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"I Made the Jump to Digital Comics (and I Couldn't Be Happier)"

I'm a fully committed digital reader now and I'm already loving the benefits.

Roughly two weeks ago I went out and bought an iPad. After a weekend hanging out with a friend who is a part-time digital comics reader, I decided that I was officially going to make the transition to a full-time digital reader for my monthly books (trades and hardcovers will still be purchased physically). It was a drastic move, but after a little bit of contemplation and soul searching, the switch to digital made sense for me.

For starters, like many of you, I assume, I'm very short on storage space in an apartment. Fun story: the last time I moved I actually needed to dedicate an entire trip to transporting just my comic long boxes to my new abode. I decided way back then that I had to find a new home for all my old, dust-collecting comics. I still haven't done that, mind you, but I'm toying with the idea of donating them to a home that would cherish them as I once did.

But that's neither here nor there, the point is: if I wanted to continue my hobby of reading comics, I had to find a way to maximize consumption while minimizing overflow. The answer seemed obvious, really.

Marvel's Infinite Comics initiative shows off the potential of the format.
Marvel's Infinite Comics initiative shows off the potential of the format.

Before I could commit, though, I had to get the approval of my local shop which I've been going to every Wednesday since 2004. I was terrified that I would be stoned and called a traitor, a harbinger of doom to the brick and mortar. I approached my shop's owner, a man I've become good friends with over the years, with trepidation. I told him about my interest in getting an iPad and going digital. He paused. But then he surprised me by saying "Cool" and proceeded to hit all the right bullet points for why one in my situation -- someone who's been a loyal brick-and-mortar customer for his entire comic-reading career -- would switch to digital. He hit on the space issue; the ease of waking up on Wednesday and getting your new books without ever putting on pants; and every other excuse one could throw at a shop owner to help them understand your "abandonment."

Realizing how easy it is to buy things digitally... (click to animate)
Realizing how easy it is to buy things digitally... (click to animate)

He totally got it. See, it takes progressive thinking to get the concept of going digital, especially as a shop owner who lives and dies off customers walking through their door. While some view digital as the doomsday of comics, forward-thinking individuals realize it's going to help broaden the readership of the industry in the long run. Digital caters to a different crowd than physical media. The people buying physical copies of comics are the consumers who have been going to shops for years for the tradition and ritual. Digital buyers are the people who just got out of seeing The Avengers and want somewhere else to go to continue those characters' stories. Two audiences coming from two different sides of the coin, yet fueling the same fire. It's synergy, folks.

It's maintaining that mindset as a store owner that will help your brick-and-mortar shop thrive into the future; more people buying comics is what will keep this industry afloat and keep local shops in business too. Thankfully, the owners of my store get that.

"Digital first" titles like Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight add further incentive.

Sorry, I went on a bit of a rant there, but it served the purpose of getting me to my next point: Comixology and their digital storefront for B&M stores. Did you know that local stores can create a digital storefront through a digital comics app such as Comixology and a portion of the money pulled in will go back to your favorite brick-and-mortar store? It's true. All it takes is your store jumping through the necessary hoops to set it all up and then presto, you can buy comics digitally and still support the local store you've been going to every Wednesday for the last decade (or more).

And that's precisely what I made sure happened; getting my shop to expedite a digital front so I could continue to support them even through my adventures in the vast world of digital comics --they were already hard at work at getting it up and running before I came along, apparently, but I like to think I made the push that mattered. Now I can rest easy knowing I'm saving a boatload of space by having all my single issues stored on a slim iPad instead of in boxes upon boxes in my tiny closet, and I'm still giving money to the only store on this planet where everyone knows my name.

Checking my bank account 48 hours after using Comixology... (click to animate)
Checking my bank account 48 hours after using Comixology... (click to animate)

Thus far, the realm of digital has been great to me; having instant access to every new book when it releases without the need to drive anywhere is amazing. The money I save on gas alone makes the switch to digital worthwhile, and almost balances out the front-end cost of buying an iPad to begin with.

