Marvel Shortens Window Between Print and Digital Comics

Marvel Entertainment has announced that it is halving the wait time for fans choosing to read releases on its digital subscription Marvel Unlimited, with titles now appearing on the service just three months after print release. The change takes effect immediately. From a report: Marvel Unlimited launched in 2007, and offers access to the publisher's digital library of titles -- currently numbering more than 27,000 issues -- for either a monthly or annual subscription fee. The service is available as an iOS, Android and web app.

A bit backwards

[DontBeAMoran]

Aren't modern comics created on computers? Shouldn't the digital versions come first and the "Deluxe" real-world-matter edition come later?

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

Ideally, yeah, but here's what would happen: Most people would (duh) just download pirated digital versions and then never buy the print versions.

Re:

[chris summers]

"Ideally, yeah, but here's what would happen: Most people would (duh) just download pirated digital versions and then never buy the print versions."
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Especially when you consider just how crappy and overpriced modern comic books have become.

Modern comics book industry have literally become something where the more you pay, the less you get in quality and content.

Just look at the comic books from the 60's,70's and 80's and compare them to what's on the market now.

It's rather sad actually.

Re:A bit backwards

[Dutch Gun]

Yeah, it's completely backwards from a logical or practical point of view. However, Marvel is still in the business of selling physical comic books, so from the business' point of view, you can understand that they're not yet ready for digital sales to eat the lunch of physical sales.

It's really only a matter of time before the business model catches up to the practical reality, of course.

Re:A bit backwards

[tlhIngan]

Yeah, it's completely backwards from a logical or practical point of view. However, Marvel is still in the business of selling physical comic books, so from the business' point of view, you can understand that they're not yet ready for digital sales to eat the lunch of physical sales.

It's really only a matter of time before the business model catches up to the practical reality, of course.

No, digital sales of comic books are available day 1. Sales, you're paying full price.

Marvel Unlimited is a subscription service a la Netflix for comic books. I believe it lets you read the whole back catalog for a monthly fee, and they're just saying new comics will not be available for subscribers until 3 months later. But if you're willing to buy each issue for a long term rental, you can have it same day.

I said long term rental, since that's all you're doing with digital comics. Physical comic books though cannot be removed from your possession without breaking the law.

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[Briareos]

I said long term rental, since that's all you're doing with digital comics. Physical comic books though cannot be removed from your possession without breaking the law.

Try buying something from Image Comics on Comixology [comixology.eu], then - I'd like to see how they're going to pry the downloaded CBZ or PDF files from my hard drive...

Re: A bit backwards

[illafam]

Try reading a printed copy in the dark

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[sound+vision]

The one they can charge more for comes first. Same reason the movies premier in a theater.

It's only backwards if you're a consumer. Get back to consuming! You're gonna fill your plate up with spandex dudes, and you're gonna like it! BTW, Justin Bieber has a new single out.

stop killing trees

[jsepeta]

at least when you keep comics in the digital domain, you're not sapping natural resources from the globe.

Re:stop killing trees

[Culture20]

Paper is renewable. Huge tree farms exist.

Re:

[rtb61]

Hemp farms dude and that paper is more recyclable and can grow in pretty dry conditions and grows much faster and was only banned to feed the psycho greed of the Dupont Family.

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[Mascot]

According to Google, forest growth in Europe over the past twenty years measured about twice the land area of Ireland. We're not running out of paper any time soon.

Green is status seeking

[Luckyo]

Trees capture CO2 from the atmosphere and sequester it.

Digital devices require power to run, so you're burning fossil fuels to read.

Re:

[Oligonicella]

Apparently you believe lumberjacks fell trees for paper production. This is no more true than scavengers running around plucking wild corn for market.

Digital comics are pants.

[Culture20]

The old comics with predictable frame sequences can be read easily in electronic format, but anything from the late 80's onward requires the ability to see the entire two-page splash to know which direction you're supposed to scroll on your not-adequately-sized-for-comics-pages digital device. Even reading them in trade format can be hard since sometimes comics artists forget that trades can't bend their spines 180 degrees open, and they draw solely for the periodicals.

Re:

[Oligonicella]

Those huge artist-ego-satisfying splashes were one of the worst things to happen to comics.

And so

[Impy the Impiuos Imp]

Went into a comic store for the first time in 15 years last year. The "new stuff" was already in bags with a backing board, for a surcharge of course.

You all are aware you can get silver Roman coins 2000 years later for about $10-$20, right, so many did they make.