Are the days numbered for printed comic books?
By MikeInHB
@MikeInHB (4)
United States
April 3, 2009 11:15pm CST
As anybody associated with a newspaper will tell you, the printed page is nearing extinction. Major newspapers are going bankrupt or shutting down entirely. Layoffs are regular. Magazines are hurting too. Will comics follow suit?
Marvel has already launched their online subscription service. Not only can you read current books, but you can access thousands of archived titles. And while their comic book viewing interface is a bit user unfriendly, it's bound to improve over time. Where Marvel goes DC is sure to follow. If the digital platforms gain a following, won't it be just a matter of time before the costs of paper and ink, shipping and distribution just become too big of a burden? And what would become of your friendly neighborhood comics shop?
1 response
@AllenWiggs (404)
• United States
12 Dec 09
No they aren't numbered, and neither is print books, magazines, or newspapers. They are all changing and adapting. Thanks to POD presses more people will have access to them, and there will always be purists wanting to hold something instead of just digital items. It will shape and alter, surely, and maybe one day singles will all be digital and collections will be in print, but I don't foresee the day where it will die completely.