With that said, however, digital can also be viewed as a curse in my case. Since I consider myself a consumer whore, I find that I spend a lot more money, taking risks on series I might not have tried otherwise just because I can click one button and watch the download happen. I might wind up going broke a lot faster with digital. But hey! At least I'm helping the industry, right?

Look, the point of this column was not to convince you to switch to digital. How you purchase comics is completely up to you. But no matter which avenue of consumerism you decide to travel down, it's all helping the same beast grow and prosper. The argument of digital versus physical is antiquated. Comics are comics, whether they're printed on paper or sent to you via the glorious intertubes. To put it even better: someone who reads digital is no less a comics reader than someone buying physical copies. For me, digital is my new weapon of choice, and I couldn't be happier. My bank account, however, tells an entirely different story.

Erik Norris is a freelance writer for sites such as ComicVine, IGN and CraveOnline.com. You can stalk him on Twitter @Regular_Erik.

138 Comments

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CrashLanden

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Edited By CrashLanden

Agreed with 'Grim' (and most of the other anti-digital posts) on just about everything he said. Besides not really owning the material you purchase, tangibly or otherwise, this hurts local comic shops.

And having to pay the same price for a digital figment as opposed to getting something you can hold in your hands, is insane.

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Gracetrack

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Edited By Gracetrack

@Grim: Haha, I agree with you on all points... especially the ones about ownership and monetary value. Having the hard copy means you actually own it, which still cannot be said for digital in a lot of cases, and it can be passed down to your children's children. Plus a physical copy can be a substantial investment.

Beyond that, I do agree that going digital is faaaaaaaaaaar more practical... in terms of storage, convenience, and budget (so long one has the self-discipline).

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the_stegman

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Edited By the_stegman  Moderator

Honestly, the old ways are bettah, nothin' beats holding a physical copy of a comic in my hands, although if I need to catch up on a series, I'll buy digital since back issues are VASTLY cheaper that way than going to a store (It's how I got all caught up with Animal Man ^_^ )

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_Zombie_

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Edited By _Zombie_

@ZZoMBiE13 said:

My issue with digital is still the price. The print media justifies a comic costing $4 because it's printed on high quality paper and it's a collectible item that, in theory, could one day be valuable.

So why is it still $4 on Comixology? One could say that the digital storefronts don't want to offend brick and mortar outlets by undercutting them, but we all know that's bunk. It's because "let's charge all we can while we can". And that's not necessarily bad, just Capitalism at work I suppose.

For me, I'm no longer a collector. But I am a reader. I wish there was an outlet that catered more to my needs in it's pricing. I don't care about building a collection anymore, I only want to read the stories and enjoy the art. It's nice to have the digital copy come with the physical book, but I'd rather have the digital book cost a buck less or offer a subscription plan that just gave me access to the library to peruse at my pleasure. Digital items are never yours, you only own a license to view the stuff so I still, and always will, have issues with paying the same digitally as I do for a physical copy.

Sums up most of my problems with digital. I'm not paying full price for a digital copy when it doesn't have the excuse of requiring materials to produce copies.

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ZZoMBiE13

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Edited By ZZoMBiE13

My issue with digital is still the price. The print media justifies a comic costing $4 because it's printed on high quality paper and it's a collectible item that, in theory, could one day be valuable.

So why is it still $4 on Comixology? One could say that the digital storefronts don't want to offend brick and mortar outlets by undercutting them, but we all know that's bunk. It's because "let's charge all we can while we can". And that's not necessarily bad, just Capitalism at work I suppose.

For me, I'm no longer a collector. But I am a reader. I wish there was an outlet that catered more to my needs in it's pricing. I don't care about building a collection anymore, I only want to read the stories and enjoy the art. It's nice to have the digital copy come with the physical book, but I'd rather have the digital book cost a buck less or offer a subscription plan that just gave me access to the library to peruse at my pleasure. Digital items are never yours, you only own a license to view the stuff so I still, and always will, have issues with paying the same digitally as I do for a physical copy.

