Comics on the iPad? UPDATE: Now available on Google Chrome!!

[Shawn Hopkins]

I didn't think much of the iPad, until I saw how well it did this.

http://kotaku.com/5465311/panelfly-comic-reader-makes-the-ipad-a-bit-more-attractive

Now this is an interesting use for the device. I might miss the feel and smell of the paper but, honestly, I've missed that ever since they switched to the glossy magazine stuff that has about the same emotional significance to me as an old Esquire. The idea of being able to get your comics instantly every week and carry around a whole collection in something smaller than a hardback book is intriguing.

[Antiyonder]

Yeah, but the big drawback with electronic reading is that it costs money. With a printed book/comic/magazine/newspaper, you can read them for free during the day (via sunlight). But unless these devices could have a solar battery, reading with them is more costly than printed material.

But as I discussed with the E-Book thread, I personally think that the big reason people push for digital reading is more for the trendy value than for efficiency.

If the iPad could be made with a solar battery, I could see it as a replacement, but until then it should be an alternative only.

[Captain Highwind]

I guess there's no comic book reader for itunes is there?

I now have a free Mass Effect comic downloaded with nary an ipad or iphone to open it with.

[Shawn Hopkins]

Yeah, but the big drawback with electronic reading is that it costs money. With a printed book/comic/magazine/newspaper, you can read them for free during the day (via sunlight). But unless these devices could have a solar battery, reading with them is more costly than printed material.

But as I discussed with the E-Book thread, I personally think that the big reason people push for digital reading is more for the trendy value than for efficiency.

If the iPad could be made with a solar battery, I could see it as a replacement, but until then it should be an alternative only.

Actually, the tiny bit of electricity needed to transmit and read a comic book on such a device is much more energy efficient than producing and bleaching paper, printing the book on that paper and transporting that book across the country for someone to read. Not to mention the energy you as the consumer waste getting to the book if you drive somewhere to get it.

Now, whether the pricing of comic books for e-readers will benefit the consumer by reflecting the energy savings the company sees, I dunno, but if it did it would more than offset the additional energy output on the customers part, especially if you add the energy savings from not having to travel to get the comics. If they charge a dollar less for it you're definitely coming out ahead.

[Matt Hazuda]

I guess there's no comic book reader for itunes is there?

I now have a free Mass Effect comic downloaded with nary an ipad or iphone to open it with.Sure there is.

http://iphonecomicbookreader.com/ has a list of some possible solutions (looks like you're going to have to pay for it though no matter your choice).

[spidl]

Comics are about the only thing I can see that would push me toward buying a device like this.

[Memphis Bleek]

Marvel released an app for the iPad yesterday, and the free download allows access to more than 500 comics from the company's 70 year history. More details are available in the New York Times's Art Beats Blog (http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/02/can-the-ipad-do-whatever-a-comics-store-can/).

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

E-comics still can't beat print until I can take them into the bathroom and read it while taking a bath.:p

(Well, I COULD do that--if I didn't mind the risk of electrocution)

(Added--I do 90% of my pleasure reading in the bathroom, either on th can or in the tub)

[RayChuang]

I actually e-mailed Archie Comics about doing an iPad version of Archie Digital Comics and they told me they ARE working on such an app, though it would not be available at the time of the iPad launch. We may see such an app by this summer, though.

[Mistah K88]

Comics are about the only thing I can see that would push me toward buying a device like this.

Agreed. Especially having the ability to download comics that are very old and cannot really be found anywhere anymore (or are very rare and/or expensive).

[wonderfly]

Could you go to the Marvel Digital Comics website on the IPad, and read their comics online that way? If so, that would make it worthwhile (but I suspect that would run counter to the Marvel IPad App (for $1.99, you get to keep the downloaded comic, right)?

[Ed Liu]

Could you go to the Marvel Digital Comics website on the IPad, and read their comics online that way? If so, that would make it worthwhile (but I suspect that would run counter to the Marvel IPad App (for $1.99, you get to keep the downloaded comic, right)?
If the Digital Comics website is in Flash (and I could have sworn it was), then you can't because the iPad doesn't support Flash. I'll chalk that up to the same kind of boneheaded decision making from Steve Jobs that is also why there's no Blu-ray support on Macs, but the bottom line is that no Flash on the iPad for the foreseeable future, so no Marvel Digital Comics or DC's Zuda, from what I understand.

I wouldn't mind reading comics on an iPad. Still tossing back and forth on whether I want one badly enough to get it or to wait for the next, cooler version. I can do 99% of the things on an iPad that I currently use my laptop for, but commuting to work with the 1.5lb iPad sounds much nicer than using the 5.5lb laptop.

[Manga4life]

I'm still in the small group of people who believe that the iPad is going to fail, it may take a while for the initial hype to wear down but I really can't see this product reaching the heights of the iPod or the iPhone, all the unit really is is a giant iPod Touch but larger to make the web experience better. The Marvel app is a cool idea but in the end I don't see the Marvel app being a massive success, I have been wrong before but this is just something I feel strongly about and I think TPB's and backissues serve as a good enough way to read back issues, same thing with web reading on normal PC's and laptops.

