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Dave Carr
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 16 April 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 1850
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| Posted: 28 August 2006 at 1:20pm | IP Logged | 1
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The Internet recently caused me to stop buying comics (except for the Cartoon Network, Bongo, and Nancy Drew comics I still order for my kids). It's like that line from the Grandpa character in "Lost Boys"...."You read the TV guide, you don't need a TV." Practically every story ever told in comics can be found on the Internet. You can find synopses, pics, and even spoilers for upcoming storylines.
The Internet has saved me thousands of dollars on comics a year.
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Greg Kirkman
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 12 May 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 15775
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| Posted: 28 August 2006 at 1:22pm | IP Logged | 2
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The thing is, the majority of readers/buyers these days IS a minority. The rest of the fanbase has pretty much moved on to other things, while sales dwindle.
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Brian Deuser
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 17 April 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 895
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| Posted: 28 August 2006 at 1:26pm | IP Logged | 3
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Hey, Dave, I hope this doesn't come off as argumentative, but are you saying you don't buy comics because you can get it for free?
Are there still characters that you enjoy reading these days?
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Dave Carr
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 16 April 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 1850
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| Posted: 28 August 2006 at 1:30pm | IP Logged | 4
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Yes. Everything I want to know about a character can be found on sites/forums/rumor columns. How many people here know about Gwen Stacy having kids, even though they never bought the books?
I still enjoy reading Superman, but I've given it up, too. My full collection of Superman comics starting in 1986 with Man of Steel will shortly be up on eBay.
I'm more a follower of creators, but the ones I follow slavishly are either not producing anything, or (like Walt Simonson) working on characters/titles that I have no interest in.
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Joe Zhang
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 16 April 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 12857
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| Posted: 28 August 2006 at 1:58pm | IP Logged | 5
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"Only if you chose to read those spoilers."
The question that Clint raised seems to be about the hobby in general.
He didn't ask "has the Internet ruined comics for you personally?" But
yes, I agree that those who don't want to be spoiled can simply choose
not to read sources of spoilers.
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Matt Reed
Byrne Robotics Security
Robotmod
Joined: 16 April 2004
Posts: 35732
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| Posted: 28 August 2006 at 2:18pm | IP Logged | 6
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I understand the point of the question, Joe, but I don't think you can divorce how the internet affects you personally from the question about whether it has ruined comics generally. Like I said, I don't think spoilers ruin anything insomuch as you choose whether or not to read them. I don't like them, so I avoid them all. If a website is rife with them, as some sites are populated by people who get their jollies from spoiling anything and everything (that goes not just for comics, but TV, movies, books, you name it) then I avoid that site like the plague. For me, I think the internet has negatively affected comics by giving voice to a minority and that minority, for reasons unknown to me, is powerful where Marvel and DC are concerned.
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 132282
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| Posted: 28 August 2006 at 2:27pm | IP Logged | 7
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Has the internet ruined comics?
****
Ruined, no. Severely damaged, yes.
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Clint Adams
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 10 September 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 507
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| Posted: 28 August 2006 at 2:32pm | IP Logged | 8
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Ruined, no. Severely damaged, yes.
***
Didn't kill it, but cut off its legs and is letting it bleed?
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Michael Penn
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 12 April 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 12438
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| Posted: 28 August 2006 at 3:08pm | IP Logged | 9
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Like Anakin at the end of SITH?
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Andrew W. Farago
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Joined: 19 July 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 4067
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| Posted: 28 August 2006 at 3:21pm | IP Logged | 10
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The Internet's so all-pervasive that it's definitely
changing the way things are done and the way ideas
are shared, but like any new tool/medium, it's all in
how it's used.
Talking with other comics fans, interacting with
comic creators, the ability to post your own comics
online (comics that you've created, not comics that
you've purchased), the ability to order comics
through shops on the other side of the planet, the
ability to quickly spread information to large numbers
of people (for things ranging from an online petition
to save a favorite comic book to organizing charity
auctions to benefit comic professionals who've fallen
on hard times), getting information about comic
conventions, interviews and fan appreciation sites,
tracking down release dates for the comics that you
read...these are all big plusses, and it looks like the
bigger publishers are trying to get more and more
out of the Internet all the time, resulting in more
web-only content such as interviews and book
previews, all designed to promote comics and
increase readership.
And yes, the downside is that there are a lot of
people out there with too much free time and nothing
better to do with it than take cheap shots at comic
creators they don't like or rip apart books that they
don't like or download every comic published this
month without paying for anything or any number of
other things that you might find annoying, but it's a
big Internet out there, and it's easy enough to stay
away from the parts of it that don't do anything for
you (although even the trashiest comic sites can be
good for a cheap laugh every once in a while).
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Matt Tauber
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 17 April 2004
Posts: 178
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| Posted: 28 August 2006 at 5:28pm | IP Logged | 11
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No! I think the internet has helped comics by giving comic book fans a place to connect with each other and their favorite creators. If you don't want your upcoming comics to be spoiled, you can avoid the spoilers. Some people want to get the entire scoop on everything, just so they'll be "in the know" and can comment/argue about it. Some folks ruin it for themselves.
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Matt Tauber
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 17 April 2004
Posts: 178
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| Posted: 28 August 2006 at 5:41pm | IP Logged | 12
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Greg Kirkman wrote: Partly. Print mags like Wizard and Previews take the rest of the blame.
I disagree, Greg. I think there's enough to enjoy in Wizard and avoid the spoilerish stuff. It's not like they're breaking news anymore, or breaking any news the publishers aren't letting them break. The internet's put them in a position of being reactionary, as well as doing more features and interviews.
Previews, while not a print mag, is a print catalog which was around before the internet explosion. It's the same catalog retailers are creating their orders from, so it has to be spoilerish to some degree. I avoid the blurbs for the comics that I collect.
On the internet or in print, unless it's in a headline, spoilers are avoidable. It's up to the reader. It's like that picture of Spider-Man hugging a gravestone with M.J.'s name on it. Real, hoax, or dream, if I'm a Spider-Man fan I'll wait for the book to come out...or if I can't stand the suspense I'll surf message boards and news looking for answers.
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