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sesquipedalophobe

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@warpgirl said:
I'm not just a Trekkie, I'm a tech geek all the way so I jumped at going digital as soon as it was a possibility and I never looked back.
Qapla!
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butters911

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Edited By butters911

i love my Ipad, but I also really enjoy the feel of an actual book or comic in my hands. Call me old fashioned

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Werupenstein

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Edited By Werupenstein

I stopped buying comics completely in 2001 due to storage and convenience, a few years ago I started fooling with Amazon and digital, now I'm right back in. I love digital.

I agree with everyone else, new books are too expensive on digital, but I do like that they are able to play with prices on older books and have amazing deep discount sales like steam does.

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warpgirl

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Edited By warpgirl

I'm not just a Trekkie, I'm a tech geek all the way so I jumped at going digital as soon as it was a possibility and I never looked back.

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doomsilver

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Edited By doomsilver

I've got some digital and most all just regular comics. I just like knowing that I bought the comic and it's mine to do as I see fit.

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RedOwl_1

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Edited By RedOwl_1

I'm doomed to read digital comics, because where I live there's no DC Comics :( Till I have bought some physical (Ultimate Spiderman)

@Maki_P: Wow same here, I'm happy to know english or it could be worst (like waiting 2 week to get it translated)

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sesquipedalophobe

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@Grim said:

@erik_norris said:

@Grim: If your tablet gets stolen/lost -- while that would suck -- it won't effect your digi purchases through comixology. They are saved to your account in the cloud, much like iTunes or Steam. So once you got a new tablet, you simply log into comixology and redownload them. No sweat.

As for a company like Comixology going out of business, it's something we can't predict. Sure, there's always a bigger fish in the sea, and that might eventually be true for Comixology. But in the here and now, they are the frontrunner with digi, including exclusive partnerships with DC and Marvel. It's going to take something crazy to "dethrone" them. But if that day comes, hopefully there's a plan for honoring customers purchases elsewhere. But technology in general is always like this; there's always the fear that if you buy into something early, there's a chance, however slight, that something bigger and better will come along eventually. It's the world we live in now.

As far as the tablet is concerned, i know allot of people like me who would not immediately be able to afford a new one, which is what i mean by being out of luck. Either i wouldnt be reading till i saved up and bought a new one, or my digital collection would have an awkward 30 book gap that was instead in print, which i would then have to store even though i normally dont...

and i hope comixology wont go out of biz, and it seems absurd. But so did Borders going out once upon a time. And Blockbuster. Its just always a posibility with business that im always weary of. I understand Digital comics, but the truth is as long as economies can go bad and companies can go under and our purchases are not universal (which they freaking should be. buy the digital and for like 10 cents more the i comic is in the mail or waiting for you at a store), Digital will not be the future. Just like video games before, there will always be a section of customers who would rather have their physical copy to do with as they wish, and not a digital License that they are technically just borrowing.

I think it's rather funny you mention these middlemen, especially Blockbuster. It's a competitive world. The comic, movie and game industries warred against each other for ages till the digital age. Now that it's convenient to download, the otherwise inconvenient rules (rewinding DVDs, late fees and so on) are being thrown out to pander to people who simply wish to spend money easier and faster. Never mind the fact the people who create the games don't get any profit from used video games. I'll give you an example: my store manager was hosting the morning meeting, talking about sales, stocks and anniversaries. He mentioned how we're trending on a three hundred dollar quarter bonus, buying from our own store to maximize profit and otherwise eschew even other stores in the company. He turned his attention to me. 