[suss2it]

I'm still in the small group of people who believe that the iPad is going to fail, it may take a while for the initial hype to wear downIt sold over 300, 000 copies in one day (http://www.macrumors.com/2010/04/05/apple-sells-over-300000-ipads-on-first-day/), so something tell me it won't be a flop:p.


I really can't see this product reaching the heights of the iPod or the iPhoneNot reaching the heights of the iPhone or iPod Touch can hardly be considered a fail seeing as how successful those two are.


all the unit really is is a giant iPod Touch but larger to make the web experience better.What's wrong with that? All an HD TV really is a larger TV to to better experience TV shows and movies.


The Marvel app is a cool idea but in the end I don't see the Marvel app being a massive success, I have been wrong before but this is just something I feel strongly about and I think TPB's and backissues serve as a good enough way to read back issuesA lot of back issues are no longer available or rare and hard to find for casual readers, having them all be downloadable would make things a lot easier.

I think it'd be great to have an entire comic book collection everywhere you go that only ways about a pound, and also to be able to download the latest issue or one you're missing.

[Manga4life]

That 300K in sales is all the Apple fanboy's who must have everything Apple as soon as it's released, sure the unit may sell a few million which in turn will make it somewhat successful but I can't see it becoming a major piece of "must own" electronics much like a laptop, cell phone or a television. This is a very nich product at the moment and only a small fraction of people are really going to have a need for something like this, but as it pertains to digital comics, they are available all over the web through paid (and free) services. An iPad is most certainly not needed to view comics and the Marvel app is not going to move units for Apple, it will probably not even be downloaded by more than 3% of iPad owners.

[suss2it]

That 300K in sales is all the Apple fanboy's who must have everything Apple as soon as it's releasedYou're the one who thought it would fail and 300K is not a fail, their motives for buying it aren't really important.


sure the unit may sell a few million which in turn will make it somewhat successful but I can't see it becoming a major piece of "must own" electronics much like a laptop, cell phone or a television.Nobody is saying it has to be a "must own" to be useful.


digital comics are available all over the web through paid (and free) services.So why not have them on an iPad?


An iPad is most certainly not needed to view comics and the Marvel app is not going to move units for Apple, it will probably not even be downloaded by more than 3% of iPad owners.That 3% would then be able to have their entire comicbook collections with them everywhere they go with it only weighing a pound. I'm not saying the iPad is needed for anything, I'm saying that is a very useful tool for carrying and reading one's comics any and everywhere they go.

[Shawn Hopkins]

It'll do far better than the Apple haters want it to and probably far better than it deserves to strictly as a product. There's a lot more to attracting consumer interest than strictly the utility of the product.

But the iPad itself is not the only issue here. Tablet computers, from all manufacturers, will become a new and important category in consumer electronics. There is a usefulness there, especially if you can get one that isn't as locked down as your average Apple product. And they are perfect for comic books, they almost seemed designed with them in mind. Comic companies, if they are smart enough to take advantage of this, could turn this into an opportunity for a comics renaissance and sidestep all of the distribution and ghettoization problems that hold comics back.

[wonderfly]

Interesting article on the IPad's comic capabilities. (http://www.newsarama.com/comics/comixology-marvel-ipad-100407.html) The debate seems to be whether this will result in the death of comic shops, or whether this will open up new customers...

My concern is that $1.99 is too much...I'm not so much into ownership of the comic material (especially a digital copy), I'm more into just having access to the material for reading purposes. Thus, the "Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited" website still sounds like the best bet for me...

[Ed Liu]

But the iPad itself is not the only issue here. Tablet computers, from all manufacturers, will become a new and important category in consumer electronics.
Yeah, but haven't tablet computers been an OLD category in computers? They've been around for a while, and they haven't set the world on fire. I know a lot of people who own tablets and adore them, but I also know more who look at the price premium and say, "I'll take that other one with the normal screen for $100+ less." Same reason why Apple doesn't sell as many laptops as H-P. What's different now that will make tablets more popular than they have been?

I'll admit that I'm an Apple partisan and the only tablet on the market I'd consider now is an iPad, and I'm thinking pretty seriously about trying to get one. The idea of getting digital comics appeals to me for a few reasons -- I can pay less to try out a comic rather than dealing with the vague guilt of reading an issue in the store, I can get it wherever I am (or wherever I have WiFi, since I'm not giving those scumsucking dirtbag pantywaists at AT&T a cent if I can avoid it), and if I hate it, I won't get that twinge of regret that I do if I trash a comic book. If the iPad changes my comic habits, I suspect it'll be as a sampling device that I use to decide if I want to get the TPB. I certainly think the iPad is a much better device for digital comics than any of its competitors.

