Dan Slott: Don't Download My Comics!

[PhotoJones]

dan slott posted this over on a torrent site:

http://www.comicscrew.com/dan-slott-on-downloading-comics/

i, myself, refrain from downloading comics. i have too much love for the industry to cheat it out of it's money.

keep up the good work, dan.

 

[Red]

I don't download comics, but if I did I'd stop right this second..

 

[Red]

I don't download comics, but if I did I'd stop right this second..

 

[Darthphere]

This has been somewhat controversial, due to the fact that Dan does download and upload torrents himself and thats created a wildstorm on the interwebs. That being said, downloading comics is not cool, if you don't intend on buying the product later. I can't blame someone for downloading Miracleman for obvious reasons, but I can blame them for downloading She-Hulk which is widely available.

 

[SuperFerret]

I wasn't aware that you could download comics.

 

[CConn]

This has been somewhat controversial, due to the fact that Dan does download and upload torrents himself and thats created a wildstorm on the interwebs. That being said, downloading comics is not cool, if you don't intend on buying the product later. I can't blame someone for downloading Miracleman for obvious reasons, but I can blame them for downloading She-Hulk which is widely available.

Personally, I like the "like it, buy it" policy. I might download a particular comic to try it out, and if I like it, I'm there. I'm buying in singles or trades or whatever. If I happened to download an issue or two of Bruce Jones' Nightwing run, **** no am I buying that.

 

[PhotoJones]

This has been somewhat controversial, due to the fact that Dan does download and upload torrents himself and thats created a wildstorm on the interwebs. That being said, downloading comics is not cool, if you don't intend on buying the product later. I can't blame someone for downloading Miracleman for obvious reasons, but I can blame them for downloading She-Hulk which is widely available.

even then, it takes the fun out of comics. I have to hold the thing in my hands, to enjoy it. and even if it's something like miracleman, half the enjoyment comes from tracking those issues down.

 

[CConn]

Oh, and it should be mentioned, while Dan might not like downloading, there are quite a few in the industry who are fine with it. I remember some quotes by Dan Didio and Greg Rucka saying it might actually help the industry more than hurt it.

 

[PhotoJones]

Oh, and it should be mentioned, while Dan might not like downloading, there are quite a few in the industry who are fine with it. I remember some quotes by Dan Didio and Greg Rucka saying it might actually help the industry more than hurt it.

greg rucka is also a multi-million dollar novelist.

 

[Marcdachamp]

Yeah, I'm pretty much against it. It's different if Marvel offers up some issues on their site, but downloading books because you can't afford them? That's crap. I want to work in the industry one day, and I know I'd be pissed if people were downloading my work because they didn't feel like paying for it.

 

[Sugarculted]

I'll probably do it time to time, just to see if I'll like it. If I do, I will actually hunt down that certain comic/tpb. Can't see it really hurting the comics industry.

 

[CConn]

even then, it takes the fun out of comics. I have to hold the thing in my hands, to enjoy it. and even if it's something like miracleman, half the enjoyment comes from tracking those issues down.

For you, for other people, it's perfectly enjoyable. Hell, I used to download comics I already owned just because I liked having them all so easily - and quickly - accessible.

 

[CConn]

greg rucka is also a multi-million dollar novelist.

Oh, so that inherently means he doesn't care if his comic series get canceled due to low sales?

How much money you have has nothing to do with it. The record companies have billions of dollars, yet hunt people who download music down like they're hardened criminals.

It's merely a difference in opinion. Didio and Rucka believe that downloading comics helps introduce new readers and win new audiences for certain titles. I probably never would've gotten into the new X-Factor or Young Avengers series without downloading. Now I buy both whenever I can. That's MORE money in Marvel's pocket.

 

[Darthphere]

even then, it takes the fun out of comics. I have to hold the thing in my hands, to enjoy it. and even if it's something like miracleman, half the enjoyment comes from tracking those issues down.

