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Thomas Moudry
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 16 April 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 5060
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| Posted: 03 July 2011 at 5:59pm | IP Logged | 1
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For those who are interested, DCBS is going to be offering all 52 first issues
as a bundle at 50% off.
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Simon Bucher-Jones
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 04 May 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 835
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| Posted: 04 July 2011 at 2:17am | IP Logged | 2
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Do they post to the UK? Simon BJ
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Thomas Moudry
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 16 April 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 5060
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| Posted: 04 July 2011 at 7:56am | IP Logged | 3
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I have no clue, Simon. Sorry!
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Wallace Sellars
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 01 May 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 17700
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| Posted: 04 July 2011 at 8:58am | IP Logged | 4
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According to the FAQ, "...this is the new universe of DC Comics characters.
This is an epic and ambitious initiative that ushers in the next era of the DC
Comics characters and will set the tone for storylines and characters for
years to come. This is not an 'event,' because events expire."Any readers who were hoping this would be a short-term change that they
could skip out on for a few months until DC returned the characters to pre-
52 versions have officially had their hopes dashed.
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Vinny Valenti
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 17 April 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 8147
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| Posted: 04 July 2011 at 10:10am | IP Logged | 5
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Another mistake is the stupid pricing of the digital releases. One thing people aren't considering yet, and will come to regret a few years down the line - the proprietary DRM format. Unlike the traditional comic book, you won't truly own your digital copy. Sure, you'll be able to read them to your heart's content on your iPad, but what if 5-10 years from now, some new platform takes hold? There's no guarantee that the digital comic you paid for will be usable on it. So, it's really more like an extended rental, and should be priced accordingly from the get-go. Or, be released in an open format that will be future-proof. MP3s are still playable today...but are Sony's ATRAC music format files?Why would somebody pay the same price of a physical comic that can be read forever as a digital format that cannot?
Edited by Vinny Valenti on 04 July 2011 at 10:12am
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Adam Hutchinson
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 15 December 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 4502
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| Posted: 04 July 2011 at 10:21am | IP Logged | 6
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I'm surprised that DC hasn't come up with some sort of subscription
option for their digital releases. Or even a rental option to have access
to the digital comic for 24 or 48 hours.
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Wallace Sellars
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 01 May 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 17700
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| Posted: 04 July 2011 at 10:22am | IP Logged | 7
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One thing people aren't considering yet, and will come to regret a few years
down the line - the proprietary DRM format.
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I didn't know that the digital issues companies offer are in DRM format. I've
considered purchasing digital copies of some monthly comics and then
buying the collections as they are released; however, it looks like I may have
to stick with paper!
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Vinny Valenti
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 17 April 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 8147
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| Posted: 04 July 2011 at 10:37am | IP Logged | 8
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Granted, I *could* be mistaken about the DRM. All I know is that most digital comics today are being sold though Comixology, which requires a dedicated app to view your purchases. But what happens after Comixology goes out of business?DC could be making their own format going forward, but I doubt it will be an open one. I'd hope to be wrong, though!
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Stephen Churay
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 25 March 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 8369
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| Posted: 04 July 2011 at 11:09am | IP Logged | 9
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I actually like the fact that the price is the same as the printed book for
the first four weeks. It keeps the digital copy from infringing on the
LCS for the first month. But, I think that having the price drop only a
dollar is a bit off. Personally, I like $.99. As Vinny said, this is an
extended rental. Plus the ability to download for a buck, makes this an
impulse buy. At $1.99 and $2.99 it ceases to become that even if only
psychologically.
Edited by Stephen Churay on 04 July 2011 at 11:12am
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Ed Love
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 05 October 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 2712
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| Posted: 05 July 2011 at 6:46am | IP Logged | 10
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I actually like the fact that the price is the same as the printed book for
the first four weeks. It keeps the digital copy from infringing on the
LCS for the first month. But, I think that having the price drop only a
dollar is a bit off. Personally, I like $.99. As Vinny said, this is an
extended rental. Plus the ability to download for a buck, makes this an
impulse buy. At $1.99 and $2.99 it ceases to become that even if only
psychologically.
_____________
Yeah, it doesn't infringe on the LCS for the first month, US comic stores anyway. However, as part of the DM was for specialty stores to build back stock, and you already have people "waiting for the trade" significantly dropping the price on the comics, below what the stores can sell them for without taking a loss, is going to hurt the stores and it's going to help put the nail in the print comics as stores are going to take even less risk at ordering comics that are not already on pull lists or guaranteed sales which is going to ultimately hurt print comics and lead to less digital comics being produced if it doesn't kill it outright.
Personally, I think the solution is not to think of or market digital comics the same way you do print. Go the cable tv route, you're offering a service not a product to own. Right now, there aren't enough DC comics I want to own that I'd spend $30 a month on, print or digital. However, I might spend that much to read the whole line. After about 3 months of having the comics available to read online, then pull them in order to foster interest in trades. Thus, I'd still pay for print comics, comics that I may want to re-read in the future, much as I buy dvd's of television shows or movies that I've already paid some money just to watch.
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Brian Joseph Mayer
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 10 December 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 1135
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| Posted: 05 July 2011 at 10:31am | IP Logged | 11
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"However, as part of the DM was for specialty stores to build back stock, and you already have people "waiting for the trade" significantly dropping the price on the comics, below what the stores can sell them for without taking a loss, is going to hurt the stores and it's going to help put the nail in the print comics as stores are going to take even less risk at ordering comics that are not already on pull lists or guaranteed sales which is going to ultimately hurt print comics and lead to less digital comics being produced if it doesn't kill it outright."
Having run a store a half-dozen years or more ago, back issues served no purpose for us. We had them, but sold most of our back stock at cover price or less to keep it out of the way. The DM stores really are all about the games and initial run comics. Back issues just took more real estate in our stores than they generated.
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Ed Love
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 05 October 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 2712
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| Posted: 05 July 2011 at 10:59am | IP Logged | 12
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It varies some from store to store. My LCS moves a thousand dollars or more a month in back issues. Under the new plan, your comics just a month old are devalued by 30 to 40%. Most stores I've been to, keep at least a month's worth on the racks. New series and mini-series often are kept up front even longer, someone just discovering the series around issue 3 might be tempted to go ahead and buy the other two.
Comic stores are dying. Book stores are dying. Part of it's the economy but part of it is also just the way publishers do business. Profit margins for retail are atrocious (when people are talking about the low price of comics driving them away from news stands and such, really what they are talking about is profit margins and how much they move vs return. Stores stock plenty of things that cost less and take up as much room). DC's plan doesn't hurt the stores in the short run, but I see it damaging many of the stores in the long run, especially if Marvel adopts a similar policy and a similar strategy is then used for trades. Kudos for them looking to grow readership of comics in general and reaching out to wider audiences, but they still need plans that actually address the needs and problems with the sustainability of the print and retail markets and to likewise grow those sales. Because, as things stand right now, digital by itself is not going to bring in enough money to pay for the infrastructure and fixed costs of producing comics (writers, artists, inkers, colorists, letterers, editors, various administrative staff to oversee legalities, advertising, marketing, distribution, etc). And, their current plan seems to be to just minimalize the collateral damage and boost short-term gains. Potential and existing readers are not the only customers, potential and existing retailers are also customers and needed in order to survive. How are their plans helping to grow and entice THOSE customers?
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