Wired magazine recently posted an article about the upcoming demise of the local comic book shop, noting that the emergence of digital comics, and the growing popularity of tablets, spells the end of how we view comics in the future. I'm not sure I agree totally with that premise.
People have been predicting the end of bookstores for years now, with the popularity of the Internet. But many bookstores still survive, and the big-box stores like Barnes & Noble are bucking the trend by offering their own reader tablets; thus merging the old with the new. I think the same will apply for comic book shops.
Since comic book producers like DC and Marvel have a vested interest in seeing your local shop thrive, I think there'll be a balance of standard paper comics, digital downloads, and more comics being released as graphic novels. Perhaps you'll be able to download your favorite comic to a tablet, but only on Wednesdays, the same day the comics are released, or only after the paper version has been out for a month or so. Will digital comics be the norm in the future? Only if paperbacks and magazines go away, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.
What do YOU think? We'd love to read your comments!
People have been predicting the end of bookstores for years now, with the popularity of the Internet. But many bookstores still survive, and the big-box stores like Barnes & Noble are bucking the trend by offering their own reader tablets; thus merging the old with the new. I think the same will apply for comic book shops.
Since comic book producers like DC and Marvel have a vested interest in seeing your local shop thrive, I think there'll be a balance of standard paper comics, digital downloads, and more comics being released as graphic novels. Perhaps you'll be able to download your favorite comic to a tablet, but only on Wednesdays, the same day the comics are released, or only after the paper version has been out for a month or so. Will digital comics be the norm in the future? Only if paperbacks and magazines go away, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.
What do YOU think? We'd love to read your comments!
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