Just like in novels, there’s an idea shared by many enthusiasts that the only valid approach is the traditional one. The printed page is the only way, they say, and anything else is heresy. Though the diehard voices in this space have mellowed over the years, the discussion over whether physical or digital comics is the better approach is still a valid one. If you’re new, you might be wondering where this comes from and what your approach should be.
The Classic Remains Classic
Despite what modernists sometimes claim, there are good reasons to turn to printed comics as a potentially superior option. The first thing that is often pointed to is the tactile feel of a book in your hand. Having a dedicated comic to carry, to flip through, and yes, to smell, is not something that a digital comic can ever match. Then, not everyone cares about these elements, or has the nostalgia for the classic approach that so many of us share.
Classic comics also have the potential to stand as status items, to demonstrate dedication to a brand, or to predict a formerly underestimated property. The line here between enthusiast and elitist may be blurred, but there’s no denying the very real financial value that the rarest comics can hold. This isn’t a little thing either; we’re talking serious retirement scratch with the rarest of the rare.
Digital Advantages
When looking at digital comics, the advantages are usually demonstrated as their use as an alternative, and the physical realities of data over paper as a storage medium. As an alternative, many comic enthusiasts don’t see digital copies as the be all or end all, but rather as a way to plug holes in their collections not possible when taking a physical approach. A comic you’re missing in the physical space might be out of your price range or impossible to find, in which case a system like Marvel’s Unlimited subscription could be a perfect temporary or permanent alternative.
In this way, digital comics are similar to other forms of entertainment which have evolved from the strictly physical into the shared sphere. Casino gaming is a prime example, once entirely confined to the physical sphere. Today, a broad range of online iGaming experiences like casino slots like Super Coins and Big Bass Splash offer an alternative to physical play that many enthusiasts prefer. Like comics, these are available on tablets, smartphones, laptops, and desktops, and also like comics, there is no one singular better option.
Storage comes into play when looking at any comic book collection built over the years. It’s not uncommon for readers to eventually build libraries of hundreds or thousands of titles, and each of these introduces problems in storage, maintenance, and reading. Humidity, theft, heat, random animal damage, and so many more potential issues can ruin collections, and this problem only grows over time.
With digital collecting, you can keep thousands of comics on a single piece of storage media. You can also back these up and implement systems to quickly sort through and read exactly what you want, when you want it. A single comic short box containing around 130 comics can weigh around 9kgs, or 20 lbs. In weight alone, this quickly adds up. With a digital comic coming in at about 30 megabytes, the ability to fit more than 8,500 on a single 256-gigabyte SD card isn’t a close comparison.
As purists, we have a hard time arguing against the traditional approach, but if we’re being fair, it’s difficult to speak against the advantages of digital. If you’re a newcomer, we recommend you try out a combination of both, collecting some sets physically, and see how you come to value that experience. This way, you can ensure you’re not missing out, and you’ll still have another option if you need to go digital down the line.
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English (US) · 