Why "Digital Comics" are broken

A little history here. In the 90s when comics got huge for that one brief period, I had been collecting for a while. And I watched and participated in the transition from the old days of newsprint to the first stages of modern comics with high quality paper and digital inking. I saw Photoshop replace markers as the go-to coloring tools for comics, and I was there when that bubble burst and the industry nearly collapsed in on itself. I saw the 2 big dogs get their props for Killing Superman, starting the Age of Apocalypse, Breaking Batman and I saw Wolverine get the adamantium ripped out of his body. It was an exciting time to be a collector.

It was also 20 years ago. And like everyone else I grew up between then and now. And while the concept of collecting. was great when I was a teenager. I wanted to be a part of those pieces of comic history. I reveled in things like my Wolverine #1, my first appearance of Hobgoblin in ASM, and even got into the ancillary market with things like trading cards focused on Marvel characters. I enjoyed collecting these things and they became a part of my life I would always treasure.

Now though, collecting isn't the appealing concept it was when I was a teenager. By the time I was in my early 20s, I was starting to think about marriage, raising a child, buying and building a home. And I did those things. Fast forward 20 years later though and I sit here a 40 year old man who still loves the sequential storytelling that comic books offer. I find it exciting just like I did when I was younger. What I don't enjoy though, is the collecting aspect of the hobby. Don't misunderstand, collecting is a great hobby. But I now have a house full of not only my stuff, but the rest of my family's stuff as well. Bringing home 10 or so comics is now an almost stressful occurance because I honestly just don't have the facilities to keep them in pristine condition so they end up in a closet, on a shelf, bagged but not boarded and I don't really care to bother with "preservation" anymore. I don't have time or the inclination to do so. I should be the target for the digital comics. I love the stories, I love the art, I love comics. But I don't care about owning them anymore.

Marvel and DC both have not figured out the digital comics market in my view. They both offer their books in digital form, but they're the same high price as they are in the comic book store and you don't own the physical copy. How does this make ANY sense at all? Don't get me wrong, comics nowadays are pretty awesome. The high quality of the paper inks and colors are amazing. And I get why people would want to own these as physical items. But for those of us who aren't interested in collecting anymore, or who don't have the space to store them anymore, why would I pay the same high price for no physical product? It doesn't make sense. It's the big guys trying to move their product into a new market and that's fine. But it's a different audience. I don't know anyone who boasts about their digital comic book collection. Servers fail, hard drives crash, these digital comics are not worth buying at the same price as the paper versions. It's just not a value to the consumer.

I think digital comics have a place in this world and I know they have an audience. But Marvel and DC need to realize that it's not the same audience who goes out and buys books every week. Sure there will be crossovers, but they need to start marketing to the comics reader instead of the comics collector in their digital spaces. Offer me a blanket subscription cost that gives me access to all the digital stuff in your store and I'm on board. I'll buy that even if the price is a little inflated. And I'll keep that subscription going as new books are released. I may even try new comics I never would have wanted to read otherwise.

Let the standard business for collectors stay where it is, but start marketing your digital business accordingly. Because as it is right now, I'm severely NOT interested in paying $4 to read something online when I could pay the same amount and own it. Even unprotected in a closet there's still that chance that in 40 years my daughter could find it and maybe it might have increased in value to a degree. Even though I don't want to be a collector per se, I still see that as the better value for that $4. And sure, it's neat when you offer a download code with the book, but what purpose does that really serve? Maybe some readers will buy the book, punch in the code so they can read it on their iPads and Kindles, but that's still just giving a perk to the collector market and offers nothing to the person who only wants to experience your stories.

This is a time where the big publishers are stepping into new territory. They have the production side of things down. Each company has great artists, great characters and interesting stories to tell and products to sell. I just hope they can adapt to a new business model in their digital online spaces because as it stands, I personally see little value in digital comics in their current form. And I truly truly hope that they can change my mind on that in the coming months.

The price of almost everything else (music, movies, video games) that has made the transition from real goods to digital hasn't gone down, so why should comics? You said that you don't have the room to store the books, so it seems like they are offering an even better value to you now, no storage hassle, saving time and expense to commute to your local comic book store. Just because something isn't tangible doesn't mean you don't own it.

That said, I do think the price of comics; real or digital is completely out of line and has been for a long time, and I've stopped buying them all together. How is it that I can get a subscription to a 150 page magazine for $10 a year, less than $1 an issue, yet comic subscriptions are looking for $25 a year for significantly less content?

