.
You mention music industry, many people just subscribe to spotify. Some collect their favorite artists as vinyls.
there is nothing wrong with that.
Physical comics can be resold, get autographs. It's a important added value to them
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Bingo. Anymore, the only physical comics I buy are trades for the runs I know I'm going reread or single issues for old/niche runs that will never go digital. Comixology gives me infinite storage space, but I can count on my fingers how many single issue comics I've actually gone back to reread over the last year.
My parents threw out most of the books I had as a kid when they moved house, so I guess I see the possibility of ComiXology going out of business or shutting down as similar to something like that happening, or even myself eventually taking everything down the charity ship to declutter. Nothing last forever, as they say.
I still have mine. Sadly they are so worn out that they hold no real value to me these days. Beyond nostalgia for some issues.
I am a collector. It’s sort of scary when avid readers who used to pride themselves on their bookcases now buy most of their books digitally. I grew up with the idea of a bookcase as well as your music collection being a way to show off your personality. CD was the first major warning sign. A format that was all consuming went to being regarded as crap in a very short time. Then to be replaced by a digital format.
It seems our future holds several hybrid versions of digital and physical competing and complementing each other. I wouldn’t be surprised if digital is the way to go in the long run. Perhaps we will be encouraged to collect our own assorted collections of comics and comic related material to print as we see fit.