Out with the old.

So, I'm aware that I don't update this very often. I'm not even certain if anyone reads it to be honest. But, since I've got it, I should probably do something with it. That way I can at least vent my horrific nerdery on the internet rather than my poor girlfriend, who will probably kill me if I attempt to discuss the future of digital comics with her again.

So here are some thoughts on the subject. I like comics. I have the internet. I have yet to purchase a single digital comic. Why is this? For me, it's a matter of cost (and the fact that I use a netbook most of the time, which isn't ideal for reading digital comics). Why should I pay the same amount for a digital comic that I would for a paper copy? Paper copies are more convenient anyway - I can't read the netbook on the toilet with potentially burning my thighs - so why would I pay the same amount? Digital comics are simply overpriced.

Take the difference between mp3s and CDs. Mp3s are generally considerably cheaper. That makes me more likely to buy them, even if it means that I haven't got some nice packaging to look at. I like nice packaging, but I like a medium that allows me to have more music on the cheap better. It's the same with comics. If digital comics were to be significantly cheaper, I'd actually buy some.

My interest in this isn't entirely as a consumer. I'm currently putting together a digital comic that I'd like to sell online. Most of what I've found mimics the print medium - 22 pages, standard cover price, pretty much print comics dressed up like cheap tarts trying to seduce a new medium. While some do innovate (The commentary/art features in Verum Corpus springs to mind) people seem to be stuck in the old routine, seemingly happy to maintain the status quo. I'm not sure that I'm happy to be part of that.

I have something in mind, although it's early days yet. I ant to try something that addresses both the price and format possibilities that digital comics bring. Whether I'm successful or not, I'm hoping that I can at least try to find a new way of doing things.