I have bought all of the GIT releases of Marvel Comics on DVD, and have copied the contents onto a hard drive for easy access. Later, I discovered CBR and CBZ files and digital comic readers and slowly started to pull together a duplicate collection of the comics I have already purchased. Because I already own the original comics, my possession of these files is considered "fair use" according to copyright law. (Redistributing the files is not legal if the books are still in print.) I have re-read a great many books that have been buried in boxes for 10+ years, and have ended up buying a lot of new TPBs and back issues as a result.

I strongly support the movement to digital comics as a secondary means of distribution. I think it makes a lot of sense to sell monthly (or even weekly) subscriptions to comics and then collect the same content to sell as TPBs 2-3 times a year. Digital subscribers could even get a discount off the normal price for the TPB. It may make sense for the copyright owners to limit copying to 5 computers as iTunes allows the record labels to do with music files, Other copyright owners may be okay with free distribution, looking at the TPB sales as the real revenue generator.  

I know that a lot of longtime readers are resistant to the whole concept of comics on a computer screen, but considering how difficult it is for new readers to discover comics right now, I think digital distribution could go a long way in growing the readership and the industry.

QUOTE: I dare you show me the MarvelMaster Works Uncanny X-Men n.3. It is not available anywhere. (it is not X-MEN it is Uncanny X-MEN)

Here ya go. Here's 6 of them.

http://www.amazon.com/Marvel-Masterworks-Uncanny-Reprints-11 1-121/dp/0785111948/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1 222131012&sr=8-6

You exact line was "I dare you show me the MarvelMaster Works Uncanny X-Men n.3. It is not available anywhere." I showed you 6 of them. It had nothing to do with the price they were asking. If they are out of print and that hard to find then the market will support it. It's no different than GIANT SIZE X-MEN 1 selling for hundreds of dollars. Or ACTION COMICS 1.  It's just another back issue that's out of print yet highly desirable. It's the whole point of the collector's market.

And hell, you're making $100,000/ year. You can afford it.

that our revenues are far better than teenage boys.

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Mine's not. I'm going to school and am only able to work a minimal number of hours a week. I was working more hours when I was in High School than I am now. And my take-home pay per week is slightly less than when I was a kid.

I know that a lot of longtime readers are resistant to the whole concept of comics on a computer screen, but considering how difficult it is for new readers to discover comics right now, I think digital distribution could go a long way in growing the readership and the industry.

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I agree, Brendan. As long as it's controlled by the publisher, there's no problem.

Reading comics on a computer screen feels about as wrong to me as reading books on a computer screen. I can do it, but it feels like work. What comics needs to make it work is a device (like a Kindle) that can handle full color and full sized comic books. As soon as that device is available (and reasonably priced) I think you'll see a lot of comics going digital only. There were only a few comics that were comic shop exclusives at first to test the market but when they saw that it worked the companies crept more in that direction.

Still, if this happens (and I think it will), it will be nice to see publishers trying to reach a wide audience again.