To download or not download...

bombidol

So Bob made a point in the comic survey thread. And im pretty much with him.
Downloading comics via Torrents or whatever. Personally I've discovered some great great stuff by downloading and I ALWAYS buy the TPBs or single issues afterwards if I like it.
To me this means that the comic industry is getting my money when they probably wouldnt have if I hadnt downloaded it first illegally.
I think Vertigo are doing a free first issue download from their site which is great. It means i can check out a comic first LEGALLY before I buy. But if i read it and im unsure, im straight to a torrent site to get a few more and decide.
This thread is not to argue the legality of such a thing more to get peoples opinions on the merits and downfalls.
I know John from 3rd place has a dislike for the downloaders, but if im to be honest. He wouldnt see me in there half as much if i WASNT downloading.

Fysh

One quick mod comment and I'll respond with my own views..

I don't want ANY discussion of where to find or download illegal comics. General terms like "torrents" are fine, but nothing more specific than that please ie No naming of sites or programs.

Anyway....(I'm trying to keep this short, I've ended up writing a bloody article on comic downloading and digital comics as a result of thinking about this thread.).

1) I have downloaded comics in the past. Mostly stuff I either couldn't buy because it wasn't available. Occasionally stuff I was vaguely interested in but not enough so to justify its purchase (Death & Return Of Superman, for example). If downloading weren't an option, I would only have read the latter material after borrowing it from a library or a friend.

2) I'm not convinced one way or another about the effect of downloads as previews. I agree previewing material is a good way to get people interested, but I'm still not sure that reading the first 6 issues of Stormwatch free leads to more sales of the first 6 issues or TPB of Stormwatch, for example.

3) I'd like to see more effort put in by mainstream western publishers to address the market for digital comics, because I think everyone would benefit from it.

(I'll post up something more about this later)

bombidol

yeah folks keep your web sites etc to yourselves.
Im living proof that downloading material for free leads to purchases. And most of my friends etc are the same. I simply would not own half of the stuff i own without downloading. Things like Nextwave, Constantine etc i never would have bothered with. The ultimate line ESPECIALLY as i hated the very idea of it, a few downloads later and im a huge defender of the line. I've bought a big chunk of the ultimate books and read them regularly. Even bought the Ultimate Avengers cartoon DVDs off those purchases.
Like i said Vertigo Have first issues for download LEGALLY. They can be found here
http://www.dccomics.com/news/?nw=6186

You can get..



HELLBLAZER: ORIGINAL SINS —

THE BOOKS OF MAGIC —

DOOM PATROL VOL. 1:

TESTAMENT VOL. 1:

AMERICAN VIRGIN VOL. 1: HEAD —

LOVELESS VOL. 1: A KIN OF HOMECOMING —

TRANSMETROPOLITAN VOL. 1: BACK ON THE STREET —

DMZ VOL. 1: ON THE GROUND —

THE SANDMAN VOL. 1: PRELUDES AND NOCTURNES —

PREACHER VOL 1: GONE TO TEXAS —

100 BULLETS VOL. 1: FIRST SHOT, LAST CALL —

Y: THE LAST MAN VOL 1: UNMANNED —

FABLES VOL 1: LEGENDS IN EXILE —


I cant tell you how good most of these books are, so download em and check it out.

Uncle Spunk

Well you lads know the score but I've been met with such shock and disgust from some comic fans when I say I download scanned comics. The vast majority of the scanners/posters always tag a 'if you love comics then support the industry and buy' which is cool.

Yeah I got the entire Ultimates universe in one folder and sweet jaysis it rocked my world and have since bought some of the trades and continue to follow it and all its offshoots.

Would you pay for legit digital versions? I would no problem. Like the music biz, it'll take a while for the industry to realise, adapt then capitalise

(here's a pic of me stealing comics)

Fysh

I've heard mutterings about Marvel being interested in digital comics, and what's available on their Digital Comics section is quite well done - I particularly like the amount of thought that's gone into the viewer system they use. It's not perfect, but at least they've gone to some trouble to design something with a few options and so on.

That said, there's several articles here
about the rise of digital comics in Japan, so perhaps Western comics are going to wait yet again for manga to hand them their own ass on a place before slowly realising that, this being the 21st century and so on, digital comics made available on the intarweb might be a good idea.

bombidol

Its only smart to use the internet. Fail will be offering digital downloads of our stuff for cheap using CDisplay viewer or something similar.

