The Future is Now- BOOM! to offer entire backlist digitally Updt: DC JOINS THE FRAY

Because of all the digital vs. print discussions, this is relevant:

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=26707

Quite frankly, I'm starting to wish people would offer their stuff digitally - I would've purchased half the stuff on this board if you guys were already offering digital versions of your stuff.

Buying digital does a few things for me:

1 Allows me to get the comic immediately! (Don't have to wait for delivery)!
2 I don't have to make the trip to the comic shop and dig around for a non-existent book
3 Saves space! (At least physically)
4 Saves on shipping.

Now that's not to say the physical product doesn't have a place - it does! Just give us options!

Well go see.

UPDATE June 23, 2010: DC has now joined the digital revolution:
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=26831

i think that digital comics could be likened to newspaper comics. yes- you did pay for them (very little!) and most people did not save them- but if you area fan of the series, you could buy a collection of them- especailly if the sereis were popular- if we went more to that mindset, i think it would be good. pay a small fee for the digital copies and then for those special comics which you want on your bookshelf, buy a collection- and with POD, it's even easier to print those- you could print less than 100 copies if that was all that your sales warranted.

but the hang up is that i still find that average [not known to be comics fans] people i know will not read my webcomic for FREE but will buy my book- you have to get something in front of thepepole who aren't searching for it.

specific case in point- i've told people about my comic word of mouth, we've had adds in the bulletin, i've done other artwork for church, and included strips on hundreds of church mail outs. but only a few pepole started reading from my website- i get my books printed, and at the drop of a hat after church (in conjuction with a fund raiser) i sell over 20 copies. and these are 20 copies from people who wouldn't pay for a digital copy online and aren't reading it for free. Also, there were pepole who said "you've got a book coming outof your webcomic- cool. i'll read it then" while they havne't read it online for free.

but i also think the big deal here is the personal aspect. people will buy something that has a personal resonance to them. if i draw them a picture and talk with them, they're more likely to buy my book. i think that is one of the problems- or at least one way we could get things better. especially with ministry. if we can get out there and get our books and make a personal contact with real people, i think it will be good for us- and this is somethint that i think is huritng the meainstream scene, too. i havefriends who draw comics all day and peole in their city who are fans of theirs- but dont' even know they might shop at the same grocery store! if we could grab onto that promotion, i think we'd be in a better place. which is also why i really admire Bob Luedke. he's doing just that- doing a many stop book tour- i've seen him just give away his complete graphic novels- not a cheap stapled comic- a full color full length GN to tons of people at one event in particular- and that is a heart for spreading the gospel and also a great way to market his comics.

digital comics work for webcomcis fans and for comics fans- but for the general newspaper comic strip fan, they don't work so well. and with the loss of newspapers- we're loosing many poele who read thru the comcis because they are there and find strips htey like, but wouldn't go to a comics store. my dad is a good example. he loved calvin and hobbes and has many of the calvin and hobbes collections- a few other strips, too. but i doubt he would go to the BC site and read it if it wasn't available in the newspaper. and i know he woudln't go to a comic store to find a collection. i guess he has gone to cartoon sections of bookstores- or at least other people have for gifts at some points. and these were purchased before they awere like 4 bucks at B&N.

Replies

Martin Murtonen June 23, 2010 at 4:36am

Bump!

DC has jumped into the digital space. The big boys seem to be seeing something here, so we best sit up and take notice.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=26831
Martin Murtonen June 15, 2010 at 1:21pm

Valid points!

I keep forgetting that some (or a lot of) people only use the web as a tool - or as a convenience every so often, whereas I, almost live on the web - therefore it would stand to reason that some people couldn't be bothered with "digital" airy-fairy intangibles.

Again - both have their place. Things always diverge - just because the microwave came in - that didn't eliminate the stove. Just because the cell phone exists, that didn't eliminate the land-line. Just because the computer came in - that didn't eliminate paper (we actually use more paper than ever).

Just need to remember - different product (though potentially the same content) for a different space.
Dan Conner June 15, 2010 at 12:52pm

i think that digital comics could be likened to newspaper comics. yes- you did pay for them (very little!) and most people did not save them- but if you area fan of the series, you could buy a collection of them- especailly if the sereis were popular- if we went more to that mindset, i think it would be good. pay a small fee for the digital copies and then for those special comics which you want on your bookshelf, buy a collection- and with POD, it's even easier to print those- you could print less than 100 copies if that was all that your sales warranted.

but the hang up is that i still find that average [not known to be comics fans] people i know will not read my webcomic for FREE but will buy my book- you have to get something in front of thepepole who aren't searching for it.

specific case in point- i've told people about my comic word of mouth, we've had adds in the bulletin, i've done other artwork for church, and included strips on hundreds of church mail outs. but only a few pepole started reading from my website- i get my books printed, and at the drop of a hat after church (in conjuction with a fund raiser) i sell over 20 copies. and these are 20 copies from people who wouldn't pay for a digital copy online and aren't reading it for free. Also, there were pepole who said "you've got a book coming outof your webcomic- cool. i'll read it then" while they havne't read it online for free.

but i also think the big deal here is the personal aspect. people will buy something that has a personal resonance to them. if i draw them a picture and talk with them, they're more likely to buy my book. i think that is one of the problems- or at least one way we could get things better. especially with ministry. if we can get out there and get our books and make a personal contact with real people, i think it will be good for us- and this is somethint that i think is huritng the meainstream scene, too. i havefriends who draw comics all day and peole in their city who are fans of theirs- but dont' even know they might shop at the same grocery store! if we could grab onto that promotion, i think we'd be in a better place. which is also why i really admire Bob Luedke. he's doing just that- doing a many stop book tour- i've seen him just give away his complete graphic novels- not a cheap stapled comic- a full color full length GN to tons of people at one event in particular- and that is a heart for spreading the gospel and also a great way to market his comics.

digital comics work for webcomcis fans and for comics fans- but for the general newspaper comic strip fan, they don't work so well. and with the loss of newspapers- we're loosing many poele who read thru the comcis because they are there and find strips htey like, but wouldn't go to a comics store. my dad is a good example. he loved calvin and hobbes and has many of the calvin and hobbes collections- a few other strips, too. but i doubt he would go to the BC site and read it if it wasn't available in the newspaper. and i know he woudln't go to a comic store to find a collection. i guess he has gone to cartoon sections of bookstores- or at least other people have for gifts at some points. and these were purchased before they awere like 4 bucks at B&N.

This reply was deleted.