Him: [My name], do you shop here? 
Me: No. 
Him: But we're giving you an extra ten percent off groceries this holiday season. 
Me: So you're basically telling me you're saving me a bundle by switching me to Wal-Mart. 
Him: (Nervous laughter.) Yes. 
Me: It doesn't matter. I buy everything online. 
Him: Even food? 
Me: This is boring.

 
Why would I bother buying from a store whose prices can be beaten by amazon and doesn't provide the same quality as UPS throwing my new iPad against my door? Maybe that's how I like it. I buy direct; I didn't have Albertson's (R.I.P.) begging for a handout or giving me a guilt trip on how they spent hours preparing meat so I could bamboozled (nearly eight dollars a pound of layoff meat). Business is business, and appealing to the Mom & Popless, Instagramming, DLC junkies who haven't a clear understanding how business works is just an exercise in futility. I had a point once.
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Shamelesslysupportinaznballers

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@Grim said:

I like the idea of knowing that once i have something, its mine. For digital books, you're still relying on other things. That you have your device (lost or stolen? Out of Luck.), that the company providing stays afloat (what happens when my made up company DigiComics plus shows up next year and is an all around better experience? When they destroy Comixology, will they buy them out and honor your digital purchase? or do you just loose you comic?), and legal issues (some digital purchases are technically still the owners, and you just have the rights to use their stuff. there are a handful of ways that that could be legally taken away. Did you read ALL the fine print in the Terms and Services?).

I also like knowing that with some care, my comics will survive to my kids and so on. Betamax and HD DVDs are two examples of a "new, better way" that didnt survive. if the next big thing is something that kills tablet use, in 10 years you'll be hard pressed to find a device to read on. Also, if there was a fire/theft , my hundreds of comics would each be something i can claim to insurance. Vs One ipad. Sure, if you get a new ipad you'll be back, but what if you dont? And the biggest reason is value. There will always be nostagic millionaires. When im broke or dead later down the line, and my comics are sold for monetary value, they will each be worth something. You cant sell your digital comics, and your ipad wont be worth that much...

You raised a valid point about what if Comixology goes bankrupt or something but the Marvel Comics app is from comixology so one would think it would be pretty safe as long as Marvel & comics in general is around.

As far as claiming insurance in case of a fire/theft, I would love to know what insurance you have that will allow you to claim hundreds of comics as oppose to 1 ipad. But let's say you get money back for your comics, what are you going to do, comb through hundreds of conventions, ebay, etc just so you can find your collection back as oppose to just redownloading them on the web? Chances are the money you will use to reclaim your collection will be used to purchase them digitally if you want it all intact.

Also when people say they can sell their comics back for money. Yea, you can sell it back for maybe 1/5 of what it's worth. Not every comic is the original Action Comic#1. Stuff that was hot 20 years ago goes for like $0.50 now. You compare the actual cost of storage vs the real cost of what most people can sell their multiple boxes of collections and it's not really something I would say is an plus for having hard copies of comics.

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GamerGeek360

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Edited By GamerGeek360

I buy only a few digital comics. Mainly the digital-first stuff like Ame-Comi and Arkham City: End Game. Overall, though, I prefer physical. Nice commentary though!

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SevanGrim

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Edited By SevanGrim

@erik_norris said:

@Grim: If your tablet gets stolen/lost -- while that would suck -- it won't effect your digi purchases through comixology. They are saved to your account in the cloud, much like iTunes or Steam. So once you got a new tablet, you simply log into comixology and redownload them. No sweat.

As for a company like Comixology going out of business, it's something we can't predict. Sure, there's always a bigger fish in the sea, and that might eventually be true for Comixology. But in the here and now, they are the frontrunner with digi, including exclusive partnerships with DC and Marvel. It's going to take something crazy to "dethrone" them. But if that day comes, hopefully there's a plan for honoring customers purchases elsewhere. But technology in general is always like this; there's always the fear that if you buy into something early, there's a chance, however slight, that something bigger and better will come along eventually. It's the world we live in now.