Yeah, I enjoy wasting hundreds of dollars on back issues.

Thats seriously how much you'll spend on getting all the Miracleman issues, so I can't blame a guy for just going the download route. (I own the issues personally, but I got a hell of a deal). Either way, I enjoy holding comics in my hand as well, but reading them on the computer does little to take any enjoyment away.

greg rucka is also a multi-million dollar novelist.

So his opinion doesn't matter?

 

[iloveclones]

In general I 100% agree, BUT, if Dan the Man has downloaded even one comic without paying for it (I don't know the circumstances you're talking about), then he shouldn't complain. He who is without sin and all that...

The view I take of downloading is that if Marvel and DC got their product out digitally, then there wouldn't be that much of a problem. I've bought all the DVD collections they've put out so far (Amazing, FF, Avengers, Uncanny and Ultimate X-Men), and I'll probably buy Ghost Rider, Captain America and Hulk. Those are titles that, for the most part, I already own a lot of the issues. I just want to read some of the older and more obscure ones. I heard the same complaints from the music industry both now and way back when cassette tapes came out. Always going to be the death of the industry (and does the opposite).

My bottom line to Marvel and DC: Find a way to make it work for you. It's gonna happen. Find a way to USE it to get a new audience. People will always want the real version when they get hooked. But let's get some of them hooked. Hell, if I were Marvel, when Spidey 3 came out, I would give away DVD's with the last 3 issues or so of all the spidey titles. Same with FF, and X-Men. Get this (much larger) movie audience to give it a whirl.

 

[Darthphere]

In general I 100% agree, BUT, if Dan the Man has downloaded even one comic without paying for it (I don't know the circumstances you're talking about), then he shouldn't complain. He who is without sin and all that....

Its mostly old tv shows that have no current DVD collections, or current series that only have DVD collections overseas. I do the same, so go get 'em Dan!

 

[PhotoJones]

For you, for other people, it's perfectly enjoyable. Hell, I used to download comics I already owned just because I liked having them all so easily - and quickly - accessible.

that's why i said "i" and not "CConn".

Oh, so that inherently means he doesn't care if his comic series get canceled due to low sales?

How much money you have has nothing to do with it. The record companies have billions of dollars, yet hunt people who download music down like they're hardened criminals.

It's merely a difference in opinion. Didio and Rucka believe that downloading comics helps introduce new readers and win new audiences for certain titles. I probably never would've gotten into the new X-Factor or Young Avengers series without downloading. Now I buy both whenever I can. That's MORE money in Marvel's pocket.

it's not that people like rucka (and kevin smith and jms) don't care about sales, it's that it's not their sole income. people like kirkman and slott make a living on comic books. rucka and jms are doing it because they enjoy it.

their families aren't going hungry if something doesn't sell.

 

[CConn]

The one thing I really hate about Marvel's current DVD collections, is that they have to all be in damn PDF format. CBR is SO much simpler (and enjoyable) to use and read comics on.

 

[PhotoJones]

Yeah, I enjoy wasting hundreds of dollars on back issues.

you're not looking in the right places.

Thats seriously how much you'll spend on getting all the Miracleman issues, so I can't blame a guy for just going the download route. (I own the issues personally, but I got a hell of a deal). Either way, I enjoy holding comics in my hand as well, but reading them on the computer does little to take any enjoyment away.

oh wait, yes you are. guess that renders your previous statement moot, huh?

So his opinion doesn't matter?

way to miss the point.

 

[CConn]

that's why i said "i" and not "CConn".

I'm sorry, but when I read "even then, it takes the fun out of comics." I assumed you were talking about people in general.

it's not that people like rucka (and kevin smith and jms) don't care about sales, it's that it's not their sole income. people like kirkman and slott make a living on comic books. rucka and jms are doing it because they enjoy it.

their families aren't going hungry if something doesn't sell.

