Just like when I spoke with Mark Waid two years ago, he is a VERY busy man at this convention. He is on nearly every panel and is incredibly popular with attendees seeking to speak with him and get his signature. So, first of all, a huge thanks to Mark for taking 5 minutes to talk with me. The conversation focused on the present and future of digital comics this time: ...
As I mentioned during the announcement of Top Shelf’s DRM-Free store, I really like Comixology’s patented Guided View way of viewing comics. It is the best way to view comics that weren’t made with the expectation of being digital (eg The Private Eye, Lil Gotham) short of rotating a large computer monitor. Guided View isn’t perfect, but I find it works close enough to perfect. However, as I’ve mentioned over and over in different articles, I’ve been badly burned by digital restrictions management (DRM) over and over again. So I stopped buying comics on Comixology.
In February Top Shelf Comics introduced its new DRM-free store. This makes it the second major comic publisher after Image Comics to introduce a DRM-free store. This is actually a pretty huge deal as more of us consider digital as a great alternative to long boxes and treks to the comic shop on Wednesdays. (The loss of in-person camaraderie is a topic for another post) Why should you care about DRM and what is it? On the off chance that you haven’t heard about it, here’s the quick primer: DRM stands for Digital Rights Management. But many of us like to think of it as Digital Restrictions Management because it tends to limit what you can actually do with your comics. If you’re like the typical comic fan, you grew up (or are growing up) sharing comics with others. Comics cost a ton of money, especially for kids (or adults on a budget) so the way you learn about new titles and characters is swapping with your friends. Legendary Batman writer Denny O’Neil mentioned doing this as a kid and it being the reason he was able to learn about all the different types of comics. With DRM you can’t do that. In fact, with DRM you can’t share your comics with your spouse unless you physically give them your tablet. That’s idiotic - new technology shouldn’t be hampered by the limitations of old technology. I should be able to read Saga at the same time as my wife or while I’m reading other comics from my collection. If the store just goes away, you lose your entire collection despite the fact that you are often paying just as much for the digital comics as print comics if you’re buying it the day it comes out. ...