My longboxes have actually been in storage for nearly 10-years .. but I get it.  Good article Chad.  And I agree, that makes sense and potentially creates more fans / readers of the comics.

No no no no no no no annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd no...Digital is NOT the best way to do this, in fact, it will further anhililate the aspect of comic readers and fans alike.

Yes I've ranted about this before but it's so true now more then never.

Kids these days don't all go digital and kids today all have heard who the main characters are at the big two comic companies. Not everyone owns an Ipad and not everyone wants to own one. And for those who do own one, they already own comics and knows the characters so it's not really attracting ''new'' readers into the medium.

THe idea itself that Marvel go do Graphic Novel in reboot could be something interesting but, keep it in novel format, not digital.

That's my 2 cents.

Interesting idea Chad (other then the digital, HA).

Meh, sounds like an ok idea. Not trying to pooh pooh your piece Chad but trades rule the marketplace anyway. If anyone is actually really interested enough to the degree of going to the bookstore they'd want the "true" character's story and they'd pick up a trade. I know people that never read LOTR, but after the film they went out and got the books to get the "real" characters and story. Maybe the analogy isn't perfect but I think it translates in that people want to see the real thing, its real origin.  People wanting to know about vampires aren't going to pick-up a Twilight book they're going for Stoker's.

Another thing, the Earth One stuff gets some props but let's not make more than it is. It's basically just another "else-world" story which DC has been doing forever, no different. They had already tried to do their "ultimate universe" with the "All Star" banner, now it's Earth One which btw is a terrible name since it can now be confused with the original Earth One.

Anyway I personally didn't like this E-1 Superman and neither did quite a few others. Still the major thing that sets it apart and where Marvel for some reason refuses to go is that it is a true graphic novel, an original story in one book. Marvel used to this back in the 80's with the oversized format and I use to eat it up. DC still does it and to good results. If Marvel started pushing actual g.n. as major stories within or out of continuity this would help bring new people in IMO. Like E-1 I think the average joe that bought the book is because it was a stand alone story, no need to come back again and again

That's a lot of rambling, sorry. Bottom line IMO is that continuity isn't what keeps people from comics. It's the 22 pages at a time of a never ending soap opera. Stand alone stories in graphic novel format is the way to bring them in, continuity won't be a deterrent as long as the story is contained in 1 book

And that's the problem, containing a story in one book.  I know I get tired of enjoying a series, then having to buy three other series to four panels of a continues story. The big boys, Batman, Spider-man, etc all have multiple books per month that make it very expensive to keep up with.  I'd rather buy a trade than spend a lot of dough trying to keep up with Big Time or the entire Bats story.

As for Superman E-1, I liked the beginning few chapters, but the alien ending was a bit much and kind of soured me on it.  And just to show my frugality, I checked it out from a library.  Had I liked it, I would have bought it to enjoy and share with my kids. 

One comic that I've bought lately because they wrap things up fairly quickly is Red Robin.  Each issue (or two part) can stand on it's own, the art is good, and since it is a secondary Bat character, the connection to the Bat world is minor.  Plus, $3 an issue is better than $4.

wow is that what you guys think is the problem, the real problem is that comic books are not readly available like they use to be, with Comicbook stores realy showing up everywhere in the 90's and most major retailers pulling them off their shelves you cant go anywhere and buy comics unless you find a comic book shop. Thats a problem, you use to be able to go into book stores and buy comics also , but now all you find is graphic Novels. I personally have gone digital, I live in BFE now and there is nt a comicbook store near me so Ive taken to the digital media. Im not the collector I use to be now im moreof a fan, I read my titles and i can carry them where ever I want on my phone. its not ideal, but I also dont have my wife complaining that I am taking up an entire closet to comics.

Oh and by the WISE, i really liked Earth One, felt it was the best Superman story I have read in years.

As far as a Marvel Movie verse, its an cool idea, and with Marvel going for this major Movie cross over it might work well as away to fill in the blanks, If I were Marvel, I would do free comicbook day to coincide with a Movie launch and provide the theaters with free giveaways of the comic at the movies. 5 page mini issues available at the theaters that just give a breif filler story that covers the gaps sold for a dollar at each show would be cool to think about that, the are making money off the movie selling a mini issue and getting the crowd further involved in your comic books

  I never liked the idea of needing batteries or power to read a book. I think digital is a horrible idea, I like to collect books and comics and like having book shelves full of them. Sadly comics have been pricing me out of the market so i've been waiting for graphic novels to come out and they usually have extra artwork and/or story anyway and they look good on a shelf.

 I feel the same way you guys do. But have any of you ever checked out the elfquest website. They have all of the comics uploaded to their site and you can read it for free. Once I did that it made me realize that outside of the major publishers digital is a great way to discover new stuff. 

I don't know if digital is the way to go or not but I think the idea is great. When someone sees Thor and doesn't read comics the first thought is not going to be if they can download some comics on the way home. Unless, Marvel starts putting digital comic trailers before their movies and not just on DVD/Blu disc. But anyways, I think you are right Chad, Marvel is missing out on alot of sales it could pick up and maybe new readers as well.

All they have to do is create GNs that tie in with the Marvel Movie Universe. Make then 3 or 4 parts long. Sell part one before the movie comes out everywhere, and get better placement at bookstores, I hate having to search way in the back for the comic section everytime I go to a new Barnes & Noble. Have the other parts available, ON TIME, after the movie is out and be sure to include other character as well. And don't charge an arm and a leg for the GNs either. Offer the first part for free at theaters as long as someone buys 3-4 tickets. Or offer a meal-deal type thing, get the (bagged)comic/GN, popcorn, and soda for one price. They need to be realistic in pricing and only charge what someone would really pay for one. Then do the same for every other comic movie they make. 

Chad you need to go work for Marvel and get that company's head on straight. I know people tend to dwell on the one thing of your articles that they do not agree with but your ideas are usually pretty good.

I collect all Marvel.  I would go digital for DC if the price was right and keep the paper Marvel comics. 

Thanks for the comments, everyone.  Lots of food for thought here - some I agree with and some I do not, but I always appreciate the feedback.  The point of the article wasn't supposed to be about digital comics (that was more of an afterthought) but I understand that it's a hot button topic and people want to discuss it.

Wiseguy and LocoLobo - I think that you're both at least a little bit right.  While I love my monthly comics and my weekly trips to the comic shop, there are many cases in which I'd much rather have a full-length story in my hands than a serialized one.  And Lobo, you can find comics in a bookstore - just not very many of them.  But it certainly ain't the days of drugstores and 7-11's, when it seemed as though you could find comics everywhere, is it?  

But if I can get back on topic, in regards to the Marvel Movieverse... I didn't even mention the X-Men.  Love 'em or hate 'em, the X-Movies have created their own continuity that is totally separate from the traditional Marvel U.  While we might complain about the way they play hard-and-fast with the rules, it seems foolish to me to not capitalize on the world they've created onscreen by creating an X-Movieverse of comics solely based on the continuity of the films. 

Why not?