Digital Comics

I've touched on the subject of digital comics before noting how much I enjoyed reading them from my iPad. (comics on the iPad) I still enjoy reading comics this way, but this time I'm sharing my low-budget opinion on print versus digital costs when it comes to comic books.

Those of us who are older may recall that comic books once sold for well under a dollar. 25, 50 or even 75 cents an issue held strong for years. Today comics cost anywhere from 2.99 to 3.99 for a single issue, with most really falling under the 3.99 price tag. This is happening for a variety of reasons: paper and color costs are up, better pay is going to talented writers and artists, and the need to feed the shareholder demand for profits is never ending.

Caught in the crossfire are those of us who actually want to read the comics, and many others who want to own physical copies of these items. But the writing is on the wall for tangible editions which are likely to disappear because digital dissemination of comic books is faster, cheaper, and leading to even greater control for the companies that issue them. One would think that the price for digital content, which has no future value at all, would be reasonable. Right now, "reasonable" only applies what you buy and when you buy it.

Like Apple with its music and Amazon with its books, comics cost more the more recently they've been released. A digital copy of the Avengers, for example, runs the exact same price as the physical copy when issued, 3.99. That's too steep for a product that has no long term value. With time, the pricing does seem to drop to 2.99, 1.99, and in some cases .99. But, there's no guarantee that title prices will drop and it can mean waiting a few years for prices to reach the .99 marker. Each Monday, Marvel comics advertises it's 99 cents sale through Comixology. (See image on the right.) This Monday, there were 50 Spider-Man comics for sale at .99 cents each. But these issues date back to 2008. To my thinking, this pricing model wrongs its customers and is going to harm the companies continuing to use it.

Companies like Marvel and DC, the two biggest comic book publishers, should pass on some of the colossal savings they're getting by selling on a digital platform to their customers. Digital sales means less spent on paper and ink, less on distribution to stores and comic specialty shops, and less on guessing how many copies to print in anticipation of demand. These are significant costs for these companies, and POOF! they're gone when your product becomes digital. Still, these companies insist on receiving the same price as the physical edition. That's a mistake. Yes, I get that there are other elements to think of such as the losses coming from the dark practices of those who pirate, losses that occur in trying to maintain a physical presence when moving to a digital one, and the fact that no one is obliged to buy the content to begin with. But, if these companies want to build a following -critical to their financial survival- they'll stop stepping into the realm of gouging. Even now, those who place advance orders of physical comic books receive steep discounts from on-line sites. These range from 25-40% off the listed cover price. And yet, Marvel and DC won't offer the same with digital content. Well, unless you're willing to wait years for prices to drop. Again, that's a mistake and hurts those on both ends of the transaction. They believe they can afford to gouge now because they're profiting handsomely, but that's short term thinking.

The trend to offer digital content cheaply, but in volume, is what's going to bring most comic publishers to a fairer price point. Digital copies should range from 1.99 to .99, with the majority coming in at .99. What Marvel and DC might soon discover is that people will likely try more comic book titles and end up coming back each month to spend the same amount if they figure each one it less than a buck. Right now anyone new to comics is likely looking at 3.99 for one comic book -something that can be read in 10-20 minutes- and thinking, I'll spend my money on something else.

I do believe that eventually comic companies will get this right. Prices will race to the bottom as more independents enter the fray and offer extremely reasonable prices. One talented duo, Zander Cannon and Kevin Cannon of Double Barrel  just released 122 digital pages of their comic for 1.99 through Top Shelf -a very fair price and a heck of a smart move. I bought a copy, and I am pleased I did.

For now, the digital comic book world is out of whack. It will, I hope, get it's collective act together and bring to readers of all ages its fine products at a reasonable (and still profitable) price.

There are a long list of comic book apps to choose from. Some are quite specific, Marvel and DC have their own, but the one I find most seamless and offers the largest variety is Comixology. 

No Power in CT but Loads of Electric Moments

Maybe I'm ready to retire from reality, because this posting somehow manages to tie together a novel reading experience with the Great Pumpkin Storm of 2011.