[Manga4life]

Interesting article on the IPad's comic capabilities. (http://www.newsarama.com/comics/comixology-marvel-ipad-100407.html) The debate seems to be whether this will result in the death of comic shops, or whether this will open up new customers...

My concern is that $1.99 is too much...I'm not so much into ownership of the comic material (especially a digital copy), I'm more into just having access to the material for reading purposes. Thus, the "Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited" website still sounds like the best bet for me...

Like I said before, I don't think the new app or the iPad in general is going to make a huge impact in the comic book world, and I really don't think it's going to hurt the market much at all. I have been a comic book collector for a long, long time and I really think that most collectors like to have the actual comic for more than reading, some archive, some buy and sell once the issue get's hot and other just like having the physical copy of the book because it's just plain cool, while this whole app thing could impact the market in a tiny way I don't think it's going to be noticable enough to make any ripples, but then again stranger things have happened. The thing about comic book shopps these days is that they are not really just comic book shops anymore, most of them have cards, figures, games, movies and other collectibles on the shelves and "comics" just happens to be in the name of the store in most cases. So in essence I don't see the "digital age" hurting sales to much, but there is always the chance that it could do more damage than I'm suggesting it will, just look at the music industry and you will know that it is a possibility.

[Shawn Hopkins]

Yeah, but haven't tablet computers been an OLD category in computers? They've been around for a while, and they haven't set the world on fire. I know a lot of people who own tablets and adore them, but I also know more who look at the price premium and say, "I'll take that other one with the normal screen for $100+ less." Same reason why Apple doesn't sell as many laptops as H-P. What's different now that will make tablets more popular than they have been?


There were MP3 players out before the iPod, too, but the technology, user friendliness, marketing muscle and innovation wasn't there yet to make most consumers see the huge potential. If the iPad does make this potential clear then it will give a boost to the category. That's just my theory, we'll see what happens.


Like I said before, I don't think the new app or the iPad in general is going to make a huge impact in the comic book world, and I really don't think it's going to hurt the market much at all. I have been a comic book collector for a long, long time and I really think that most collectors like to have the actual comic for more than reading, some archive, some buy and sell once the issue get's hot and other just like having the physical copy of the book because it's just plain cool, while this whole app thing could impact the market in a tiny way I don't think it's going to be noticable enough to make any ripples, but then again stranger things have happened. The thing about comic book shopps these days is that they are not really just comic book shops anymore, most of them have cards, figures, games, movies and other collectibles on the shelves and "comics" just happens to be in the name of the store in most cases. So in essence I don't see the "digital age" hurting sales to much, but there is always the chance that it could do more damage than I'm suggesting it will, just look at the music industry and you will know that it is a possibility.

Collectors are a small, shrinking market, though. The group the comic book companies should be targeting is readers, people who don't want to keep 14,000 comic books in their house like me, but would read comic books if they were conveniently available and correctly marketed. Readers don't care as much about physical copies, it's like the difference between vinyl record collectors and someone with a bunch of MP3s.

[Manga4life]

There were MP3 players out before the iPod, too, but the technology, user friendliness, marketing muscle and innovation wasn't there yet to make most consumers see the huge potential. If the iPad does make this potential clear then it will give a boost to the category. That's just my theory, we'll see what happens.



Collectors are a small, shrinking market, though. The group the comic book companies should be targeting is readers, people who don't want to keep 14,000 comic books in their house like me, but would read comic books if they were conveniently available and correctly marketed. Readers don't care as much about physical copies, it's like the difference between vinyl record collectors and someone with a bunch of MP3s.


I think I'm just turning bitter. I went from seeing comic books selling in the millions to selling just below 100K copies in a week for the heavy hitters and now physical copies could (potentially) take a dip at the hands of mobility, I guess the collector in me is becoming slightly jaded and I'm cheering against digital comics. I still don't think the iPad is going to affect the market that much and I refuse to become an Apple fanboy who must defend the "i" with my every breath, but I am smart enough to know that stranger things have happened and if this app catches on there is a possibility that comic stores could suffer.

[spidl]

I think I'm just turning bitter. I went from seeing comic books selling in the millions to selling just below 100K copies in a week for the heavy hitters and now physical copies could (potentially) take a dip at the hands of mobility, I guess the collector in me is becoming slightly jaded and I'm cheering against digital comics. I still don't think the iPad is going to affect the market that much and I refuse to become an Apple fanboy who must defend the "i" with my every breath, but I am smart enough to know that stranger things have happened and if this app catches on there is a possibility that comic stores could suffer.

Digital comics are the future. The Ipad is still to expensive to make a difference, but when devices are available for $200 or less I think we will start to see the tide turning. There are more devices coming in the marketplace that will give consumers choice.

I have over $3000 comics, but I do not consider myself a collector. I like to read comics, but I am not married to reading them on paper if there is a good alternative.