But as I said, multi-million dollar record company execs. care just as much, if not more, than Dan, does that mean their families will go hungry if Coldplay's new CD doesn't sell 11 million copies?

As I said, it's simply that Didio/Rucka believe that downloading comics can bring in new readers, and thusly, make MORE for the industry.

Look, I'm not saying downloading comics is a rosy, wonderful thing. There's certainly good and bad to it. But, at the same time, there's no need for you going around trying to devalue other people's opinions just because you don't share them.

In any case, I think we can all agree, DC and Marvel should really come up with a legal alternative that can (reasonably) charge people for.

 

[Darthphere]

you're not looking in the right places.



oh wait, yes you are. guess that renders your previous statement moot, huh?



way to miss the point.

I bought my Miracleman issues out of the trunk of some guy's car selling his comics because he just lost his job and needed to feed his family. I dont think everyone has one of those guys sitting outside their comic book store everyday.

 

[iloveclones]

Its mostly old tv shows that have no current DVD collections, or current series that only have DVD collections overseas. I do the same, so go get 'em Dan!

There's nothing in the constitution that says you have a right to a DVD collection. The person who owns those rights is just as injured as Dan or anyone else.

 

[Darthphere]

I'm sorry, but when I read "even then, it takes the fun out of comics." I assumed you were talking about people in general.
But as I said, multi-million dollar record company execs. care just as much, if not more, than Dan, does that mean their families will go hungry if Coldplay's new CD doesn't sell 11 million copies?

As I said, it's simply that Didio/Rucka believe that downloading comics can bring in new readers, and thusly, make MORE for the industry.

Look, I'm not saying downloading comics is a rosy, wonderful thing. There's certainly good and bad to it. But, at the same time, there's no need for you going around trying to devalue other people's opinions just because you don't share them.

In any case, I think we can all agree, DC and Marvel should really come up with a legal alternative that can (reasonably) charge people for.

Yup. I mean, Joey Q keeps talking about it, but I haven't seen anything being done about it.

Look, if someone downloads a comic to check it out and then goes out and buys a trade/hardcover/back issues because they liked it, hey thats a great use of downloading comics. I did that when the Alias omnibus came out. But then you have people like DCP uploading comics, the day they come out for download, clearly this is not a case of checking out a comic or getting a hard to find book, these are people who are either free loading or are downloading issues as digital backups. I download DCP every week because I make icons out of the scans and other graphics, but I buy comics every week and I'll show my bank statement as proof if you don't believe me.

The good and bad of comic book downloading.

 

[Darthphere]

There's nothing in the constitution that says you have a right to a DVD collection. The person who owns those rights is just as injured as Dan or anyone else.

Dan has stated that he would be first in line to buy those series if DVD collections come out. Personally, I believe him, because thats exactly what I did when Pete and Pete came out on DVD and I deleted my downloaded files.

 

[PhotoJones]

I'm sorry, but when I read "even then, it takes the fun out of comics." I assumed you were talking about people in general.
But as I said, multi-million dollar record company execs. care just as much, if not more, than Dan, does that mean their families will go hungry if Coldplay's new CD doesn't sell 11 million copies?

As I said, it's simply that Didio/Rucka believe that downloading comics can bring in new readers, and thusly, make MORE for the industry.

Look, I'm not saying downloading comics is a rosy, wonderful thing. There's certainly good and bad to it. But, at the same time, there's no need for you going around trying to devalue other people's opinions just because you don't share them.

In any case, I think we can all agree, DC and Marvel should really come up with a legal alternative that can (reasonably) charge people for.

it's hard for me to take seriously the opinions of greg rucka in this instance. for one, we're talking about the livlihoods of people. to me, it's like britney spears crying about how hard life is. sometimes, it's just hard for a person to see the negatives of something when they're not really in the position to feel the negatives; you know?

that said, i agree that marvel and dc would do well to look for ways to digitally distribute comics...hello itunes?