[...] months after the Diamond Digital program was announced, a plan for physical comic stores to sell online comics, we finally have some [...]

[...] print magazine at the end of January, Wizard planned to create a digital magazine, an idea I found ludicrous. Now that their first issue is available, let’s check it [...]

[...] started thinking further about Diamond’s plans to have comic shops sell digital comics. That doesn’t make sense to me, but what would? What would be the function of a retailer for [...]

It would be neat to get the standard DC/Marvel stuff I was getting at the time that was widely available. Then order a digital of some Indy book I wanted to try, or had ordered but for some reason Diamond didn’t ship. (or my retailer just didn’t order for whatever reason) Though I would hope ordering it from the store, that it would send an automatic order to Diamond to send a paper copy out to me. (which his doesn’t seem to offer)

Little late for that now with my shopping habits, and other options out there now though.

Regarding the cutting out of middlemen or more accurately, businesses that employ people, if diamond chooses to try this in some misguided effort to keep the DM plugging along, then whats wrong with that?

It seems that the main criticism is the producer having to share more of a cut and the inconvenience of having to go to a comic shop to download a comic. But it’s pretty clear that this is intended as a stop gap for diamond and the DM.

Given the state of the industry, I think both producers and consumers can take away one thing from all this; it’s not always about you.

So what if it’s a stupid idea? If it helps out some comic shops and helps people who would normally never download a comic to get involved with the process then I say go for it. It seems the only people upset by this are the ones that probably don’t venture into comic shops much any more anyways and have no use for the direct market all together. Eventually, even those that do sign up on this will eventually bail and move on to better platforms. Are people really that upset because they have to go to the lcbs to get a digital copy of the latest bluewater or moonstone offering?

And how this lines up with some strange, deep seated hatred of superhero comics and those that read them, I have no clue. If digital is all that (which, based on sales isn’t yet and might not be for a long time)and the pro digital crowd is right when they say the DM is doomed and will vanish in a matter of seconds, then what’s the worry?

I personally think the notion of reading a comic on a tiny phone screen is ridiculous and having read a comic on an Ipad, equally so (I like comics, not “digests”). The laptop isn’t as bad, but equally devoid of magic. But then I’m a superhero lovin’ fanboy dinosaur and clearly part of the problem.

ComiXology also has a retailer initiative, and some nice retailer doodads.

My questions:
Who gets what from each dd sale?

What happens when B&N or Apple want to sell day-and-date? Both have digital newsstands…

Will I be able to buy a digital comic ONLINE from a comics shop, which would email me the redemption code? If so, what does that do to the stores which do not have an online store?

[...] Publishing | Johanna Draper Carlson takes a closer look Gareb Shamus’ plan for a weekly digital magazine and Diamond Comic Distributors’ Diamond Digital initiative. [Comics Worth Reading] [...]

And who’s going to work on the Wizard website is a good question, but they’re one of those companies who always seem to have a lot of openings for interns, providing “experience”.

Joshua, you are completely correct. This is a plan to let some people feel like they’re doing something, even if it seems to be going the wrong way.

Think about that- a “comic con” didn’t have Marvel, DC, Image, or Dark Horse as a guest or vendor, but instead had the worst mobile phone ever. And not just anywhere, but in the up-front, right-as-you-enter position.

As for the digital publication, I’d be happy to read it if I knew who was going to *write* for it. He fired all the writers, didn’t he? His GeekSpamDaily sheet is little more than three press releases reworded with snark. Are we going to get a 32 page PDF of the same? I can’t imagine any writer with even a little bit of self-respect would consider working for the Great Shamus Stock Scam.

@Johanna What this actually is aimed at is comics shop retailers, who correctly see digital distribution as a threat to their livelihoods. They are Diamond’s customers, not the consumers, which explains every idiotic feature of this scheme.

The reason for them dragging their asses on digital, and the reason for all of Jim Lee’s string-waving, is that they know as well as anyone that digital is not a market they can dominate.

People who aren’t superhero fanboys (99% of the population)who may be open to reading comics will demand better formats, different genres, and compelling work. As far as Marvel, DC, Image and the rest of them go, this is something they pull off rarely.

So while they continue to dominate a shrinking market, they will also have doofuses screaming that piracy is the reason for their failing business and if you’re not going to a comic shop, you’re obviously a pirate as well.

And Gareb Shamus is a parasite.