[Shawn Hopkins]

I think I'm just turning bitter. I went from seeing comic books selling in the millions to selling just below 100K copies in a week for the heavy hitters and now physical copies could (potentially) take a dip at the hands of mobility, I guess the collector in me is becoming slightly jaded and I'm cheering against digital comics. I still don't think the iPad is going to affect the market that much and I refuse to become an Apple fanboy who must defend the "i" with my every breath, but I am smart enough to know that stranger things have happened and if this app catches on there is a possibility that comic stores could suffer.

The only Apple product I own is an iPod shuffle and I have no plans to buy the iPad. But I'm sure there will be a more affordable, less locked down version. Because Apple is undeniably a trendsetter even when they aren't the market leader.

I don't think this has to hurt comic stores, at least not really good comic book stores. They're mostly screwed now anyway, the only ones I see making it are diversified "geek junk" shops that sell a bunch of games and toys, if most stores tried to sell only comics they'd close in six months. If this takes off and makes comics more popular in general, though, they could still survive by giving the more permanent fix to the old and, hopefully, new enthusiasts for the form in a "rising tide lifts all boats" way. Maybe. Hopefully. That didn't really work with record stores, I guess.

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

Digital comics are the future..

Damn! What the hell am I gonna read in the bathroom 20 years from now?:p

[Ed Liu]

There were MP3 players out before the iPod, too, but the technology, user friendliness, marketing muscle and innovation wasn't there yet to make most consumers see the huge potential. If the iPad does make this potential clear then it will give a boost to the category. That's just my theory, we'll see what happens.

Ah, I see. Now I can see that in what you wrote originally. You're not saying that tablets are new, you're just saying that the iPad might be the tablet PC that doesn't suck ;).


I think I'm just turning bitter. I went from seeing comic books selling in the millions to selling just below 100K copies in a week for the heavy hitters
I think both of your numbers are off. Back when comics sold in the millions, you have to figure that a whole lot of that was from speculators buying multiple copies in the belief that they would be worth money in 20-30 years, OR they were based on newsstand numbers which were never accurate because they never took returns or "damaged" books into account. Either way, any "millions of copies" number has always been inflated compared to the number of actual readers.

Similarly, top-selling books today have generally pushed well past the 100K mark these days, although the caution there is that this is numbers sold via Diamond to comic shops and says nothing about actual sell-through rates. If Diamond pushed out 200K copies of Super Punch Man #500 but 199K of those ended up in quarter bins or recycling bins, it'll still show up as 200K copies sold in the numbers available.

It's also worth pointing out that relatively few comics ended up with those kinds of big numbers (inflated as they are). The majority of books end up selling far less than the top sellers, no matter what era you're talking about.

Damn! What the hell am I gonna read in the bathroom 20 years from now?:p
You're thinking way too small scale. 20 years from now, bathrooms will also be obsolete because of the radical advancements made in PMWETSSS (personal mobile waste elimination technology with selective sound suppression) which will allow people to eliminate bodily wastes without needing a bathroom. It will do for potty breaks what the cell phone did for telecommunications. Think about it: you can reclaim that room in your house for other purposes, you can walk and talk on your cell phone and relieve all at once, you will never have to worry about not finding a rest stop or a sanitary facility while traveling, and if you're traveling abroad all I can say is "no squatters thank you." There might be some rough spots as people learn new skills to avoid, er, accidents while walking/driving and engaging in purging activities, but these will be overcome! You can read your digital comics in the bathroom because the WHOLE WORLD will be your bathroom!

Or, you can just bring your iPad or whatever into the head just like you do your comics. Other than the greater replacement expense if you damage it, I can't think of too many other risks to the device or to you that aren't also present for comics. And as the expense of the device goes down, the replacement expense won't be insurmountable either, just as "dropped in toilet" is a surprisingly common reason for replacing a cell phone, according to the nice folks I talked with at Verizon when I dropped my cell phone in the toilet HAD A FRIEND who dropped his cell phone in a toilet. Whoo, man! What an idiot that guy was who was not me!

[Jin Kazama]

And as the expense of the device goes down, the replacement expense won't be insurmountable either, just as "dropped in toilet" is a surprisingly common reason for replacing a cell phone, according to the nice folks I talked with at Verizon when I dropped my cell phone in the toilet HAD A FRIEND who dropped his cell phone in a toilet. Whoo, man! What an idiot that guy was who was not me!

Ha! I actually laughed aloud to that. Good job, sir!

Anyway, I honestly hope that this isn't the "wave of the future" or anything. I have no issue with digital means to get comics, and I think it'll do wonders for those that don't have access to a comic shop locally. But I would like it to work side-by-side with print copies, as opposed to replacing them.

I've read digital comics before. Not a huge fan of them. But, then again, my idea of relaxing it crashing on my couch and cracking open a good comic or trade. I don't get that feeling by adding a laptop, and I assume I still won't with a tablet. It just feels too....business-like, I guess. Like I'm multitasking instead of relaxing.

