Wednesday, March 07, 2007

IN CASE U MISSED IT: Digital rumblings

Since I like to muse about the EVENTUAL conversion of the market/medium to digital here on TSL, there were a couple solid notes on the movement in the last couple weeks, spurred by some announcements from NYCC about some of the bigger industry players plans for potential digital distribution.

First there was a link in Rich Johnston's LYING IN THE GUTTERS NYCC wrap up to a well informed piece from Todd Allen:
Found HERE

Then there was a more recent piece on Newsarama questioning a cross section of retailers about their thoughts on digital:
Found HERE

Basically, Marvel announced they're working on something, DC is rumored to be (but perhaps more slowly than their opposition), and Top Cow announced an odd two step of a plan that partners them with IGN.com.

As I've often noted, with the ease, dramatically lower expense, and potentially massive reach, digital is the future and WILL suplant print, it's just a matter of time, and if the big comic book publisher players make a move, it could happen very fast.

6 comments:

joeldanford said...

I won't debate this with you because I like books I can hold in my hand and take with me with to the john.

BUT..

You should really get SuperReal on a service like this:

http://comics.drivethrustuff.com/

There are several out there. This seems like it'd be right up your alley.

Jason Martin said...

Yeah, I've been planning to get SR back on the web, debating using one of the existing digital services, or putting it up on my own site...

I was tempted with Drivethrucomics.com, talked with them at SDCC last year, but I don't like their price point/model. $2ea is TOO much for a digital comic.

Pullboxonline.com has a better model, pdf or cbr format, at more like .99cents ea

I'm looking at putting SR #1 up on the site, in some format, for free, right now actually.
:)
Gotta try and use it as a tool to get more eyes on the book now that it's been out a while in print.

joeldanford said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
joeldanford said...

Scott Story does the comic Johhny Saturn through Drivethrucomics.com and he just knocked his down to $.99 each.

ComiXpress has changed their pricing dramatically since Ka-blam showed up. Maybe Drivethrucomics.com made some changes since then.

The free online comic sounds good. I may do that with some Bluewing stories. I already have some online for free and I may do a few more just for that purpose.

You can always do an E-book through Lulu.com and set your own price point. I think I'm gonna do some E-book freebies through them. Use up THEIR bandwidth. ;)

btw.. that was my deleted comment. just editing my post.

Jason Martin said...

Yeah, I'd have to check with Drivethroughcomics again, but when they launched the price point, the main one, was like $2, and I know people could set it lower, but if the average price is that high, I'd worry it turns people away...

I'll have to check em out again...

ComiXpress, I've heard they're still having problems. Had anything done by them lately??

joeldanford said...

Nope. I think I may actually go with Ka-blam or at least give them a try. Also, gonna talk to some guy at work who knows where we have some printers that do newsprint/saddlestitch cheap and I work at Fed Ex Kinko's and we get some wicked discount on shipping.

I'll let you know how all that goes.