PhantomStranger

https://www.bleedingcool.com/2017/03...thing-changes/

Big news for the comic book industry as a whole if the above report's news is correct.

DC Comics is considering launching a digital comics service through an add-on service to Amazon Prime. The speculation includes some sort of all-access subscription to DC content beyond just the comics, including television and movies.

davidh777

I haven't tried Marvel Unlimited because I tend to prefer owning, but I'd be interested in finding out what the pricing is. The TV/movie angle is intriguing, but a lot of it could be duplicated by other streaming services.

fujishig

Marvel Unlimited is amazing, though, especially if you have a tablet that supports the app.

Trevor

As a lifelong DC collector/hoarder, I don't think I want a subscription service of any kind. I want to own the things.

I've spent thousands of dollars over the last few years building a digital library that was to keep me entertained for decades. In retrospect, I almost regret spending all that money and should want to just subscribe to both (Marvel and DC) services. It's a conundrum, as I still prefer owning, even if only a digital license. And I've spent so much, I almost feel locked in. Subscribing to a rental plan just makes it seem like all those purchases were a waste.

But knowing my luck, they'll be some little perks thrown into the plans making it hard to resist.

fujishig

How much do you actually own your digital purchases, if you can't download them, though?

Trevor

I download them to my iPad to read. And many of the publishers have all their books DRM free so you can download and save them anywhere. No joy on that front from the big two yet. There are probably ways to download the and save them wherever you want, but I don't need that unless they screw us all by changing their terms or going out of business with a backup plan for us users.

My position is that I paid for digital versions of those books, and if Comixology ever screws me by removing my access, then and only then will I resort to torrents to "get what's mine". But I doubt it'll ever come to that.

PhantomStranger

I understand where you are coming from, my inner being wrestles with this coming wave of digital leasing. I prefer owning things I can control.

That being said, the writing is on the wall that digital subscription services for most content is where all entertainment is heading. A monthly subscription model where everything is basically leased as long as you continue paying.

If DC and Amazon go ahead with this, it will ultimately affect the retail side of the comics industry. This won't make it easier to sell retail comics.

Spiderbite

^Comic book shops are the new music stores.

BGPu

Marvel's decision to drop digital copies included with each issue in favor of 3 free issues that are essentially teasers for the next week's Trade Paperback releases won't help either. The only reason I was buying physical Marvel books was to also get the digital version.

fujishig

The dumbest part about that: buy lots of marvel comics? Get the same three issues you probably already have multiple times over!

DC also discounts their monthly digital titles by a buck because they only justified the increase by including digital with the physical release.

At some point all of us have enough floppies lying around the house that buying more and more physical comics every month becomes a bit wasteful. I know when I went all physical on both Convergence and the Secret Wars series, I almost instantly regretted it because they basically filled up yet another comic box.

PhantomStranger

I came across some interesting numbers. DC does more than twice the business Marvel does in trade sales, mostly from cheaper pricepoints and a few monster sellers like Watchmen and The Killing Joke that never stop selling. Someone pointed out this is why DC has been hesitant to run a digital service like Marvel Unlimited.

fujishig

I don't know for sure but I highly doubt the recent stuff sells. Just keep Watchmen and Dark Knight and All Star Superman or whatever off the service.