[Antiyonder]

I recentlt did a brief rant response to a video that Marzgurl did on manga on "iPad" (on the TGWTG Thread), so I thought I would give a more fair assessment here.

Truth be told I wouldn't really mind if iPads were to replace the single issue mags altogether. As long as the material gets a printed format (Trades only), then I wouldn't see any problem.

[wonderfly]

Marvel will release Iron Man Annual #1 digitally on the same day it's released in stores. (http://www.newsarama.com/comics/the-q-retailers-digital-iron-man-100607.html)

The catch? On the digital side of things, i'll be divided into 3 parts, each for $1.99 a piece.

There's an interesting quote from that article comparing the dividing up of comic books to the selling of individual tracks from an album:


"People are always comparing comics to record albums when a ten dollar record can be easily be divided by tracks. Look for comic books to be divided by chapters with several chapters in a single comic each sold at 99 cents per chapter with the whole book costing around the same price as the printed comic book," Demumbrum said. "This could have as great an impact on comic book story writing as the trade paperback had on the decompression of comic book stories. Paying more for the digital copy for the convenience of not having to store the comic in comic boxes or to be able carry hundreds of comics in a compact device is no different than paying more to buy milk at 7-11."

If this has the effect of forcing writers to write short self-contained chapters (instead of writing for the TPB) then I'm all for it.

EDIT: Apparently Boom Studios has come out with an ipad and iphone app as well!! (http://www.newsarama.com/comics/boom-studios-ipad-100614.html) They're now supposedly getting hits with that app that rival Marvel's own ipad app!

[Ed Liu]

Marvel will release Iron Man Annual #1 digitally on the same day it's released in stores. (http://www.newsarama.com/comics/the-q-retailers-digital-iron-man-100607.html)

The catch? On the digital side of things, i'll be divided into 3 parts, each for $1.99 a piece.

There's an interesting quote from that article comparing the dividing up of comic books to the selling of individual tracks from an album:
Marvel can spin that however they want to, but the reality is that the only reason why the annual costs more in digital format is to avoid a mass comic shop retailer rebellion. Scott Kurtz says so (http://www.pvponline.com/2010/06/08/q-what-do-retailers-think-of-iron-man-annual-digital/) in more direct terms, so I'll refer to him and just say, "I agree."

[Spider-Man]

Without any notice, DC Comics is now iPad/Phone ready:


http://i.livescience.com/images/dciphone_02.jpg

DC Comics has finally entered the digital publishing frontier...

With so-far no fanfare or advanced announcement, and after months of questions and speculation about when the comic book publishing giant would announce a digital distribution initiative, an official free DC Comics app (Version 1.0) and store for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad premiered on iTunes in the early hours of June 23, offering e-versions of DC titles for individual sale.

Like Marvel’s app, which debuted the launch day of Apple’s iPad in early April, DC’s app is powered by ComiXology, a leader in digital publishing for the comic book industry.

Over 35 titles were available at launch, with prices ranging from $0.99 to $2.99. The initial selection features titles from all of DC’s imprints, including Wildstorm, Vertigo and Zuda.

A full rundown of the currently available comics can be found here:

http://www.newsarama.com/comics/dc-comics-ipad-iphone-app-100623.html

Anyone else really surprised by this?

[wonderfly]

That IS surprising, I figured DC was content to live in the stone age...

[FTPC]

does this mean that the Normal comics will become more rare in the years to come when Digtal comics become or garther more of a following?

[screw on head]

does this mean that the Normal comics will become more rare in the years to come when Digtal comics become or garther more of a following?
It'll be interesting to see where this goes. For now it's great for creators, because it offers more avenues and jobs for them to get involved in.

For now all I've been reading from the DC reps in interviews is that they've been calling these digital works "additive", in that these digital issues are being marketed and designed to add to and enhance print publishing, and not steal away sales from that market.

Digital publishing is creating new revenue in addition to print sales for the time being, and from what I read that's in its design. If they can continue to keep these digital works "additive", pulling in new, lapsed, or regular fans to go out to the comic shop and buy print comics that's great.

I think as long as digital comics are used as a "taste test" or a "sampler" to get readers to go out and buy comics in print that's great. When it starts infringing on print sales deliberately by design by publishers then I think we're in for trouble, but I don't think we're close to that yet. Publishers seem to be approaching this with the right outlook for the moment and I hope things stay that way!

[Beat]

If Tablet/Pad computers go the way of DVD's as opposed to Laserdisc, this could very well be the shot in the arm the industry needs. That being said, I don't think anyone is going to be willing to pay $3 a pop for digital media like a comic. You need a subscription service with an appropriate savings % to really get the public on board.

[FTPC]

Since the 19th century and in the 20th century comic books have been on paper and we have seen Gaints like Marvel and DC grow and we are memebers of our local comicbook store...