As far as the tablet is concerned, i know allot of people like me who would not immediately be able to afford a new one, which is what i mean by being out of luck. Either i wouldnt be reading till i saved up and bought a new one, or my digital collection would have an awkward 30 book gap that was instead in print, which i would then have to store even though i normally dont...

and i hope comixology wont go out of biz, and it seems absurd. But so did Borders going out once upon a time. And Blockbuster. Its just always a posibility with business that im always weary of. I understand Digital comics, but the truth is as long as economies can go bad and companies can go under and our purchases are not universal (which they freaking should be. buy the digital and for like 10 cents more the i comic is in the mail or waiting for you at a store), Digital will not be the future. Just like video games before, there will always be a section of customers who would rather have their physical copy to do with as they wish, and not a digital License that they are technically just borrowing.

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B_Heart

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Edited By B_Heart

One of us! One of us! Love digital, so much easier and I've spent more money in the digital format than going to a city 45 minutes away to get comics on Wednesday

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blackkitty

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Edited By blackkitty

Sorry, will never go digital. For one, digital comics will drive hard working businesses like your local comic book store out of business, and second, I like the feel of a comic in my hand, the ability to turn the pages and go back to read the comics. Also, while it happens very seldomly and is no reason to collect, it's always nice when a comic does go up in value.

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sesquipedalophobe

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Digital is simple and I don't particularly care for reselling comics. I learned to budget rather well. Carrying a tablet everywhere kind of makes me look like a complete yuppie, but that's all right by me. If I ever suddenly felt embarrassed by what I was reading in front of a really attractive woman, I could just as easily bring up a photo of random numbers and graphs, muttering how my company's worth has been reduced to penny stocks. Sympathy date, et cetera.

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2chimcha3

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Edited By 2chimcha3

I only have one problem with digital comics; you can't cherish it like a print one.

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ReVamp

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Edited By ReVamp

You get cool points for Glover.

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Edited By cellot

I imagine that the graphics are a heck of a lot better when you use a digital.

There are only so many colors you can print, whereas with the digital you get a larger range. In addition, you know the artists are using photoshop, so it's one less step between what they do and what you see.

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erik_norris

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Edited By erik_norris

@pikahyper said:

The article image on the front page with the red background is garish >.<

haha yea... blame this guy for that. I was trying to make something work and settled on that monstrosity.

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pikahyper

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Edited By pikahyper  Moderator

The article image on the front page with the red background is garish >.<

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Jonny_Anonymous

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Edited By Jonny_Anonymous

I get all my books via Comixology except graphic novels and 2000AD, if I didnt Id have to trafe wait everyting and get iy off Amazon

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firecracker22

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Edited By firecracker22

I think the "taking chances" part is probably one of the best things that digital can do for the industry. It is crazy how looking at a cover and holding the book might detract you from committing to something that was priced the same as something your currently reading that's got you feeling "meh".

I'm hopeful about what that can mean for the industry.

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Webjaker

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Edited By Webjaker

I am mainly a digital person now. One reason is space, not so much where to put comics in my apt, but being able to carry 100's of comics with me on a trip, or a bus or ferry ride. Hell i read most of my day sitting at my desk at work.

The other is a ridiculous reason. I am fairly OCD and I would want all my comics fresh from the press into some sort of case and never touched by human hands if I was a "Collector" ... the second I touch a book i get grease on it, open a page - wrinkles and creases - my digital books will always be in mint condition.

I however think that digital should be MUCH cheaper. After the initial cost of creation and scanning - there are zero printing, shipping or delivery costs, AND you cannot resell a digital comic so why am I paying $2-3? How about $1.50 - $1 to the company and $0.50 to local comic shop - win/win.