Jack B. Badd

Tbh I'd say there's a much chance of me downloading a comic as there is of me downloading a real book (i.e. one with lots of writing and very few pictures). There is nothing like having a real book in your hands. A computer screen can't make up for that even if I intended to read the real deal at a later time. I like the feel of real paper beneath my fingers, the quality of the print, the smell of the materials...
I think I'm gonna have to go for a cold shower now

bombidol

weirdo

Jack B. Badd

Yep My point anyway is that there is a sensual/sensory aspect to reading a book or comic that I don't get when it's sitting there on a computer screen. Maybe it's that I'm geared to enjoy reading something when I've got it in my hands. It's relaxing and enjoyable but not so if you have to deal with an e-version. This post is going to be taken the wrong way I'm sure :rolleyes: but I know what I'm saying so to hell with the lot of ye...

bombidol

im not saying reading on a screen is better im just saying that its like the radio.

Jack B. Badd

I know, I'm just saying I wouldn't be inclined to download comics simply because I prefer to have one in my hands when I'm reading it. My brain is such that I can't enjoy something on a screen as much as in physical form. It's simply the way I am...a weirdo

ztoical

I've no interest in downloading comics at least not main stream comics mainly because they are not made for the net like webcomics - i think you can get an idea from a download as to wither you like the book and want to go out and buy it but i spend enough time working on my computer i really don't want to sit at it and read comics.

i do read alot of webcomics [free ones, I can do a whole seperate rant on sub sites like moderntales or girlamatic] and ones i really like I try to support by picking up any mini zines, or prints or shirts they might put out.

several places do offer digital downloads of print comics [like the dc/vertigo ones mentioned or the first couple of issues of TMNT] but they have been re-formatted to suit the medium.

saying that there are several comics which are made for download, like the fab new porker that i just love love love but you can only get them as a pdf and not as a hardcopy - there's something nice about that and several of the artists in it are involved with books like strip burger so there is a hardcopy option that is the same flavour but not exactly the same.

the one area that i really love downloads is the area scanlations - i've downloaded alot of non-english comics [mainly manga but some french and south american books] and as a result i've found some amazing artists and gone to great lengths to get copies of the books.

right big ramble over, im just wasting time as i wait for my lift to the airport - stumptown comics here I come, i've chanaged all my money to dollars and i am going to spend it all on comics, yes!!!!! o and bob ive got the copies of the shiz with me and you know i will totally pimp them at our table see you guys in a week

Uncle Spunk

Nice one Z.

I was so put off the idea of reading a comic on a screen until I spent a whole day browsing through around 200 comic files. The CBR reader thing is the biz and has loads of advantages over paper, your eye isn't drawn accidentally to the next page which usually spoils it for me plus who has the space these days for a huge comic collection?

I used to be snobbish about watching films and playing games on a pc too but now I can't get enuff o that wunnerful stuff

Fysh

Talking to my flatmate about this last night and we both concluded that, once a viable and affordable Electronic Paper product is on the market, our book & comic collections would be swiftly replaced by digital equivalents.

Until then, I'm not too sure. Scanslations are a really cool aspect of downloading, but the CBR reader, handy as it is, is only as good as the quality of the scans you put into it and there are a lot of crap scans out there. Plus I'm gonna have to side with those who say that reading something not specifically formatted for computerised viewing can be a pain in the ass. Has anyone else tried out Marvel's digital comics interface? You can read NextWAVE #1 with it, among other things (to read the full issue you have to sign up, but it's free and relatively devoid of hassle).

Tetrishan

Downloading is also very useful if you can,t get a comic here in ireland, I was looking for Vertigo's "Mr Punch" for ages ,so I downloaded it and when it got reissued bought it ! Its a great way to get into comics and know people who had no intrest until reading a few downloaded comics.Also if you moving around do you want to be bringing your entire "Sandman" collection with you? Its sometimes just easier to download them and bring them around on your laptop.At first I hated reading comics on a computer screen but you get used to it and the size compaired is a big pro esp if your moving around a lot !

qwertplaywert

i would download comics under these conditions:
A:it was unavialve in shops or internet
B:it is avialbe but is wayyy to over priced,such as the X-Men-AGE Of Apocalypse saga books
C:i had bb