Comic-Con but Very Few Comics

I picked the wrong day to stop reading Ray Bradbury...


It's been at least 5 years since I've been to any type of comic convention. As the name implies when you go to one you usually see lots of, well... Comics! That wasn't the case at Comic-Con 2008. I searched long and hard. Finally in the back of the main show floor there were some tables selling classic books. Funny thing was, for all my searching when I finally found them, I wasn't that interested. The medium has changed and so have I. Truth be told I haven't set foot into a comic book store in a few years now. Fed up with the attitude of comic store owners I became a disgruntled customer. That plus the lack of consistent product not to mention being a father of four have kept me away. By the way, comic book store owners HATE kids. I don't know what it is but I've seen kids berated and shamed out of stores on more than one occasion. No wonder kids switched their allegiance to anime and manga. All very ironic.

For the pass several years I have began digitally downloading my comics on a frequent basis. Now this is not exactly the most legal of activities but the medium has refused to change with the times. I should qualify that when I see a series that I enjoyed I will buy it in Trade Paper Back form at a Borders or Barnes and Noble. At least there I don't have to deal with the comic book store attitude.

So this is my open plea to the comic industry. PLEASE start offering you comics every Wednesday for digital download. I will GLADLY pay for this privilege. If you don't know how to make it happen talk to Apple. They seem to have it down to a science. Hell, I'll even pay for what I've already downloaded. Take a lesson from the recording industry which is now in shambles because it refused to adapt. I know Marvel has its "Digital Comics" on Marvel.com but the service is lousy and has little choices. I want ALL the titles to be available. Not just the selected ones from last month. And not just a handful of selected back issues either.

DCP and Minutemen (two underground comic scanning organizations) are so far ahead of you it's ridiculous. They have practically the entire medium in digital format at this point. Going back to the early 20th centry. They are on the forefront of the future of distribution for comics. Agree with them or not, the people have spoken.

For the final nail in the coffin the largest paper book seller in the world, Amazon.com, has introduced a digital downloading wireles reading device called a Kindle. Amazon Kindles are flying off the shelf. Great name if you think about it. To kindle is to catch fire. Quite the tripple entendre there Amazon!