Like so many families in Connecticut, I found myself up most of last Saturday night into Sunday morning, held hostage by the periodic sounds of loud cracking followed by thunderous BOOMS as limb after limb crashed around my property. My family and I went 5 days without precious electricity and despite the loss of power, I had a ball. It wasn't all perfect by any means, but it wasn't terrible -not even close. I saw and got to be a part of many small and sizable gestures of kindness. I also got to experience a new form of reading.

But first, a small side-trek into how our family got through the storm and its aftermath.

Somewhere under the greenery and limbs is my home.

There was something very pleasing, to this guy at least, with having to confront the moment at hand and not worry about work schedules, traffic, the kids' soccer games, and other modern obligations. Without power, we had to scramble for heat, lighting, and preservation of food. We packed items in coolers using the snow, relied on a Napoleon stove and our fireplace for heating and cooking, and used a mish-mosh of candles and rechargeable lanterns for lighting. I love challenges like these. We lost very little food and managed to eat some great meals cooked by grill, heating stove, and fireplace during the week. We're still talking about the potatoes baked in the coals of the fire Our family of five, spent nights on the main floor tending to things, staying warm, and mostly getting along. We even told spooky stories on Halloween. 

It took 3 days to clear all the debris about the house and this happened with the help of our kindly, chainsaw-wielding neighbors. (In my dreams, the neighbors usually chase me with these, but this past week they seemed content focusing their attacks on the downed limbs.) My family and I returned the favor to others when we could and most days flew by as each task needing doing got done.

Survival moments aside, there were opportunities to read and see books, because part of most days were spent walking to Barnes and Noble in town. The primary goal was to recharge our electrical items. The second goal soon became one of sharing stories with neighbors and friends, who happened into the store for similar reasons. When those two missions were finished I was freed to explore books. Trapped in a bookstore for a week? That's the stuff of dreams for a reading teacher! While I perused many books, one experience really floored me.

We'd dragged our laptops, iTouches, Kindles, and iPad to the store planning to take advantage of the free Wi-Fi. At one point, when I was tired of roaming and chatting I decided to see what free reading materials I could pull down onto our iPad. I've loved stories told with pictures since I was a child and soon found myself exploring a site that offers loads of free comics. The comics on this site are specifically fitted to an iPad window and look great.

Zeroed in on one part of a full panel.

Now, if all the website/app did was display hi-resolution images of individual comic pages, I'd still enjoy it but would hardly have felt compelled to share the experience. Where things changed for me was when it was suggested by the app that I double-tap an individual frame on the comic book page. 

Doing this proved eye-opening. 

I sat stunned as the rest of the page disappeared and -like a camera zeroing in on one face in a crowd- the single panel of art and words became the focus. Incredible! 

I can sometimes turn to skimming when I read a lot in one sitting. Comic books are especially easy to do this with. I focus on the words but use the images to skip along at points. This new format of delivery the story stopped all that, instantly. I was memorized and spent extra time and attention on the word flow and artwork. I should probably add that it made me feel like a kid again.

a less dynamic full page of art and story

It's difficult to explain, in print, how dramatic an effect this had on reading the story. The best I can offer as comparison is to think of any news/magazine or documentary show on TV you've watched where still photos are shown very close to the screen and a camera pans slowly to different parts of it as narration unfolds. That was how this went on the iPad each time I read, then tapped, a panel. And, the camera movement wasn't always simply from one panel to the next. Sometimes the top of a large panel was the focus then -tap- the bottom of the same panel was panned to. Or, a small section of a character's face would be the lone focus before panning back to reveal the entire face and body. In one instance, the speed at which the panning happened was accelerated to underscore the moment a punch landed. 

So, for this slightly daft Nutmegger- the Great Pumpkin Storm was one I'll look back at fondly.

If you own an iPad, and are even vaguely interested in experiencing this reading approach for yourself, then head over to ComiXology, download the app, and explore some free comics.