They need to get these books back in the corner stores/supermarkets and offer a much better deal to subscribers just to get their distribution number back to where they need to be, with all these comicbook movies out, it's insane that they can't sell these books anymore.

I agree with you. Digital comics should be about half or less of the cost of the physical thing, not the same.

I completely agree! I prefer to have the actual copy of whatever it is i'm reading but all digital content should be cheaper. I'm not saying half the price cause people have to get paid...but come on! Full price...really (greedy much?).

@Werupenstein said:

The price of almost everything else (music, movies, video games) that has made the transition from real goods to digital hasn't gone down, so why should comics? You said that you don't have the room to store the books, so it seems like they are offering an even better value to you now, no storage hassle, saving time and expense to commute to your local comic book store. Just because something isn't tangible doesn't mean you don't own it.

That said, I do think the price of comics; real or digital is completely out of line and has been for a long time, and I've stopped buying them all together. How is it that I can get a subscription to a 150 page magazine for $10 a year, less than $1 an issue, yet comic subscriptions are looking for $25 a year for significantly less content?

They need to get these books back in the corner stores/supermarkets and offer a much better deal to subscribers just to get their distribution number back to where they need to be, with all these comicbook movies out, it's insane that they can't sell these books anymore.

Actually, I think for many cases, buying music online is cheaper. I commonly come across a CD at a store for $14, to go on iTunes to find it for $11. They cut the production cost, which is what comics and other forms of media need to do to get digital buyers.

Even if digital comics were half price or much cheaper, I'd still buy the physical copies. Although, I tend to just buy collected trades and hardcovers as I love the way they look on a bookshelf. Personal preference aside, I agree that a digital copy costing the same as a physical copy is quite ridiculous. I understand that these creators put a lot of time and effort into these comics but they save a great deal on printing costs and some of those savings should be passed onto the reader.

@mordecaix7 said:

Even if digital comics were half price or much cheaper, I'd still buy the physical copies. Although, I tend to just buy collected trades and hardcovers as I love the way they look on a bookshelf. Personal preference aside, I agree that a digital copy costing the same as a physical copy is quite ridiculous. I understand that these creators put a lot of time and effort into these comics but they save a great deal on printing costs and some of those savings should be passed onto the reader.

Agreed. They should charge the regular price, minus the production cost.

@Werupenstein said:

The price of almost everything else (music, movies, video games) that has made the transition from real goods to digital hasn't gone down, so why should comics? You said that you don't have the room to store the books, so it seems like they are offering an even better value to you now, no storage hassle, saving time and expense to commute to your local comic book store. Just because something isn't tangible doesn't mean you don't own it.

That said, I do think the price of comics; real or digital is completely out of line and has been for a long time, and I've stopped buying them all together. How is it that I can get a subscription to a 150 page magazine for $10 a year, less than $1 an issue, yet comic subscriptions are looking for $25 a year for significantly less content?

They need to get these books back in the corner stores/supermarkets and offer a much better deal to subscribers just to get their distribution number back to where they need to be, with all these comicbook movies out, it's insane that they can't sell these books anymore.

That's just it though, in this new world of DRM, we own nothing unless we can put it in our hands and carry it around. Digital stuff like music, movies, and comics you are buying a license to view, read, or listen to them. And even still, I can't go to a music store and buy one song. I can go to iTunes and buy just the song I want and I don't get stuck with a whole bunch of B-sides I have no interest in. Music adapted to the new digital market while keeping it's existing model for those who wanted it. Movies still offer DVD and blu-ray solutions, but digital options are there for rental and purchase as well with an adapted price scale. Not to mention the fact that if I decide I want to buy a digital song I can go to iTunes, I can go to Amazon, I can go to Rhapsody. If I want a digital comic, I can go to Marvel or DC and get only the books they offer. I can back up a song, I can back up a movie, I can't back up a comic in the same way. I can't even read it outside of their site/app/whatever (to my knowledge, I may be wrong on this one and if so I'm sorry).

My only real point is that they are trying to keep the same model in the digital space with no adaptation. The music industry nearly collapsed in on itself doing that not so long ago. Now though, they offer paid downloads, subscriptions to music services, and the old model is still there for people who like to own their CDs. I really hope comics get to a point where they consider offering digital versions at a reduced price or a subscription. You make good points about value relating to each individual differently, but even with my limited space I'll still choose actually owning the book. I'd rather go digital, but at the current price model I just don't feel it's wise to jump in.