I am Worried about the next gen of comics with will be digtal comics apps. Because all tech has a human behind it.. that is the issue Glitches that could wipe out your comics collections.. Also these comic book store Might be put out of a job. If These digtal comics really gain speed..

and your asking what about not having This issue or that issue in the old collection of comics , Paper comics well if you don't have that issuse all you would have to do is call around to see who has it..

What next are they gonna come out with a marvel toy app, I am sorry this punisher fan is old school i would rather have it in my hand after buying it from my local comic shop..

[Beat]

You're never going to get rid of physical media like books, simply because of the human impulse to collect. Go to any bookstore, you don't see people abandoning ink and paper for Kindles. But at the same time, getting your medium out to a new audience is VITAL for continued relevance. Comics need to adapt to the times, simply because as a force in the traditional markets, they HAVE dwindled. Sales figures show this. Comic book stores are nowhere near the force they were. (the only comic book store I can think of near me is half an hour away and is attached to a LAW OFFICE of all things.) The comic sections in bookstores ARE smaller, and whether you blame the market, manga, etc, etc, the share isn't as big. You can't print 10,000 copies of a comic, slap a #1 on it, and expect insane sales anymore. So adaptation is necessary.

Be that as it may, there is still going to be a demand for material that doesn't require a machine to access. All the bases need to be covered, but one won't trump all.

[suss2it]

What next are they gonna come out with a marvel toy app
You mean like a video game?

[FTPC]

No the "toy app means like you can Buy action fiugure on you cell phone, and clam to have the real thing, vs having bought from your local comic shop, and in mint and put it up on the self..

[Shawn Hopkins]

does this mean that the Normal comics will become more rare in the years to come when Digtal comics become or garther more of a following?

Print comics are already becoming more rare as the audience shrinks. You could fit the entire print runs of some comics, even some Marvel and DC comics, in the back of a U-Haul. And even then a good portion of these sit unsold because the demand just isn't there. They have to grow the audience some way and making them easily available on digital devices that millions of people have or will have sounds like a good way to do it to me.

[wonderfly]

As this seems to be our official "News on Digital Comics" thread, I figured I'd share this latest:

Marvel Comics now has a website for downloading comics on Google Chrome!

Story here. (http://www.newsarama.com/comics/marvel-comics-google-chrome-110202.html)

It appears to be a hybrid between the "read it online" format of the Marvel Digital Comics website (http://marvel.com/digital_comics/), and the "buy it and download it" Itunes/Ipad stuff.

It also solves my dilemma of not being able to buy comics digitally since I don't own an Ipad/Iphone. :) However...if everything on this Google Chrome app can be read online on the Marvel Digital website, the only attraction I see would be the ability to download it on Google Chrome (to own it).

[suss2it]

As this seems to be our official "News on Digital Comics" thread, I figured I'd share this latest:

Marvel Comics now has a website for downloading comics on Google Chrome!

Story here. (http://www.newsarama.com/comics/marvel-comics-google-chrome-110202.html)

It appears to be a hybrid between the "read it online" format of the Marvel Digital Comics website (http://marvel.com/digital_comics/), and the "buy it and download it" Itunes/Ipad stuff.

It also solves my dilemma of not being able to buy comics digitally since I don't own an Ipad/Iphone. :) However...if everything on this Google Chrome app can be read online on the Marvel Digital website, the only attraction I see would be the ability to download it on Google Chrome (to own it).The website looks pretty good, although I prefer the Comixology website. That just may be because that's what I'm use to using though. Something that I find really lame though is that if you buy a comic on that website, you can't download for free onto your iPhone/iPad yet you can do the reverse.

[wonderfly]

The website looks pretty good, although I prefer the Comixology website. That just may be because that's what I'm use to using though. Something that I find really lame though is that if you buy a comic on that website, you can't download for free onto your iPhone/iPad yet you can do the reverse.

Yeah, but is that Marvel's fault or is it Apple's fault?

[suss2it]

Yeah, but is that Marvel's fault or is it Apple's fault?

Marvel's. We can do just that with Comixology, I don't see why we can't with Marvel.

[wonderfly]

Marvel's. We can do just that with Comixology, I don't see why we can't with Marvel.

I thought it was because IPad and IPhone don't like Flash websites (which is why I can't access the Marvel Digital website on an IPad). Thus, you can buy a Marvel comic off of the Google website, yet you can't download it to an IPad because Apple wants to be exclusive and not allow Flash website material. So therefore it's Apple's fault. But maybe I'm misunderstanding the tech here...

[suss2it]

I thought it was because IPad and IPhone don't like Flash websites (which is why I can't access the Marvel Digital website on an IPad). Thus, you can buy a Marvel comic off of the Google website, yet you can't download it to an IPad because Apple wants to be exclusive and not allow Flash website material. So therefore it's Apple's fault. But maybe I'm misunderstanding the tech here...Comixology has a nearly identical set up as Marvel's, except they allow you to buy from the website (which is flash based), but you can then download that comic for free onto your iPad/iPhone/Android device.

