When Avenging Spider-Man #1 releases in November, you’ll be getting a pretty nice freebie with your hard copy: a digital download of that same issue through the Marvel Comics app. This is the first time this has been done in comics.
In a press release on Marvel’s official site, David Gabriel, SVP of Sales said, “We’ve included our retail partners in crafting this program, and worked with ComicsPRO in determining what would make this program the most beneficial to consumers and retailers and I think we’ve come up with something that is not only unique and exciting, but a program that addresses most of the concerns retailers have had with previous digital programs. With the earliest initial orders already over 100k, AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #1 is set to be one of the biggest new releases of the fall and demand can only increase with these free digital codes.”
Marvel has found a happy medium between consumer needs and retailer needs with this move, and shows they’re trying to take a step forward in the way we get our comics. This has been happening with all sorts of other mediums for years, with free digital downloads being included in many movies, vinyl records, and CDs, making this a progressive move for the company.
But does this address digital replacing hard copies? I’m not sure that it does. As comic fans, have we moved on from that stage of keeping every comic we purchase? There are certain event issues and personal favorites that will always stay in the plastic bag and cardboard backing for safekeeping and posterity, but when it comes to simply amassing a garage full of bulky white comic boxes, I’d rather just take the digital download and stop the waste and physical consumption altogether. Someday, digital will replace print media. That may not be right around the corner, but it’s coming. Marvel has taken a unique step to ease the transition, ostensibly weaning its consumers off of the hard copy bottle. When they say that this is for the retailers, they’re saying it’s for the retailers now, as opposed to later, when digital replaces their means of business. With free digital copies, we’ll all get introduced to the process of downloading, get initiated with the new format, and ultimately find that we can no longer live without it. At least, that’s what Marvel hopes will happen.
Written by Chris Harder
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Comic Book News, Digital Comic Books