Downloading Comics

Rich Johnson of the Web column, Lying in the Gutter, recently posted a great article on the pros/cons of illegal comic downloading and why major publishers should start selling digital versions of new comics. The full article has been reposted below (Source and copyright: LYING IN THE GUTTERS VOLUME 2 COLUMN 111)

DOWNLOAD OR BE DAMNED

This week, everyone's talking about digital downloading. Well, I am anyway.

It came to a head for me this week. We're getting our floors redone, so the bookshelves have to move.

It's just too much. And this is what is stopping me from buying so many more new comics that otherwise I would. I get rid of stuff all the time, hence the plaintive pleas to check my eBay listings I often append to this column. I often take trips to the local charity shops. They don't want any more now. And there's still way too much physical property.

I have money to buy new comics, I just don't have the space. Comics industry, I am not alone. Indeed, most creators tell me they download illegally just so they can get research for their work and keep up with the industry without filling their apartments.

You know how relieved I was when Top Shelf sent me a disc full of comics instead of a box full?

Now I don't like illegal downloading, though I have done it occasionally. So my solution is I don't buy what I'd like to read and spend the money on things like, well, new flooring for a start. If there was a better solution out there, then I'd happily make do with the old carpet.

Right now we are in the middle of the biggest comics industry boom we've ever seen. The movies have created a whole new audience for superhero properties, and an adult audience at that. But the cost and inconvenience of buying comics in the modern age has sent people to illegal downloads. 24 hours after Diamond ships comics to stores, they are available illegally and there's nothing the publishers can do about it.

The modern audience is gradually learning to read on screen. For kids it's second nature and the preferred medium.

So, publishers, please just make your comics available digitally, legally, for a fee. You could do it next week if you so wished. If you're worried about the comics you release digitally being pirated, well, yes. They already are. Hell, the First Look titles that get sent to retailers are torrented a week before the actual comics are published. And remember, published comics do not have any form of Digital Rights Management. It's a way of getting some money from the practice instead of no money.

"The Flying Friar" can be downloaded, for cover price, at www.richjohnston.com.

Marvel, DC, Image, Dark Horse, Fantagraphics, Oni, Top Shelf, follow suit.

UPDATED: While I personally don't condone downloading comics, sometime you have no other options. What else are you supposed to do when your local comic shop doesn't have the back issue(s) you need? You could maybe order them online if you can find them (my preferred method), but what if they also don't? Then your only option left is to download the issue until you can legally purchase it. I mean with sites like demonoid, Zcult FM (Tracker B & , Tracker N, and Tracker X), and Komics-Live. it only take minutes to download any comic we want.
Personally I vote ComicTunes (itunes 4 comics), but I doubt the major publisher will every band together for provide us with this great service. Hell if apple can make a profit charging only $0.99 a song, who's to say Marvel and DC cant charge $0.99 a comic and still turn a profit. Especially since they can still sell in in comics advertising.