Posted on: August 24th, 2010 X-Comics: The Mutation Of Print Media

With the advent of Internet, Ipads and smart-phones more and more people are looking to their computer screens to get the latest news, sports results and celebrity scandal. Looking into a recent copy of Rolling Stone magazine I came across a strange advertisement (in relation to all of the other strange adverts in said magazine) that detailed a statistic that ‘during the 12-year life of Google, magazine readership actually increased 11 percent’. The advertisement was put forward by a collection of publishers, as is indicated by the almost ransom note collection of fonts from different magazine covers in the tagline ‘Magazines: The power of Print’. That got me to thinking, in this world where we can instantly obtain news of a subject from a variety of different sources is Print Media going the way of the dinosaur?

The answer is: yes and no. With the marvels of technology in this ‘digital age’ such as the Kindle, the Ipad and even to an extent the modern Internet you can now view articles from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan to the latest song by pop star Katy Perry in crisp, clear, high definition from not only an innumerable amount of sources but in every language possible. The e-book readers even have a page flipping animation to transition between pages in an electronic short story or novel.

To take it one step further, many of both classic works of literature and the latest novel are being translated into audio books. Don’t have the time to read the book but still want to get the story? Then just pop in the cassette/CD/MP3 into your media player and listen away. Often is the case where you will be listening to the story as read by a celebrity voice over artist as well. This isn’t really anything new, before we had the good sense to write these stories down they were recounted aloud either around a campfire or in an amphitheater. In many ways audio books take us back to those times prior to papyrus and stone carvings when hearing tales of heroics and derring-do was an event to be shared with the people around you. I can’t speak for the rest of you, but I actually find myself better immersed in the story when it’s being told rather than reading it.

It’s been said that with the advancement of technology we’ve lost these earlier forms of communication. When TV was invented they said it would ruin the radio industry (see the eerily prophetic music video ‘Video Killed the Radio Star’ by the Buggles for details). Was the radio industry brought to ruin? Of course not, the radio plays of the day became the teleplays on TV later on. Radio is still alive and well, it has even made the transition to Internet Radio and even the podcast.

So that brings me back to the earlier question, will personal electronic devices bring an end to print? Many older publications such as the New York Post, the Calgary Herald or even the LA Times have seen drops in their subscription based paper readership. This is due primarily to the publishers of these ‘fish wraps’ disregarding the new medium for media as a fad and are slow to get on the bandwagon. Make no mistake my friends, personal hand-held technology is here to stay and only those that choose to ignore it’s abilities as a medium changer will fall by the wayside.

Newspapers may be slow to the dance, but other forms of print made the transition almost effortlessly. The comic book industry, seeing that their primary readership was heading in the direction of portable media technology, saw the need to adapt. Speaking with the app creators and programmers you can now read your favorite funny books on your Iphone, Ipad or even on your personal computer. The interactive experience has even been taken a step further with the advent of motion comics where the panels even have animations and the dialogue is voiced by voice over artists.

Has this ended the comic book industry? Not really, as I can still go to Redd Skull comics here in Calgary and still get my latest issues of Atomic Robo or the New Avengers. That being said, I can also pay for the online subscription to Marvel or DC and get the chance to read some of my favorite heroes in their earliest adventures. All in their original 4-color glory! So while I enjoy the ease of reading back issues from the likes of Jack Kirby, Stan Lee and Walt Simonson online; I still get the tactile sensations of holding the print comic in my hot little hands. The smell of the ink and the crispness of opening the pages to see artwork from modern masters like David Finch or Neal Adams is a sensation that will never leave, no matter how old I get.

Print Media has seen more of an evolution and reimagining in the last ten years than in its entire history. Has it entirely gone away? Not really, while some are slow to catch up, many other aspects of the print media have made the transition to electronic mediums. The purists need not be alarmed, you will still be able to pick up your latest issue and read it to your heart’s content. For people such as myself I get the best of both worlds, I can read comic book issues from decades ago like they were brand new on my computer and I can grab the latest adventures of my favorite heroes and heroines in print form as well.

As long as print continues to move along side new technology it will never go away entirely. Now if you’ll excuse me I have some comic books to pick up.

Stay epic my friends!

4 Responses to “X-Comics: The Mutation Of Print Media”

1. Auburn Says:
   August 24th, 2010 at 10:29 pm

   Welcome aboard, Byron! 100% agree with all this. If I can manage to balance my music between mp3s and vinyls, I can do it with my digital and print comics. As soon as the publishers get a pricing system that makes sense, I’m all over hitting up the apps on the ipad. Until then, I won’t be paying the same price (if not more) for digital as buying print.

2. Byron McIsaac Says:
   August 25th, 2010 at 9:08 am

   Many thanks Auburn for the response! And I agree with you, once the pricing system becomes a little more reasonable for digital comics I will be all up ons with the Ipad

3. DuracellDurrell Says:
   August 25th, 2010 at 10:07 am

   Totally True.

   My personal belief as an artist is that the digital form is just another way of distribution. If i write a book, or paint a painting I want it seen by as many people as possible. So I create a digital copy, to distribute world wide, and a hard copy for local people. The digital age has just expanded my reach, not killed a medium

4. Byron McIsaac Says:
   August 25th, 2010 at 5:06 pm

   Thanks Auburn! I agree with you as well, once the pricing system makes sense I’ll be all up ons with the IPad

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