The cost of an issue of a comic itself doesn't really bother me. If I were a collector still, the higher quality paper and all the fancy new inking/coloring tricks they use in todays comics make them a much better product than the old newsprint comics. Newsprint degrades over time and that adds to their rarity. New comics will last longer with the new techniques and that's driven up the cost to the current $4 average which I think is OK for the physical book. As an artist, I know how much work is going into each page so I don't mind paying a premium price for the premium product that comics have become. But I still think digital falls down. There is no high quality paper or printing costs involved and it's a secondary market. Currently it's being marketed to the same people. I think a subscription option would bring in a new audience. New people who want to read the stories but don't care about owning it. And market it that way. It would bring back people who left comics when prices went nuts in the 90s (I know a lot of people in this situation) and it could bring in curious readers who might become collectors. Not to mention the scores of comics fans would buy their favorites in physical media and still maintain a subscription to read other books they're less interested in.

Anyway, thanks for you post. And thanks to everyone else who dropped in to comment as well. :)

I bet that one of the reasons for the price parity is that the publishers can't (yet) afford to piss off the retailers (and Diamond, I guess). Plus, i bet that printing and shipping are not really all that significant for the production cost of a comic book (like it is with almost every cultural product, it's not the materials that determine the price). I don't read digital comics (even though they would be about 30% cheaper for me, living in Germany), because I still feel that the digital reading experience is inferior. A double page spread does not have the same effect it has on paper, for example. The only problem I really have is storage. Right now, I do have the space, but a plain old longbox is too ugly and my signifcant other will not allow it. Trades are nice on the shelf, but I just started reading in issues and really like the reading experience. Right now, I just have big piles lying around and some books on the shelf, but in the long-term, I guess I need something laong the lines of the comic cubes furniture. Dusting off the inner carpenter then, I suppose.

@DerBonk said:

I bet that one of the reasons for the price parity is that the publishers can't (yet) afford to piss off the retailers (and Diamond, I guess). Plus, i bet that printing and shipping are not really all that significant for the production cost of a comic book (like it is with almost every cultural product, it's not the materials that determine the price). I don't read digital comics (even though they would be about 30% cheaper for me, living in Germany), because I still feel that the digital reading experience is inferior. A double page spread does not have the same effect it has on paper, for example. The only problem I really have is storage. Right now, I do have the space, but a plain old longbox is too ugly and my signifcant other will not allow it. Trades are nice on the shelf, but I just started reading in issues and really like the reading experience. Right now, I just have big piles lying around and some books on the shelf, but in the long-term, I guess I need something laong the lines of the comic cubes furniture. Dusting off the inner carpenter then, I suppose.

You know, that's a really good point that I hadn't considered. You're probably spot on about ticking off the retailers. Although at my local comic shop it always seems like they're selling more in gaming supplies, collectibles, cards and other ancillary products than in the comics themselves. But I suppose if it were extremely easy to pick these up online that could be a thorn in the side of the local comic shops we all love so much.

I still think it could be a good secondary market, but if you're right then a staggered price structure could cause problems I didn't think of. I appreciate your posting that. :)

stuck in the past

I agree about the insanity of charging $3-$4 for a digital comic. They are stuck in the old model, but its crumbling just like the old book publishing model. As self-publishers and creators continue to enter the market, a larger pool of quality comics will emerge that are priced less - .99 seems to be the standard. These comics will probably be more daring and have fresher storylines than the old model. With the big comic publishers still clutching onto the fading 20th century system, its one reason they are failing to capitalize upon the popularity of their movies. One failing I see is that even with independent publishers, when they go digital, they mostly just go to one marketplace. As a comic creator, I think that's suicide - its relegating your comic to a small defined potential pool of readers. The new model is to publish everywhere, which only the self-publishers seem to get. I read a post from Graphicly that most digital comics/graphic novels are bought from Kindle, Nook, and iOS and not Comixology or Graphicly. That's where the new readers are. I sold off all my 3,000 comics for a fraction of what they were supposedly worth. I was happy to get rid of the clutter and embrace digital. Now I can have unlimited comics and read them anywhere in the world in the palm of my hand. Amazing.

