So I recently purchased my very first digital comic. A while back I tried to redeem a code from an Ultimate Spider-Man comic at Marvel's website and never could even find the comic I redeemed. The window to download the comic was by midnight the next day. I made it under the wire (CST), but I never figured out how to pull the issue up. The process seemed very impractical as a method to introduce people to the digital medium, and the limited window to redeem just felt kind of paranoid. I eventually just gave up. Why would Marvel care? I already bought the comic. I just wanted to see Chris Samnee pictures on my computer screen.
So I went to Comixology and bought a digital copy of Prophet #21 for $2.99. I don't know if Comixology is the best, but they seemed to have everything laid out simply enough for a bonehead like me to figure out. The critically acclaimed title had sold out locally. (and nationally from what I hear) Like many others I thought this was a continuation of the big gun boredom of Image's earlier periods. All flash, no substance. I, and a lot of other readers, were dead wrong in our initial assumptions of a Rob Liefeld created title. Written by Brandon Graham with art by Simon Roy, the new Prophet is the perfect jumping on point for any appreciator of fine comic book material. Trust me on this one. I never read a single word balloon of Prophet prior to this issue and I didn't need to.
John Prophet awakens in the far future and begins his mission without batting an eyelash to the strangeness of the world around him. The creative team are in perfect lockstep to execute this bizarre sci-fi adventure. I personally love all the scenes that map out regions and display descriptions of all the gear John Prophet utilizes and finds. John Prophet's encounters with the world's bizarre denizens are every bit as strange, unpredictable, and visually exciting as a Jim Woodring "Frank" story. (except more violent in some cases) Richard Ballermann's colors are dead on in capturing the dusty tone of this brave new world. When the book ended I felt impatient for more. A perfect 10 overall.
Rob Liefeld is the ultimate pariah in comics. His criticisms can easily fall over into "unfair". I admit that I am not a fan of his style. Just looking at his alternate cover to this issue doesn't do justice for the visual appeal of the interiors. I have to give it to Liefeld for knowing when get out of the way of even his own creation. Believe it or not, as a creator/businessman, Rob Liefeld can know what makes a great comic. Sometimes we forget that. Love him or hate him, the guy is a veteran of the industry and the fact that he is open to letting his corner of Image evolve in such a unique way is enough of a testament to get anyone to step off of the hate train for at least a moment. I also plan on reading another Liefeld creation "re-launch", the Ross Campbell drawn Glory that comes out this week. Glory is another character I know absolutely nothing about, but from a company that is unafraid to move forward (in contrast to the incessant re-hashing of the big two) I can say i'm not worried and actually may be excited.
The digital experience of reading Prophet #21 was fun. I took the panel for panel approach and utilized some zoom. I probably spent ten full minutes on the map of the Oonaka Farm. I have to say that spending the same amount for some instantaneous digital transfer as I would a hard copy does seem to be a bit much. Many media are having trouble dealing with the compatibility of digital information versus their hard copies. I think it is a fair question to ask if somethings digital value is truly worth the same as the cost of the manufacture of a paper product. I would say it doesn't. Of course from a business stand-point new comics would have to be the same price as digital, otherwise everyone would just get digital and ignore the paper...right? I did notice that Comixology did have $1 options for older titles. My colleague here at BeatOffComics has a digital Marvel account that lets him read loads of back issues. (New ones are full cover price. Is that digital Avengers comic really worth $4? Really?) I'm sure over time the cost of Prophet #21 will drop. I don't regret my full price purchase. I'm happy to support this creative team and happy to support a creator that supports this creative team. I just won't be going full price digital very often. New digital comics prices probably won't ever make sense until everything is digital and paper is done. Then again, companies might be so greedy and impractical that they will make prices digital prices even higher and then sit around wondering why nobody reads them. I personally think that paper medium is going to take a lot longer to fade away. Some of that is old school mentality from fans like myself. I like my paper comics, but digital has it's place. When digital does take over us all i'm going to try very hard to not be one of those bitchy old men that harp on the "good old days".
-BS
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