[Ed Liu]

I thought it was because IPad and IPhone don't like Flash websites (which is why I can't access the Marvel Digital website on an IPad). Thus, you can buy a Marvel comic off of the Google website, yet you can't download it to an IPad because Apple wants to be exclusive and not allow Flash website material. So therefore it's Apple's fault. But maybe I'm misunderstanding the tech here...
That's pretty much right. The only distinction to make is that there's two ways to use Flash on the web: as content in itself, or as a presenter for content that's in another format. A video or comic book that is encoded in Flash can only be viewed in Flash, end of story. A video or comic book that is encoded in some other format can be presented in anything that can read and display that format. On the web, that interface might be in Flash, but an iOS device could read and display it through a dedicated app for that format. Most people watching YouTube are (were?) using a Flash interface for the videos, but the YouTube app that comes with all iOS devices shows that they are just using Flash as a content presentation platform, not to encode the content itself.

So, the answer to whose fault it is can be complicated. I very much doubt that Marvel encodes all their comics in Flash format, so if the Marvel Digital Comics site can't be read on an iOS device, that's more on Marvel than Apple for choosing not to commission an app or do the site in something other than Flash. As suss2it points out, ComiXology has content in a different, dedicated format that is presented in Flash on their website, but also is supported by a dedicated reader in iOS. I've actually never been to the ComiXology website, since I've only read stuff on my iPad.

Apple has always said that they don't like Flash on iOS devices because it presents the opportunity for developers to make iOS apps that don't look like iOS apps (which is something that ticks me off all the time with Flash-based web sites that look or act different than standard browser behavior), and also that Adobe has promised but not delivered a mobile version of Flash that will not suck the battery dry in a matter of minutes. Steve Jobs has also pointed out that there's a lot of Flash functionality that works fine in a keyboard/mouse paradigm but breaks completely in the touch-interface of iOS devices (like mouse-over functionality). I am sure that this comes down to a control issue, as most things do with Apple, but I'm more happy than not that Flash is getting abandoned as a standard because of the rise of iOS devices. The only thing that upsets me about it is that I use Flash to encode videos often for the News and they aren't playable on an iOS device. But that's just the way it goes.

[wonderfly]

Well, my problem is Marvel (and DC, and Boom Studios, etc) created apps specifically for the IPad and IPhones, to buy individual comics (for .99 cents, or for $1.99, usually). I myself would rather just read the comics online (which is why the Marvel Digital website is the way to go for me).

I tried to buy a comic on this new Google Chrome website, and was startled to find how similar the website is to the Marvel Digital website. When I try to buy the comic, I log in under my name and it tells me I can instead read this comic for no extra charge already on the Marvel Digital website. So hey, I guess I'll stick with that...

After watching the Superbowl last night, is THIS the reason Marvel came out with this Google Chrome app? (http://www.motorola.com/staticfiles/Consumers/US-EN/XOOM/index.html#/features) Can I read comics on the Marvel Digital website on this new Motorola device? Cause if so, I'm SOLD!

[Anthonynotes]

I wonder if or when we'll see the comics industry take a hint from the music industry and release these books in some DRM-free file format that can be downloaded a la mp3's (as .pdf, etc.), instead of all these proprietary/convoluted "must have the 'right' smartphone OS or only can read in a browser" apps/schemes. Which also assumes the company running the site won't go under (or that one's OK with basically just renting the comics vs owning them).

Yes, I know, their relationship with brick-and-mortar stores (and concerns over piracy) make them hesitant, but it'd be a lot easier/more consumer-friendly to me...

Are there any digital comic sites that *do* offer (*legal*) comics as actual, downloadable digital files (pdf, .cbz, etc.)?

[Shawn Hopkins]

I wonder if or when we'll see the comics industry take a hint from the music industry and release these books in some DRM-free file format that can be downloaded a la mp3's (as .pdf, etc.), instead of all these proprietary/convoluted "must have the 'right' smartphone OS or only can read in a browser" apps/schemes. Which also assumes the company running the site won't go under (or that one's OK with basically just renting the comics vs owning them).

Yes, I know, their relationship with brick-and-mortar stores (and concerns over piracy) make them hesitant, but it'd be a lot easier/more consumer-friendly to me...

Are there any digital comic sites that *do* offer (*legal*) comics as actual, downloadable digital files (pdf, .cbz, etc.)?

Never. They've been too badly burned by piracy.

[spidl]

Well, my problem is Marvel (and DC, and Boom Studios, etc) created apps specifically for the IPad and IPhones, to buy individual comics (for .99 cents, or for $1.99, usually). I myself would rather just read the comics online (which is why the Marvel Digital website is the way to go for me).

I tried to buy a comic on this new Google Chrome website, and was startled to find how similar the website is to the Marvel Digital website. When I try to buy the comic, I log in under my name and it tells me I can instead read this comic for no extra charge already on the Marvel Digital website. So hey, I guess I'll stick with that...

