With DC going all digital...

I think in general there is definitely just a less of an interest in comic books like there was back in the 90s. In this day and age of video games, internet and all that, comics just arent in the general interest level like they used to be. BUT i firmly believe that if a 7 year old kid who had just seen Ironman and loved it and then happens to be at a grocery store and sees Ironman Extremis #1 on the racks for say $1.50....i guarantee you that kid would ask his mother to buy it for him. Whether he gets hooked on it afterwards is another topic, but at least you get that initial sale.

Even if comics were still everywhere, they definitely wouldn't be selling anywhere near the 90's levels, but sales in general would still be significantly higher than they are now i believe. If people cannot find a product, they will not buy it. Simple as that.
 
Well, the '90s were kind of an enigma more than anything. The actual interests of comics weren't probably that much more than today, but it became a spectator market; people were buying comics by the loads because they thought they'd send their kids to college with them. The '90s was a profitable time on the surface, but it was wearing a plastic mask.

But I just don't subscribe to this idea of lack of availability. They aren't in supermarkets, granted, but in pretty much in all mainstream bookstores (BAM, Borders, etc.) they have sections dedicated to them. With online shopping, they're a click away. They know they're there. Every time they go into those stores, they know. Hell, every time they go into one of those movies, they know. There's just so many ways to get comics that if it were truly that simple, it wouldn't be an issue at all. The things would be flying off shelves everywhere if people were inching so hard underneath to get them. I don't know, maybe that's part of the problem, but I think it's a lot more than that.
 
I just keep thinking those people who want to read a comic on their computer or digital device know where they can get them without having to pay anything for it. DC and companies that offer that service aren't going to change a dang thing.

These companies need to promote to a younger audience; and, maybe a big key for that would be trying to get your materials into the schools. Being a substitute for a school district, I see what the kids are reading..and, whereas many of us don't use a library any longer, kids do. There are comic kids still read today, because they are available in their schools. Bone...Garfield...I think there is a book called Amulet, or something. If it's there for the kids to read, they will have the foundation for a future viewer.

You are not going to get a lot of people out of school to grab your product. First, it's considered by many to be immature and juvenile, even if they enjoy the product in the theaters. Second, as many a comic shop owner knows, the one thing that KILLS their readership more than anything: relationships!!! Once a guy gets into a serious relationship, too many women simply will not tolerate our comic collecting, expecially after they have other responsibilities, like children. (Face it, a single JH without children would not be talking so much about cutting back on his comic reading.) I'm not saying it's wrong to budget, or even cut out comics all together. Your children are worth more than any enjoyment comics will give you. But, when you couple the fact that it's more difficult to get new readers with your existing client base not being able to afford...or be allowed...to read your materials, naturally it will die away.

(BTW, what do the young people come into my local comic shop for? Sonic The Hedgehog. They don't pick up anything else, though.)

.........................

As for blu-rays, I never pay full price for one. If I don't get it the first week when it's below 20 bucks, I know I can wait a couple months...and, more than likely, it will be slashed in price at Best Buy. Most of the Blu-Rays in my collection have cost me 15 bucks or less.

It's actually a good deal. For a long time after almost everyone had DVD players in their house, DVD companies were starting to rip us off. Used to be the "bells and whistles" were extras on our DVDs...then, a new trend started to happen. They offered the inexpensive DVD with JUST the movie...and, you had to pay extra to get all the extras. (I think a regular price was $19.99 for the movie, and $24.99 for the 2-disc sets. Sale price was usually worse, with a single movie being about $14.99, and the 2-disc at $22.99.)
 
I just keep thinking those people who want to read a comic on their computer or digital device know where they can get them without having to pay anything for it. DC and companies that offer that service aren't going to change a dang thing.
I disagree with that. I know exactly how to get free comics. And have gotten free comics in the past. But the only reason I did it was because there was no legitimate means to procure them. And I always bought hard copies to support the creators.

Comics are different from movies or music in that, us fans, we know Paul Cornell isn't Brad Pitt - making 20 million dollars a film, and Ed Brubaker certainly isn't like Jay-Z and part owner of a basketball team.

We know we need to support them financially to keep our beloved comics going. Especially with smaller known series (Avengers Academy and the like) that would easily be cancelled as soon as their sales numbers dropped.

I think most comic fans are aware that supporting the comics industry is essential to its survival...I don't think anyone feels that way about the movie or music industry.

But there are limits. There are a lot of times when I would buy a comic digitally if it were $1.99 or even $2.99 (like I would love to be buying Ultimate Spider-Man and Ultimate Avengers right now digitally)...but at $3.99 for something you can't even hold in your hands, I guarantee Marvel's losing money to piracy (and people simply not buying it at all) in those instances.
 