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DEGRAAF

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Edited By DEGRAAF

I started reading digitally a couple months back. Still haven't gotten a tablet but i figured why not just start now that way when i do get a tablet i will already have a small library of comic i can go back a read again

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Spidey_Guy1

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Edited By Spidey_Guy1

Money is tight in this economy. And being a family man, I don't always have time to enjoy a good read at home. So when I'm having lunch at the office, I take the time to read my hard copies and/or digital copies. I'll always buy hard copies of the comic books that I truly love (Spidey, Uncanny X-Men, Batman and Avengers). The only downside of going digital is that you can't make a profit if you wanted to sell your digital copies. Who would buy them??? Especially when copies can be easily made and passed around like flyers.

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AskaniSon295

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Edited By AskaniSon295

I was at Chapters (It's a Canadian Bookstore) the other day and they had these widescreen touch screen kiosk terminals to search for books and I way thinking this would be great to read comicbooks on if was portable, My main problem still is double-page spreads I hate having to turn a device to than only to see a smaller picture of the comicbook digital is totally the way of future and suport it a 100% I just want to see a device that I can read a comicbook from any time with the relatively same experience. Now I know why so many people hate digital because it will pretty much put every comicbook store out of business and the owners and employees of such stores and there friends which is large fanbase of comicbook consumers will have to find new forms of business which for many is difficult. But it is gonna happen regardless due to the fact that children today are more fluent in computer devices than us. I come children would watch a cartoon than read a comicbook. The days of paper comics are not past oviously but It is my belief that Marvel and DC profit margins on comics are narrow thin and it it do to their parent companies Disney & WB and the movie franchises that paper comics are still be produced. Eventually we will have to create art sculptures to replace the book shelves are comics once sat. I see this is a good thing some comicbook collectors are hoarders. In the past Stories of Thor were told orally in the future we may play as Thor in a Holographic Imaging Chamber.

Fighting the Future is Futile.

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TwistedGamer

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Edited By TwistedGamer

I have over 30 running books on my IPad! Yes 30! Sometimes I catch myself being a bit Buy Button happy, but I've fully embraced digital comics. Not that I still don't buy physical comics, I do, in fact I have about 7-8 books I get from tfaw.com...but guess what? I use the digital code every time I get them, why? Because they look so damn pretty on my iPad 3, and I can read at work without have to bring a bunch of easily damaged comics to the work place. This doesnt count the all the hardcovers I buy....I love me some hardcovers.

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Maki_P

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Edited By Maki_P

Funny thing, I'm a Latin American, so I obviously I pirate most of my comics. So I'm kinda backwards, I've been collecting digital comics for years, and only now that someone got to sell comics around here I'm switching to the good ol' dead tree

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erik_norris

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Edited By erik_norris

@NeoAndroid said:

I normally only by collected editions, but would you recommend getting digital on Phone or is it not worth it unless its a tablet?

I wouldn't, honestly. You're basically restricted to use the "guided view" which shows one panel at a time in order to make out the dialogue and narrations. It's doable, but definitely not preferable.

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MadRooster81

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Edited By MadRooster81

i went the digital route myself and loved it. I still buy my hard covers at my comic shop, but I don't like to wait and my shop is an hour away. So I was able to cut my weekly trip to monthly. Great article.

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jcj145

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Edited By jcj145

@Grim: You sir took the words right out of my mouth

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NeoAndroid

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Edited By NeoAndroid

I normally only by collected editions, but would you recommend getting digital on Phone or is it not worth it unless its a tablet?

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sithfrog

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Edited By sithfrog

At the end of the day, those who want to go strictly digital will do so, those who prefer "hardcopies" will do so, and those who want to mix and match will do so.

You make many great points for going digital, that have been backed up by many others.

Currently, I am strictly reading floppies and the occasional trade. And I love it! On the same token, I won't tell anyone else that they are wrong for going digital, especially now that I know that B&M stores can still make profit from digital sales (good info to know). I like being able to hold the book in my hand, enjoy the ritual of visiting my local store, and like flipping through my back issues (even just looking at the covers and remember the first time I read an issues, etc.)