I have a feeling that the comic book industry is actually better prepared for a "all-digital" shift than most of the other media industry was, they have the stores and everything in place even though most of their business is still in physical. Two things really tick me off, besides my perceived difference concerning the reading experience: DRM, which is horrible (imagine comixology goes broke for some reason and they have to shut everything down, you may well lose access to all the books you "bought") and prohibits lending, gifting or re-selling. I understand that this is why publishers love digital and probably would like to go all-digital yesterday (imagine the prices they could charge for old stuff if back-issues simply didn't exist! And offering the old stuff would cost almost nothing!), but in the end, it will only hurt the industry and especially the readers. DRM is only okay for me, if I am on a subscription service like Spotify or Netflix. For everything else I want to own a real copy (even if it is digital) and not just the license to view the content. As soon as DRM is gone (2000 AD does this right, but is not enough to make me go and buy an iPad just for that), I might think more seriously about going all-digital and trade. The second issue is the high entry price. Even if I add storage and supply costs and lower prices for digital books, I still have to buy an expensive electronic device to get even one digital comic book. I've tried reading on my iPhone, but it is horrible and the desktop has similar issues. Right now, comics are the main thing I would like to have an iPad for, but those $500 can buy a lot of physical books.

They should offer a blanket subscription like the OP said. Would the netflix model work for comic books? As far as I understand, in netflix you pay your fee, and every time that someone watches something the owner gets a cut? I could be wrong on that though. Also online comics don't include advertising, thats probably why prices are the same isn't it?

Way I see it, Comixology should offer varying degrees of blanket subscriptions, for example per month, pay X dollars or something, and you can get any 10 marvel new releases and any 10 DC new releases and say 5 new releases from any other publisher. If they were able to get a plan like that at around 25 or 30 dollars per month they would make a killing. On top of that I don't think anyone would care if comixology implemented advertising into their online comics if it meant we could get the product cheaper, plus any ads could incoporate links to websites and stuff making them far more efficient too. Plus comixology could easily incorporate a function into their app that report back to them how long a reader spends on an ad page, if they clicked the link, what type of ads are most effective and so on, which is very valuable data for a company like comixology to have.

Then any such plan could move upwards and downwards so that you could also have it so pay Y dollars and get any 5 new releases and stuff. Those are the types of plans they need to move toward. And I think this could really help with piracy too, like it's pretty much well accepted that a lot of the reason for piracy nowdays is that the customer want a better service, allowing them to watch what they want, when they want it. If they could move toward a netflix type model, even if it just incorporated comics over 3 years old or something., I think we'd all be a lot happier and I think there would be significantly less piracy too.

@ZZoMBiE13: Good points.

@feargalr said:

They should offer a blanket subscription like the OP said. Would the netflix model work for comic books? As far as I understand, in netflix you pay your fee, and every time that someone watches something the owner gets a cut? I could be wrong on that though. Also online comics don't include advertising, thats probably why prices are the same isn't it?

Way I see it, Comixology should offer varying degrees of blanket subscriptions, for example per month, pay X dollars or something, and you can get any 10 marvel new releases and any 10 DC new releases and say 5 new releases from any other publisher. If they were able to get a plan like that at around 25 or 30 dollars per month they would make a killing. On top of that I don't think anyone would care if comixology implemented advertising into their online comics if it meant we could get the product cheaper, plus any ads could incoporate links to websites and stuff making them far more efficient too. Plus comixology could easily incorporate a function into their app that report back to them how long a reader spends on an ad page, if they clicked the link, what type of ads are most effective and so on, which is very valuable data for a company like comixology to have.

Then any such plan could move upwards and downwards so that you could also have it so pay Y dollars and get any 5 new releases and stuff. Those are the types of plans they need to move toward. And I think this could really help with piracy too, like it's pretty much well accepted that a lot of the reason for piracy nowdays is that the customer want a better service, allowing them to watch what they want, when they want it. If they could move toward a netflix type model, even if it just incorporated comics over 3 years old or something., I think we'd all be a lot happier and I think there would be significantly less piracy too.

About Netflix, I think what happens is that they pay the creators of the movie to allow them to use their movie, and it's one set price. I may be wrong on that.

That subscription plan sounds good. I would pay $30 a month to get 20 digital comics.

@Funrush: Obviously if it could work for them profit wise, but as far as I know distributing comics digitally would be a lot lot cheaper on them so some kinda of plan like that should work.

@Funrush: Agreed. It does sound good.

@feargalr: I have to disagree with the piracy thing as you can't beat free. Most of those who pirate comics will probably keep doing so.

I definitely agree that comic publishers need to step their game up and change their business model rather than clinging to one that's currently outdated. I think that Marvel, and self-publishers as Grigoris said, are taking steps in the right direction. You have to change with the times or else prepare for semi-extinction or perpetual stagnation.