The end of printed comics?

[Riffster]

John Cunningham Predicts The End Of Comics

RadarOnline reports a dire prediction from DC Comics' John Cunningham.

The popularity of the iPhone/iPod, and the growing popularity of Amazon.com's e-book Kindle, may mean the end of the line for comic books.

"If 10% of the readers migrate to an e-device, that is gonna throw off the economics for 60% of the (comic) books that are published in this country," DC Comics exec John Cunningham told a panel in New York.

Advertising Age notes that though the sales of graphic novels are up 5%, that is expected to go in reverse as more content becomes available online.

Ironically, though, not only will DC and Marvel remain merchandising powerhouses, they'll reap even greater profits without the overhead of having to print and deliver comics.


this is just dumb, i like to have the book in hand not holding s friggen 2 inch screen to read, or a laptop ...sigh.. technology can suck

[kingdom warrior]

If the Big two want to this by all means do what you believe you have to do. Personally I don't care anymore what the big two do anyway. They seem to have no clue how to handle their characters in the comics now. For me the BEST stories have already been written.

There are plenty of comic books sitting in Bins from the past that can fill the void of the modern comic book.

[Timothy2251]

I'm not surprised, in fact, I'm a bit amazed it's taken so long for this to happen. Yeah, I'll miss going to the local comic shop, but this was inevitable. The cost of comics has been rising over the past few years (don't get me started on the quality of the stories/art), and I doubt even the most hardcore fans are going to happily pay $3.99 for something they'll read in 10 minutes. For that amount of money you can rent a DVD that'll run 2 hours or so, so you get more entertainment value.

It'll be good for independent comics, too - much lower cost to the producers (save for any internet fees) and they can pull in subscribers via the web. Good for the consumer, too. Saves trees, saves on storage (no more bags or boxes), and saves you money, which you can use to buy Mego, EMCE, or Cast-a-way stuff!

Of course, if you still like having a floppy, you can always fire up your printer and go to town.

[Cosmicman]

I guess I am old school. I like to read stuff in front of me. Unfortunetaly the new generation becomes more and more lazy as technology advances and that will mean that someday (not soon) printed comics will be gone.
We'll probably see it in our lifetime but I am pretty sure we'll be pretty old and not care when it happens.
I bought some of those classic comicbooks on DVD-rom like Spiderman, Captain America, Ironman, Avengers...etc.
I printed some of them out because my computer monitor was giving me a headache and such displeasure to read them. This way, I have that old school feeling of reading them again. (and some I have never read because I wasn't around when it was printed.)

[The Toyroom]

I refuse to read a comic on-line or on any portable devices...if I can't hold it and turn the pages forgetaboutit

[fallensaviour]

I refuse to read a comic on-line or on any portable devices...if I can't hold it and turn the pages forgetaboutit

Ditto!!!
No book,no read.
If they put it on-line it better be a movie(Toon) and not a cheap book type format.

[jaypiscopo]

books will never die as long people want to read them

[toys2cool]

i like to have the book with me,part of the fun i comics is collecting them and trading and selling them

[MegoSteve]

I wouldn't say it's never going to happen, but it's very unlikely that electronic readers will replace paper any time soon.

Remember when computers started gaining traction in business and there was all of this talk about a paperless office? That never happened. If anything, computers have caused more paper to be consumed.

[AJ Collector]

[QUOTE=MegoSteve;271909]I wouldn't say it's never going to happen, but it's very unlikely that electronic readers will replace paper any time soon.

You are correct sir!

[LadyZod]

I hear this new fangled Tele-Vision will replace movie theaters AND radio as well!

[thunderbolt]

^^ Well, it did wipe out the radio drama and other shows like that.

[ctc]

Hmmmm....

>it did wipe out the radio drama and other shows like that.

....for a while; but nowadays sites like Decoder Ring Theater, Kung-Fu Action Theater and the Zombie Astronaut's Satelite of Fear produce NEW radio dramas as podcasts.

Everything old is new again.

As for printed comics becoming obsolete; two words: Shonen Jump!

Most comic book "experts" drive me INSANE 'cos they have such a narrow view of "comics." Marvel+DC does NOT equal the sum total of comic bookery. It's Marvel and DC that are in trouble, not comics as a whole. Hell, they even admit that the sames of graphic novels is going UP! Sometimes I wish these clowns would pull their heads out of whatever orifice they got them stuck in, suck it up that "The Dark Knight Returns" wasn't the pinnacle of graphic literature, and smell the freakin' newsprint!

Don C.

[kryptosmaster]

I wouldn't buy or read comics only available in an electronic form.
That's not comic books to me.
Part of the fun of comics is holding them, feeling the paper, the different smells of new comics, musty comics, comics from an attic or basement, etc. You can't replace that with a computer screen.
Plus filling in a collection would be senseless since you'd have them all on a disc.
Not for me.

Rich

[johnnystorm]

I've tried, but I just can't read comic or books online. Maybe that has something to do with not being able to carry the PC into the bathroom!

Seriously, I can't do it. I can read news, articles, opinions, blogs, whatever, but not comics. Now, the difference will be that today's kids are learning to read that way, so it will be more natural to them. So I do think that there will be a change in format coming, probably within the next 10 -15 years. All it will take will be a new tech device and things will change. Ten years ago you never dreamed that the cel phone or ipod would change our world so much, and now we really don't even consider it strange. Look at how we're using the computer all day for just this purpose of messaging. It's probably weirder to hear of someone who DOESN't have a cel phone or computer. How many of you have heard the announcement about analog/digital TVs this past few months and thought "Who still doesn't have cable? How can anyone watch TV with rabbit ears anymore?" (And I DO know someone that does use rabbit ears, gets three channels, and is happy with that! And thinks this whole conveter box bit is a scam!).

But back to comics...I agree that DC & Marvel hold the market share NOW...but all it will take is somebody else capitalizing on new Tech to pull ahead, especially in a genre or format the big two are reluctant to try. Or inexperienced with. And I don't think it will be manga either. I think it will be some thing that becomes a phenomenom online, a thing like X-files, or Buffy, or Harry Potter, utilizing a tech that combines animation, comics, and prose somehow. That will start the ball rolling and the rest will build on it...just like Milton Berle was the catalyst in the early 50s for launching TV as a medium over radio. Or Superman was for launching comics out of the reprint and pulps era.

Comic Book retailers will adapt, change, or fade away, simply due to new technology taking over. Not being pessimistic here, believe me, I LOVE Comic Books. But we no longer have CB truckers, Malt Shoppes, and Gas Stations that aren't convience stores, because the world no longer needs those things.
I wonder too about the value of comics as collectibles...I believe there will be collectors around for quite awhile, and there will always be people who are interested in antiques(!)...but as the newer generation goes off not reading or being interested in comics, and our generation dies off, will we see a flooded market for comics as collections are put up for sale by disinterested offspring?