Whether or not the comic book industry will benefit or lose out from the new paradigm of tablet media readers is entirely dependant on what each individual company does with that new reality.
The real challenge companies like Marvel and DC will face is how to monetize this new distribution method. Most web comics currently work under a ‘publish online first then in pulp’ model which is the opposite of what we’re seeing from traditional comic companies. Which is the right solution for this day and age if any?
Beyond that, we’ve moved substantially away from the days where the only revenue comic companies had were their publications and the ads therein. Large comic companies now have their fingers in many a pie making them less dependant on publishing as they are on profiting off their intellectual property by any means. Could comic eventually just become a vehicle to introduce and propagate these intellectual properties?
Then there’s the actual reader/collector to consider. To the casual reader, being able to keep a digital collection that is easy to access and doesn’t require any physical storage or upkeep is extremely attractive. However, I don’t think the traditional collector will easily part with his castle walls of boxes and poly-bagged treasures. Then again, the 90s have dealt a serious blow to the credibility of traditional collecting.
It’ll be an interesting few years while the market finds its place. Digital comics are facing an important challenge where they need to figure out how to be financially viable in a world where simply being a digital comic isn’t enough of a novelty anymore.
That being said, comics look fraking fantastic on an iPad.
