Official Marvel DigiComic Thread

[iloveclones]

Well, this is a thread that will probably go over like a lead balloon, since most comments I hear about these run from lukewarm to annoyed to downright "Marvel sucks for doing this."

And I have to admit that when I first "test-read" them, I was underwhelmed, and had the same complaints as everyone else: It sucks that you can't keep them; It's not as good as the physical copy; I can't read them on a computer, etc.

BUT, a couple of months ago, I figured $60 is like 2 weeks worth of trips to the LCBS, so hut the well.

And I have been very pleasantly surprised. So much so that I bought a gift sub for my friend. I'll post his thoughts (which should be a little less biased than mine; he hasn't collected for years - I buy him trades of the good stuff for presents - and it will be interesting to see what he reads, if anything) if he has any.

So, your thoughts appreciated. Complaints also accepted (as if I could stop them.)

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I'd consider a subscription if there weren't so many gaps. I'll use Thor as an example, since I'm me. If I missed some issues early on in Thor's second series (which I did, I'm ashamed to admit), I can't read any of those because that series starts at #39. The current series only goes up to issue #4, too.

So, I'd be open to subscribing because being able to pull up any issue in Marvel's catalog would be fantastic, whether I technically "own" it or not, but the reality doesn't quite live up to the idea of it. It's a lot like Hulu, actually. You think it's a great service because you can watch all sorts of shows from NBC/Universal or Fox whenever you want--only some episodes expire after a certain date and sometimes they don't even get the most recent episodes of shows after they've aired on TV. Right now, both Hulu and Marvel's digital comics are merely supplemental novelties. They show promise, but they need to be more consistent to be of any real value to me.

 

[iloveclones]

Yeah, I'd love it if it were more, but I'm patient.

What I'd really like to see is for them to partner with someone who will produce something like a Kindle, but in color.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Well, there are comic reader apps for the iPhone/iPod Touch already. I downloaded one, but since they charge you for the comics I deleted it.

 

[iloveclones]

That's a pretty small screen. Did you read anything on them? I just got a HTC Mogul that can read pdf's, but I can't imagine reading comics on it.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I read one of the comics that came with the reader. It was handled pretty intuitively because it would automatically zoom in on one or two panels at a time and you could move on from there to the next panel. It's sort of like reading comics with a magnifying glass.

 

[iloveclones]

If the whole Thor run was available, and it were free, would you read them on that kind of viewer?

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Nah, probably not. What happens when you get to splash pages or basically any of those novel pages where a creative artist makes the whole layout of the page part of the narrative? Continuing the Thor example, there are some pages of Oeming and DiVito's "Ragnarok" arc where DiVito literally has panels arranged in a semi-circle around some major picture in the remaining space. Very innovative storytelling, but you'd completely miss out on it with the zoomed-in reader.

Don't get me wrong, they did a good job trying to adapt comics into the smaller format, but sometimes it's just not possible to match form and function.

 

[iloveclones]

Yeah, that's what I figured. It just seems so small.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

It is, but I try not to tell it that. You know--self-esteem issues.

On an unrelated note, this whole thread could've basically been a PM conversation between the two of us and no one would've noticed.

 

[Themanofbat]

Is there somewhere on Marvel's site where you can see what comics are availabel?

I'm especially interested in the old 70's horror books, and basically anything pre-1973...

 

[Themanofbat]

One more thing... once the comics are available on-line, do they only stay on for a certain time frame, or can you have access to them whenever without fear of them being removed...

 

[iloveclones]

Yeah, I know that people aren't that keen on them. And I don't know anyone on this site (other than me) that has subscribed to them. But I do like them, and think they definately have a place (and market.)

I plan on putting some reviews for the Exclusive comics they've put up there.

I also wouldn't mind some suggestions to put on my Reading List. Some more obscure favorite comic.

 

[iloveclones]

One more thing... once the comics are available on-line, do they only stay on for a certain time frame, or can you have access to them whenever without fear of them being removed...

I'm curious about that myself. As far as I know, nothing has been taken off.

You can definately browse without subscribing. I looked up Werewolf by Night, but didn't see anything.