That being said, I do like that I can purge my collection and get something back for the money I put in. However, especially with 's praise for comics on nook, I may look at getting some of the back issues that are hard to find or pricey.

That debate may rage on, but I agree, more comic readers (no matter the media format) is good for the industry and that should be good for the readers.

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KennyQuick

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Edited By KennyQuick

Digital is amazing. It took me quite awhile to talk myself into spending the cash on an iPad. But after a 15 year hiatus from comics, it was a good move to pull me back in. I still buy physical copies for ones I collect like Spider-man and Batman. Plus with Marvel adding digital codes to all 3.99 books is a really nice move. Helps me add to my physical collection as well as makes me more comfortable spending 3.99 on a book. DC is doing it smart though by making books go down to 1.99 after a month. I know its a scary step to take but once you do it, you will wish you did it sooner.

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Miss_Garrick

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Edited By Miss_Garrick

Not to diss digital, I'm a die-hard wait-until-it's-released-as-a-TPB-and-then-buy-it. There's nothing like physically holding the book, taking in the pages at your eye level and not checking the zoom or anything, reading it at your leisure, and not having to make sure it's charged up all the time.

That being said, I could see myself getting an Ipad for travel conveniences. I'm flexible here.

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Tyrisis

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Edited By Tyrisis

I went to digital comics at the beginning of Flashpoint. I will most likely never buy a paper comic again. I've bought over 300 comics on Comixology over the lat year. I love the product! It is an absolute must for the modern comic reader. I had stopped reading comics to the most part because it was too time consuming to track down all the issues I wanted, or too hard to find back issues.

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Begilerath

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Edited By Begilerath

@ThomasElliot: I believe Marvel offers a service like the one you mention called Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited, you pay something like 60 dollars a year for unlimited access to a selection of comics

In my experience I also bought an Ipad 2 recently so I could read comics on it but I come from a different background that most of you. I'm from another country and is not so easy to find comics to read, also they come several weeks if not months after their original date of release. I rarely read comics before, but in the last month I have spend more money on digital comics than I did on physical copies in my entire life.

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ccrosby

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Edited By ccrosby

I'm a double dipper- I still buy my weekly comics at the shop (though I only get up there once a month and the number of titles I pick up has diminish with the raising prices), but I also buy almost every book Comixology puts on sale - building up quite a large digital library.

Eventually I want to go digital only save for the three titles I've been collecting for the past 24 years (Spider-man, Green Lantern, and X-Men), purely for the space issue. However, as it stands I still can't bring myself to dive in a make the switch just yet. In the meantime, my digital comic library on my iPad is the best traveling companion I could have ever asked for. I carry 900 books with me pretty much everywhere I go, and if you ask me as a comic reader you can't ask for anything more

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fodigg

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Edited By fodigg

@ThomasElliot: That's the same size as the screen on my Kindle Fire. It works well and I don't think the ipad is worth the added cost.

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ThomasElliot

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Edited By ThomasElliot

@erik_norris:

I use a rooted Nook Color (7 inch screen), which I bought refurbished specifically for reading comics. I also tried reading comics on a cellphone with a 4inch screen. I really have no need for a tablet outside of reading comics, so I did not want to spend $300 - $600 for one.

Reading on a phone is worthless... the time it takes to load the images, the zooming in to read the text, zooming out to see the art... just totally pointless... the time it takes to read a physical comic, it would take someone 3 times longer to read on a small device.

Now, on the Nook... wonderful. 7 inches is, from my experience, the SMALLEST anyone can go ('thats what she said'-- sorry, had to do it). It is big enough were you can see the whole page and still read most of the font, though quite often I do need to zoom at times and even rotate. But overall, its a painless experience.

One day, when I do upgrade to a more robust and better tablet, I will be looking for 9 to 10 inches, so I can read pages closer to the actual size of the physical comic. While I haven't seen it, I'm also willing to bet that art looks a little better on Apple's retina display, or a high-resolution Android tab... but the art still looks terrific and crisp on my Nook Color as well.

