How Badly Do Comic Scans Hurt the Business?

[jayvee]

Music pirates condone the practice by saying that the bands they're downloading aren't affected very much by the practice, considering that only a penny or so of actual album sales ever reach the artists' pockets. "The only way to really support your favorite band and make them rich is go to their concerts"--which is true, technically.

But with groups like DCP flooding BIT TORRENT sites with scans of new releases the day they come out, how bad a hit does the comic book industry take? At all?

[nolan]

Regarding music, I have no problem with piracy really. I'd love iTunes to have an option to pay more and the rest of the money goes right to artists rather then lining the pockets of some fat cat.

In terms of comics, I see both sides of the argument. Because you could go in a comic store and read a few books and only buy 1 or 2. At the same time, there are people who see it less as a preview and a way to get free comics.

I think that Marvel and DC should get together and make an iTunes like service for comics and that would go a long way towards both breaking the Diamond monopoly and giving people a commercial outlet for this.

[jayvee]

iComics: A wider distribution, as well, for cheaper because they don't have to buy paper, print and market it. They could even include extra bonus material as extra incentive to purchase online.

I download new stuff every week, but that's because I live forty-five minutes from the nearest comic shop (and it's a really, really shitty shop). It's the only way I can stay current. I buy a fuck-ton of trade paperbacks because it's the most bang for my buck and I bought several thousand dollars worth already when I was collecting as a kid between 1992 and 1997.

[geneticfreak]

I don't know I don't usually download comics. Only really old ones not available in reprint, otherwise I buy the actual stuff

[nolan]

Honestly, I hate reading comics on a computer screen.