It seems that the media companies want all the BENEFITS new technology has to offer but none of the perceived “drawbacks”. You can’t have it both ways.

My bad.

Oh wait. That saying went out years ago, didn’t it? I guess I’m just behind on the times. Too busy downloading comics, I guess.

The end of the bag, board, slab and hoard hordes. The end of holiday-induced shipping delays.

Digital comics might become (ahem) something people will read simply to enjoy and save, since there will be no added investment value to purchasing a reproduceable digital comic file.

But it does hurt the fan who wants quality digital comics. The few scans I’ve seen have been sloppy and not too attractive. Plus they edited out the ads. Most comics are produced digitally, so why not let the companies produce nice online versions from the same production files that create the printed versions? And why not keep the ads, so they can be counted and keep earning companies the revenue needed to produce new issues? Fans get better looking books, publishers get revenue and companies/creators get to say when and if they go online. Win-win-win.

HAH! :)

And, Sean, that 3…2…1… countdown thingy finished its 15 minutes of fame many months ago.

Yessir, they will be every retailer’s buddy til about a year from now, when they begin offering new releases online every Wednesday (or earlier) for around $1.95 each. Bet on it.

This is the same Marvel that devastated the entire distribution market in 1995 by pulling their product from a dozen loyal distributors…all in an effort to dominate the entire marketplace.
But hey, it’s just business, right?

How did MTV Networks reach this decision? Because time and again we have been shown that using a website to increase the consumers taste for your product is very effective and MTV Networks understands that. Comic publishers might wake up to this strategy when there are five direct sales comic book stores left.

Digital downloading of comics is not a threat. It’s a golden opportunity. ”

Agreed! Well said, sir.

What it comes down to is the fact that most supposed “capitalists” are anything but, because it’s been proven by history, time and again, that every time a change comes to a marketplace that can benefit the producers of goods, several of those companies would literally rather go out of business than adjust their practices to suit the times, even if they know that doing so would ultimately benefit them more than anyone else.

The thing that’s been the most fascinating to me in this whole kerfluffle is that Marvel and DC (and all comics publishers for that matter) have suddenly encountered a major new technology that allows them to send their product around the world instantly with no storage or shipping costs and minimal distribution overhead. This is the magic bullet for publishing! The long-awaited dream! It’s practically magic on a Harry Potter scale!

But instead of using all their brainiacs and resources to figure out a way to make a mint off this amazing new technology they are running in the other direction, or standing still and shuffling their feet, apparently caught without a comprehensive plan.

Digital downloading of comics is not a threat. It’s a golden opportunity.

http://flashbackuniverse.blogspot.com/2007/11/slg-zcult-fm-mixup.html