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fodigg

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Edited By fodigg

@GrandHarrier said:

I just can't accept paying more for less. I get a 25% discount at my store so it's usually $2.25 per comic and I can resell them if I feel like it. Digital? Not so much.

This is, I admit, a problem that digital storefronts need to resolve. I think a discounted price for digital--off-set by free digital copies when purchasing floppies--would be a good solution. The digital-only customers get a discount and the floppy-only customers get added-value, including the ability to resell the floppies while retaining the digital copy.

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fodigg

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Edited By fodigg

Lovely to read, as a fellow digital reader. And as a former shop manager, this cannot be pointed out enough:

Comixology and their digital storefront for B&M stores. Did you know that local stores can create a digital storefront through a digital comics app such as Comixology and a portion of the money pulled in will go back to your favorite brick-and-mortar store? It's true. All it takes is your store jumping through the necessary hoops to set it all up and then presto, you can buy comics digitally and still support the local store you've been going to every Wednesday for the last decade (or more).

Digital will help the industry.

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erik_norris

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Edited By erik_norris

@Grim: If your tablet gets stolen/lost -- while that would suck -- it won't effect your digi purchases through comixology. They are saved to your account in the cloud, much like iTunes or Steam. So once you got a new tablet, you simply log into comixology and redownload them. No sweat.

As for a company like Comixology going out of business, it's something we can't predict. Sure, there's always a bigger fish in the sea, and that might eventually be true for Comixology. But in the here and now, they are the frontrunner with digi, including exclusive partnerships with DC and Marvel. It's going to take something crazy to "dethrone" them. But if that day comes, hopefully there's a plan for honoring customers purchases elsewhere. But technology in general is always like this; there's always the fear that if you buy into something early, there's a chance, however slight, that something bigger and better will come along eventually. It's the world we live in now.

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ThomasElliot

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Edited By ThomasElliot

I just want to read stories, not necessarily own and collect them, so I really wish the industry would come up with some form of monthly subscription model. You know, like... pay $10 a month to read 10 titles a month. Something to that effect... a netflix model of sorts. They could have tiered plans, and then sell digital back issues individually for add' revenue.

I'm sorry... I'm not un-sympathetic to the small business owner... there is a particular shop I visit often and the people there are wonderful and I will ALWAYS direct people to that store (Acme Comics in Longwood, FL, for all you Central Floridians out there)... but at the same time, why is this a driving decision in buying habits? In this situation, the business isn't lost due to theft or disaster or incompetence or of any malicious intents... its simply the times are changing. Funny, I don't see anyone weeping for Borders Books or Blockbuster Video. Is it because they are corporate entities? Because its faceless, there's no emotion attached? Business is business, no matter how close your are to the staff and owners. This is how progress works. Yes, I feel bad that I don't go to Acme regularly and spend less and less there... but I'm not about to force myself to go there when I don't need to anymore. I just don't see it as a valid argument for not getting into digital comics. If that concern IS a valid argument, then please relinquish your MP3 players and any streaming video subscriptions as well.

And for the record: I still do both. I buy the physical books of the comics I truly enjoy and want to collect, everything else is digital.

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Edited By DarkShaper

I got into comics less than a year ago and I have been digital from day one, it has been so easy to to catch up on series or brows for new ones. The other benefit is that I don't even know of any nearby comic shops.

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erik_norris

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Edited By erik_norris

@Adnan: I've tried reading comics on a computer/laptop screen and HATED it. It's just a cumbersome experience. But a tablet is a whole different story.

Unfortunately, I can't speak to the quality of any tablet outside the iPad, which I love for reading digital comics. It's a pricey commitment, no doubt, but if you commit fully to digital, then the convenience of your comics in one stop and the storage space you save could help justify the price.

If someone on here has another tablet, be it a Kindle Fire or something else, let's hear what their experience reading digital is like.