After watching the Superbowl last night, is THIS the reason Marvel came out with this Google Chrome app? (http://www.motorola.com/staticfiles/Consumers/US-EN/XOOM/index.html#/features) Can I read comics on the Marvel Digital website on this new Motorola device? Cause if so, I'm SOLD!

Not just that device there will be a ton of Android tablets hitting the market soon. The Xoom did win a best of show award for CES from Cnet.

[Ed Liu]

Well, my problem is Marvel (and DC, and Boom Studios, etc) created apps specifically for the IPad and IPhones, to buy individual comics (for .99 cents, or for $1.99, usually). I myself would rather just read the comics online (which is why the Marvel Digital website is the way to go for me).

I tried to buy a comic on this new Google Chrome website, and was startled to find how similar the website is to the Marvel Digital website. When I try to buy the comic, I log in under my name and it tells me I can instead read this comic for no extra charge already on the Marvel Digital website. So hey, I guess I'll stick with that...

After watching the Superbowl last night, is THIS the reason Marvel came out with this Google Chrome app? (http://www.motorola.com/staticfiles/Consumers/US-EN/XOOM/index.html#/features) Can I read comics on the Marvel Digital website on this new Motorola device? Cause if so, I'm SOLD!
The state of digital comics today is rent vs. own. Anyone with a comiXology-based system (which is all the major players, including Marvel) is oriented around an "own" system where you buy individual issues, download to your device of choice, and read using a comiXology reader. The dedicated iOS apps (and for Android devices too, I think) are all just specialized comiXology-based apps. As long as you have an app to read the comic, you can read it whenever and wherever you want once you buy and download it. The good news is that you get maximum device compatibility and portability; the bad news is that you have to pay per issue. The screen-size issue that was valid back when digital comics started hitting isn't as much of an issue any more now that iPad-style tablets are getting more common.

Marvel's own Digital Comics app is rental-based. In return for the monthly fee, they give you access to a big stack of comics of their choosing. The good news is that the price per comic is probably much, much lower; the bad news is that you will almost certainly be paying for issues that you don't care about, you'll lose access to all of them when you stop paying the fee, and practically, you can only read it on a computer. I suspect they went with the Flash-based interface specifically to make it difficult/impossible to download a comic and hack it to read it outside the Marvel Digital Comics app.

Whether Marvel Digital Comics is a good idea depends on which model you want to look at, really. Every attempt to set up a rental service for music has failed miserably, but Netflix and lots of other people offer online-based rental movies and seem to be doing well enough at it. I would have thought that comics would work more like music (people expect to own them), but Marvel Digital Comics subscribers are proving me wrong. I would be really, really surprised if anybody other than the existing hardcore comic fans are subscribing to their digital site, though, which might be how it's surviving.

You should be able to read the Marvel Digital Comics website with any Android device that supports Flash, but all the early reports that I saw of Android smartphones using Flash substantiated Apple's claim that it totally kills battery life. Maybe things have changed since then, but I haven't been interested enough in any Android device or seeing any Flash site on an iOS device to find out. For that matter, I don't know that the Xoom supports Flash, either, but I'd be surprised if it doesn't.

[wonderfly]

Just to clarify, is this:


Are there any digital comic sites that *do* offer (*legal*) comics as actual, downloadable digital files (pdf, .cbz, etc.)?

Not the same as this:


Anyone with a comiXology-based system (which is all the major players, including Marvel) is oriented around an "own" system where you buy individual issues, download to your device of choice, and read using a comiXology reader. The dedicated iOS apps (and for Android devices too, I think) are all just specialized comiXology-based apps. As long as you have an app to read the comic, you can read it whenever and wherever you want once you buy and download it. The good news is that you get maximum device compatibility and portability; the bad news is that you have to pay per issue.

?

[Ed Liu]

Just to clarify, is this:

Not the same as this:

?
No, because the comiXology format is proprietary. You can only read a comiXology comic in a comiXology app, and the files are copy protected. You own the file once you purchase it, but it's not like a PDF or an MP3, where you can share or have your pick of apps to read/play them.

I've never used a comiXology app on a computer, but I don't even know if it exposes the files for your inspection easily. It definitely doesn't let me see anything on my iPad.

EDIT: And, actually, now that I've visited the comiXology site, I'm not even sure it lets you read things outside the web browser if you're on a PC. I know it's downloading something to my iPad when I buy something, though.

[suss2it]

EDIT: And, actually, now that I've visited the comiXology site, I'm not even sure it lets you read things outside the web browser if you're on a PC. I know it's downloading something to my iPad when I buy something, though.That is true, on a PC you don't download the comic, you stream it. But on the mobile devices you do download them, but they never do tell you what format it is.

[wonderfly]

The next time you're in Starbucks, you can now read Marvel Digital comics for free! (url=http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2011/03/like-coffee-with-your-comics-marvel-joins-starbucks-digital-network/) Enjoy that while sipping your coffee!