Digital Comics : The answer for bringing in new readers?
By keith71_98 0 Comments
There's a popular idea out there that digital comics are the answer for bringing in new readers to this industry we love. While we all agree that new readers only help the industry, I'm not sold on the notion that digital comics will do it. The argument centers around convenience. The thought is that easier and faster availability will attract the fast-food crowd. But I don't see the reasoning behind that optimistic position. Sure, we can be certain that some new readers will come along but will the number be enough to overcome the potential repercussions?
Smaller market comic shops aren't making loads of cash running their stores. Many have started selling other things to help bring in more money. If digital comics take off as some hope they do, these smaller shops could be casualties. Sure the bigger city stores will be fine, but many people who prefer print rely on these small shops as their only avenue for getting their books. Most of the people we're hearing from who are going to buy digital are already readers. This is money not going into the local comic shops. If current readers pull their money out of shops and digital doesn't bring in the desired number of new readers, some stores in smaller markets could close their doors. This would severely limit some people's access to print books. So in a sense we could be taking away from one group of readers just to give to another.
Ideally, the digital movement would take off and give those searching for convenience the quick fix they want while bringing loads of new readers in who eventually would frequent comic shops. Realistically, that may not be how everything works out. My hope is that there's a way that the digital crowd and the print crowd can get their books the way they want them. But I'm still not sold that digital will bring in the new readers that publishers hope for. I still believe doing things like not ignoring a younger audience and trying harder to get comics in different stores is the answer for newer readership. Time will tell how this works out but if digital does shut down my access to print books, it'll be a sad day, but I'll call it quits after 30 years of reading. Digital just doesn't interest me. I don't see it going that far, but we do need be aware of how things could turn out.
Just my thoughts (for what little they're worth).
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