Even if comics weren't different from movies or music, it wouldn't matter. The music industry already proved that there is a market for legal sales of digital materials: iTunes. Everyone knew about Napster and other filesharing programs before iTunes offered a legal alternative, yet iTunes has clearly managed to do pretty damn well for itself.
 
Even if comics weren't different from movies or music, it wouldn't matter. The music industry already proved that there is a market for legal sales of digital materials: iTunes. Everyone knew about Napster and other filesharing programs before iTunes offered a legal alternative, yet iTunes has clearly managed to do pretty damn well for itself.

Yes, but I would argue WHO are the ones downloading, and who are the ones pirating the material. I would bet there is a huge age difference.
 
I don't understand what that has to do with anything. No one's saying pirating is going to go away entirely. Music pirating certainly hasn't. But legal digital downloads have proven to be a profitable business. That's indisputable.
 
I don't understand what that has to do with anything. No one's saying pirating is going to go away entirely. Music pirating certainly hasn't. But legal digital downloads have proven to be a profitable business. That's indisputable.

It all goes back to my original statement about current comic buyers versus newer ones. I believe most of the current buyers prefer to have that little paper copy in their hand. (We are not only readers, but collectors, too. A digital copy ain't worth diddly-squat.) Sure, there is a demand for us; but, I believe that demand is more about back issues..getting the stuff that is just too expensive for us to purchase. The younger reader the comic companies should be after a) don't have the money to pay for this stuff, and b) will not get into it if it's not available to them. That's why my whole point is thinking outside of the digital box, and getting your graphic novels in the schools.
 
Oh, sorry, I didn't get that because I honestly don't care about collecting. I keep my comics because I don't want to sell them, but I haven't gone back-issue hunting in years. I just buy my weekly Wednesday stash and enjoy them, then fling them across my room and forget about 'em. :)

As for the school idea, that's probably a good one. I know plenty of graphic novels are available in my university's library. It'd be nice to see that trickle down into a little graphic novel/manga section in K-12 school libraries.
 
This was my first year of substituting; and, I have to say I was shocked to see how many kids still read Garfield. I thought that was a dead franchise...but, the kids love it. Of course, when I was a kid, a single comic gave you so much more than today's did. Sure, there would be those which required you buying the next issue; but, often, it was a self-contained story. Most kids aren't going to be interested to start in the middle of a story, and probably not get a chance at finding out what happens next. Plus, Graphic Novels have gotten way overprice, imo. Isn't the average price about 19.99 for trade and $24.99 for a hardback? That's a big chunk of change for a kid's allowance.
 
Digital comics are nice, but you can't bet the farm on it.

I also know high prices will discourage readers. $2.99 is steep, especially for a 32-page comic. There are full YA books on smashwords and Amazon for that price or even less.

I've published eBooks for a couple of months now. I still see it as a secondary revenue stream behind print books I do. Even at the 99 cent price I didn't have many sales. I don't think Marvel or DC should bet the farm on eComics, they should keep their options open, even if it means giving away free eComics at first to get readers trying them.

One of the things I did to get new readers was a free eBook campaign to get YA readers trying my stuff, and it seems to be working. With the comic book industry in such dire straits, I'm wondering why hasn't there been a regular free digital copy of anything released by the publishers like Marvel & DC?

I really think a monthly free eComic would get readers trying new stuff, especially the midlist titles like Avengers Academy or the B and C-list titles at DC. These freebies could be an older issue so it won't encroach on sales of new stuff. If readers like what they see they might be motivated to try other books in the line or buy back issues.

Personally I feel The first issues of a series should be free 4 months down the line to get readers jumping in. Casual readers are willing to try anything for free at first; this gives them an incentive to try other titles or continue buying the series. I downloaded many songs after trying them on YouTube first and even bought the DVD boxset for Daria after watching episodes online. Samples often lead to sales long-term.

Long-term I feel the 32 page comic is on its way out. in the future Print comics are gonna be digest sized. Either they're gonna look like the Archie Double digests (best Value for a comic today at $3.99), TPBs or Like Shonen Jump's best-selling Naruto series. (Naruto wipes the floor with Marvel & DC in sales) These kinds of books have longer shelf lives, have more value per dollar and are retailer friendly.
 
Phaedrus45 said:
(Face it, a single JH without children would not be talking so much about cutting back on his comic reading.)

Word!

But I think a better term for what I do is whinning.

Dread said:
The only two DC books I read are BOOSTER GOLD and BATMAN BEYOND

I know you used to read Blue Beetle. Do you plan on buying the new #1?
 

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