While attending the Diamond Retailers Summit and C2E2 in Chicago last week, I noticed two disturbing trends in the industry which could lead to the digital death of physical comics, but I also noticed an important glimmer of hope in the fight against digital comics. The glimmer of hope reinforced my push to open people’s eyes to realizing how change is not always a good thing, especially when the change is to digital comics.
The death of the comic book industry will be caused by digitally downloading comic books.
Little Note to Start Off
I don’t want to bog this article down by giving my points over again about how digital comics will destroy the industry. I don’t want to have to tell you again how digital comics will cause for massive amounts of job loss, the exodus of comic book fans away from the entertainment medium, and how digital comics are a slap to collectors. If you have not heard these arguments, please read the following Digital Death parts first:
Digital Death Part I: Illegally Downloading Comic Books
Digital Death Part II: Dark Reason Behind Digital Comics
Digital Death Part III: Digital Comics and Collecting
Some Retailers Counting the Days
At the Diamond Retailers Summit and C2E2, I noticed how many comic book retailers are essentially counting the days down to their demise. Either they have given up the fight against digital comics or they do not realize retailers have a voice in the transition to digital comics. I found myself explaining how readers, collectors, and retailers do have a strong voice and Marvel and DC Comics will be forced to listen to us if we can collectively become loud enough.
Diamond Giving Up the Fight Against Digital Comics?
Earlier this week, I told you about how Diamond Select showed retailers products which will be in upcoming issues of Previews. The company is not only planning on expanding its kitchenware section, it is also going to carry party favors just like Party City and other chains which would easily be able to knock out a comic book store on selection and buying power.
The addition of a dozen types of ice trays, half a dozen pizza cutters, and Spider-Man party favors shows me that Diamond figures it needs to fill catalogs with something (anything). The company is trying to find a way to stay relevant once the “Digital Comics Armageddon” takes place. Diamond needs a swift kick in the back pockets right now to be forced to realize how digital comics do not have to take over.
The Glimmer of Hope
At the Diamond Retailers Summit, I met many retailers and vendors who are just as mad as I am about digital comics. At C2E2, I found more vendors and retailers, but I also found comic book creators, comic book readers, and comic book collectors. They all have a voice but were either too scared to voice their opinion against the large corporate entities which “control” the market or they did not know how to get their point across.
The Future of Digital Death
I don’t want to say we need to “organize” against digital comics because the word “organize” has become synonymous with unions and I am not interested in starting a union to submit grievances in fashion to Marvel and DC Comics. Instead, I would prefer to use the term “band.” It is time for all of us to band together in this fight. More of us need to vocalize our concerns about the potential future of the industry because once more voices are heard, more voices will emerge.
In storytelling, characters are often allowed to see the future. Characters always wonder if the future is set in stone or if it can be changed in some way. The Digital Death of comics could refer to the death of the print form of the medium or it can mean the death of the push towards digital comics. WE (not a publishing company) are the ones to make that decision!
