Great write-up! And I agree completely. As someone who grew up loving comics, there is something really special about hardcopies - and I occassionally will buy them (especially for TPBs that I know I will read more than once). But when it comes to superhero comics, digital is the way to go.
Of course the trade-off is that you lose out on the collectability, and that's appealing to some people. But if you're in it primarily for the stories and the art, then digital is a godsend. You only have to move once or twice, dragging your physical collection with you, to start thinking, "Do I really NEED to own all this stuff?!"
Great analogy with Future Shop, ha!
And you're right about Comixology - I was so sad and frustrated to see what Amazon had done with it. For almost a decade it was the home of all my digital comics and it worked great. Now we've got easy access for the big two, but it's all the other stuff that I miss being able to get digitally. Will check out Global Comix! (Have you tried publishing there? Curious about your experience!)
Another amazing middle ground I've found is using your city's local library system. Here in Toronto we have an AMAZING library system. First, you can get a hardcopy of any TPB you could imagine (big pub and small), so that helps a ton with sating the desire for a tactile experience. And second, they have TWO incredible digital systems (Libby and Hoopla) that also have anything you could ever want. I love being able to get my hands on a hardcopy when I want that experience, and go with digital when it's easier. (This could be a good newsletter topic? Encouraging comic fans to engage more with their local library system - if you're in a medium to big city, it's a comic reader's dream).
I recently got a Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ tablet (used off ebay for a great price) and am loving it. Love being able to hold it in my hand, the OLED screen is gorgeous (love those rich blacks, baby!) and it's exactly 1:1 size with a real comic book so the scaling works perfectly - books actually feel a tiny bit larger since they're always perfectly flat and there is no bend.
I'll definitely be mentioning libraries next post! I'm a heavy user of TPL, both in person (though the recent cyberhack has made it a little more challenging) and through Hoopla. It actually helps fill a lot of the gaps you can find on GlobalComix (Titan, IDW and Scout are still missing). I definitely recommend GlobalComix if you like indie stuff.
The royalties have been minimal so far, but it's been getting the books in front of new audiences anyway.
Nothing like a good tablet to read comics. It was decent in the Comixology days, but the OLED screens have actually made it a better experience than paper. As much as I love my portrait-turned monitor, sometimes you just want to kickback on the couch (or porch, in nicer weather) and bring your collection there.
Great write-up! And I agree completely. As someone who grew up loving comics, there is something really special about hardcopies - and I occassionally will buy them (especially for TPBs that I know I will read more than once). But when it comes to superhero comics, digital is the way to go.
Of course the trade-off is that you lose out on the collectability, and that's appealing to some people. But if you're in it primarily for the stories and the art, then digital is a godsend. You only have to move once or twice, dragging your physical collection with you, to start thinking, "Do I really NEED to own all this stuff?!"
Great analogy with Future Shop, ha!
And you're right about Comixology - I was so sad and frustrated to see what Amazon had done with it. For almost a decade it was the home of all my digital comics and it worked great. Now we've got easy access for the big two, but it's all the other stuff that I miss being able to get digitally. Will check out Global Comix! (Have you tried publishing there? Curious about your experience!)
Another amazing middle ground I've found is using your city's local library system. Here in Toronto we have an AMAZING library system. First, you can get a hardcopy of any TPB you could imagine (big pub and small), so that helps a ton with sating the desire for a tactile experience. And second, they have TWO incredible digital systems (Libby and Hoopla) that also have anything you could ever want. I love being able to get my hands on a hardcopy when I want that experience, and go with digital when it's easier. (This could be a good newsletter topic? Encouraging comic fans to engage more with their local library system - if you're in a medium to big city, it's a comic reader's dream).
I recently got a Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ tablet (used off ebay for a great price) and am loving it. Love being able to hold it in my hand, the OLED screen is gorgeous (love those rich blacks, baby!) and it's exactly 1:1 size with a real comic book so the scaling works perfectly - books actually feel a tiny bit larger since they're always perfectly flat and there is no bend.
Great post!
Thanks, Filip! Glad you enjoyed this entry.
I'll definitely be mentioning libraries next post! I'm a heavy user of TPL, both in person (though the recent cyberhack has made it a little more challenging) and through Hoopla. It actually helps fill a lot of the gaps you can find on GlobalComix (Titan, IDW and Scout are still missing). I definitely recommend GlobalComix if you like indie stuff.
Our books are on GlobalComix too! https://globalcomix.com/a/pesto-comics/comics
The royalties have been minimal so far, but it's been getting the books in front of new audiences anyway.
Nothing like a good tablet to read comics. It was decent in the Comixology days, but the OLED screens have actually made it a better experience than paper. As much as I love my portrait-turned monitor, sometimes you just want to kickback on the couch (or porch, in nicer weather) and bring your collection there.