Comics: Physical or Digital??

The Man himself Stan Lee, once said about digital comics,

“Comics are like boobs. They look great on a computer,

but I’d rather hold one in my hand”

This is his way of saying that no matter how accessible comics are on the web it will never compare to the feeling of actually holding one in your hand. You can’t get the feeling of turning the pages, the texture of the paper, or the new print smell of a fresh comicbook from a digital source. If there is a problem with the website that you are reading on, then you could find yourself unable to read what you want. As well as comics being taken off of sites due to copyright reasons. You don’t have this problem with physical copies.

That isn’t to say that digital comics don’t have their merits. Unlike physical copies, it’s possible to zoom in on digital comics and thus get a clearer look at the smaller details that a lot of artists like to include in their work. As well as the accessibility of them. It is far easier and less time consuming to download a comic off of a website such as Comixology and Marvel Unlimited than it is to go to the closest comicbook store to buy a physical copy. There is also the benefit of having such a wide selection that doesn’t take up any physical space, as having a sizeable array of comics and manga in book form requires many a shelf to put them all one. However, people who like collecting the physical copies for the way that the look organised on the shelf, such as myself, would not see this as a problem.

Although I can see the appeal of digital comics, to me they will never compare to the real thing. As a collector I love the aesthetically pleasing look that a comic collection has when it's ordered on a shelf. As a book lover I enjoy being able to physically turn the pages. As a man who appreciates nice smells, I love the scent of freshly printed paper. As a comics fan I feel like they are best represented in the way they were originally created. For these reasons and many more, I prefer physical comics to digital.