MARVEL TO SET-UP DOTCOMICS SUBSCRIPTION SYSTEM?

[Eric J. Moreels]

{Originally posted at X-Fan v3.1 on January 23, 2002}

<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/logos/dotcomics_logo.gif" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/logos/dotcomics_logot.gif" align=left alt="Marvel dotComics logo"></a>According to a recent article by the Chicago Tribune (http://chicagotribune.com/technology/chi-0201210001jan21.story?coll=chi%2Dtechnology%2Dhed), Marvel Comics are looking toward setting up a subscription system for their online dotComics later this year.

The article quoted Marvel President and COO Bill Jemas as saying that if the number of downloads were counted as a separate company, then the Marvel.com Web site would be the third-largest comic book publisher in terms of circulation.

Marvel's downloadable dotComics currently include online versions of the popular Ultimate X-Men ongoing series, the first three issues of the sell-out Origin mini-series, and the debut issue of the Iceman X-Men Icons limited series, amongst others.

Touting circulation figures is how Marvel intends to make money off Web comics. Marvel's animation-driven, Flash format comic downloads include full-page ads, just as the print editions do. Downloads from registered users are being audited and certified by the Business of Performing Audits International, a publishers auditing service. Soon, the Web editions will be added to print circulation totals on Marvel's advertising rate card.

Jemas also told the Tribune that he believes Marvel's monthly circulation will increase by 500,000 after incorporating downloaded comics.

"There will be a point where it becomes easy for us to give you a subscription online," Jemas said, mentioning plans to experiment with discounted subscriptions to electronic editions of a handful of Marvel titles in about six months.

[xtremexman]

What is up with this anyway? It just doesn't seem right that fans of the popular dot Comics are going to have to pay in order to read them now. However, the dot Comics are popular enough to give Marvel the idea in the first place. I guess you could say I have mixed feelings about this new dot Comics subscription system. I just don't know what to think.

[Blink]

Excuse me for a moment .... :joker::joker::joker::joker::joker::joker: So that is finally going to happen.

Yes, folks, this idea was being bounced around the now-defunct Marvel.com dept. in the Spring 2001. The only problem I saw with Jemas' plan was that there were only 2 people putting together the comics for the web. So I'm guessing he hired more people to help out for this project of his or he finally outsourced dotcomics.

[rtms77]

I not at all surprised that they are moving to a subscription based site. They all do it at some point when they see they could be making money. Really I think this will be happening more in the future, to the point where the paper print just disappears and you just download the comic to your computer and read it at your leisure. Still before I pay a penny they have to work out some of the bugs in the system. I will not pay if I going to have problems downloading or viewing the comics as I sometimes do now. Second there has to be a reasonable price for these comics, not inflated just to make lots of money.

[Silverwolf]

"And then, a terrible shriek shook the planet, and dark clouds gathered to smother the Earth in eternal night. The seas became boiling acid, the beasts of the land were killed, the air became poison, and comics became dotcomics."
The Apocalypse, Silverwolf Edition

The horror, the horror!
Paying for dotcomics will signal the end of the comics as we know 'em.
In other words: I ain't payin' no money for that #$%@!!!