San Diego Podcasting Panel - Comments

[BobBretall]

This should go up any day now.....comments & discussion can go here:

For me, it was a fun conversation, there were quite a few people in the room (seemed like more than last year, what do you think, John?)

We gave out about 150 comics in the room and another 150 or so to people standing in a big line outside the panel room after the panel was over because I didn't want to carry the darned things back to my hotel

As for the panel, there was some good conversation, but it seemed to me that most of the other podcasts seemed to be really focused on WHO they interview as opposed to the comics themselves (let me know if you get that feeling after you listen).

[JohnMayo]

I've done a really quick job on the audio processing and assembly over here at the convention center this morning. I'm outside of Ballroom 20 trying to upload the episode now...

Update: Upload failed, again... Trying again...

[JohnMayo]

After three hours of some quick audio processing, some not so quick assembly and saving and some really slow uploading, the Comic-Con 2009 Podcasting Panel is now available...

[Frank]

and considering the conditions the audio was better than I had anticipated.

I also was surprised at how many panelists were interested in the interviews and whom they could get to interview rather than concentrating on the books themselves.

I was also surprised at how many of the panel thought that digital formats of some sort were the way that comics would be delivered in the future. Naturally, reading the books for the story is important, but there is also a huge collector base as well. Look at the price point, this seems to have a collectible premium in it. Perhaps at some point digital comics can become collectibles by themselves... but I am sure that many collectors will be reluctant to give up their paper copies of the books. (Perhaps the difficulty of turning a pdf file of some sort into something that can be collected is the reason that this hasn't already occured)

I have been concerned that the comic industry distribution system is not broad enough to attract enough new fans to the medium to keep the industry strong in the long term, so it would be my hope that something can be devised... (a color kindle like device?).. The small mobile devices screens seem small to appreciate the art in a modern comic.

[JohnMayo]

and considering the conditions the audio was better than I had anticipated.

I also was surprised at how many panelists were interested in the interviews and whom they could get to interview rather than concentrating on the books themselves.

I was also surprised at how many of the panel thought that digital formats of some sort were the way that comics would be delivered in the future. Naturally, reading the books for the story is important, but there is also a huge collector base as well. Look at the price point, this seems to have a collectible premium in it. Perhaps at some point digital comics can become collectibles by themselves... but I am sure that many collectors will be reluctant to give up their paper copies of the books. (Perhaps the difficulty of turning a pdf file of some sort into something that can be collected is the reason that this hasn't already occured)

I have been concerned that the comic industry distribution system is not broad enough to attract enough new fans to the medium to keep the industry strong in the long term, so it would be my hope that something can be devised... (a color kindle like device?).. The small mobile devices screens seem small to appreciate the art in a modern comic.

It was so loud at the convention center that I wasn't able to listen through the episode like I normally do and that would have taken at least another hour or two anyway. I wanted to get the episode up as quickly as possible.

I wasn't too surprised by how much the other podcasters focused on who they could get on their shows. All of the other podcasters are sponsored. With that comes a need, or at least a strong desire, to keep the numbers up to a certain level to maintain the sponsorships.

Since our show is unsponsored, Bob and I don't really feel any overwhelming need to "keep the ratings up" in any way. That allows us the freedom to interview "big name" people like Mark Waid and Ethan Van Sciver when we want to or to interview less known but no less talented or interesting people like Batton Lash about things like the Simpsons and Archie comics. Bob and I are doing the podcasting for the fun of it, not to make money.

On the digital distribution of comics, it is happening now and given the dropping sales of print comics, it does seem to be the way of the future. What I'm not convinced some of the panelists understood was Bob's point that the business model for new content creation for digital comics isn't entirely there yet. For smaller press publishers and creators with low to no overhead, digital distribution is both viable and very worthwhile. For companies like DC and Marvel, digital distribution is a completely different kind of thing to get into. Royalty rights on decades old material can be problematic for one thing. It is also worth noting that with Marvel in particular which had been digitally distributing comics for a while now, very little new content has been developed for that format.

I certainly agree that a comic book Kindle kind of device could go a long way to making digital comics more accessible.

Personally, I think that it will take not an iTunes for comics but literally iTunes for Comics (i.e. a comics section in iTunes list thee pdocast section in iTunes) for digital comics to really start to catch on.

[HassanT]

On the digital distribution of comics, it is happening now and given the dropping sales of print comics, it does seem to be the way of the future. What I'm not convinced some of the panelists understood was Bob's point that the business model for new content creation for digital comics isn't entirely there yet. For smaller press publishers and creators with low to no overhead, digital distribution is both viable and very worthwhile. For companies like DC and Marvel, digital distribution is a completely different kind of thing to get into. Royalty rights on decades old material can be problematic for one thing. It is also worth noting that with Marvel in particular which had been digitally distributing comics for a while now, very little new content has been developed for that format.

I certainly agree that a comic book Kindle kind of device could go a long way to making digital comics more accessible.

Personally, I think that it will take not an iTunes for comics but literally iTunes for Comics (i.e. a comics section in iTunes list thee pdocast section in iTunes) for digital comics to really start to catch on.

I haven't listened to the episode but I agree with everything you said. People complain about the cost of reprinting older material, thinking that it should be cheap because the publishers already paid for the comic, don't realized that the publishers still have to pay the creators royalties.

I also agree with you that digital is a way to increase the comic book readership. I think the best way to for it work is exactly what you said, a section in itunes, as opposed to, an itunes like platform. The digital comics should be able to be read on an iphone or itouch. This would reduced the barriers for new readership.

I am not sure why people (and when I say people, not you John) always think of absolute when they think of ideas. Half the time, when people talk about digital, they think that print will be completely gone. It is the same way people talk about different avenues of distribution when they talk about the direct market. People assume that since the direct market isn't working out as well as people like it to, it should completely go away. From a business model perspective, isn't it better to have multiple ways to distribute a product. While itunes changed music forever, there are still actual CDs being sold. VHS/DVDs changed movies, but people still go to theaters. I think digital could change comics, but there will still be comics in print (probably less so) and people will still buy them.

[Frank]

I have been thinking that the small format of the ipod type devices would be too small to be effective for comic book art, but perhaps I am mistaken on that. It will be interesting to see the pricing on the digital version... and will the paper books come with free digital rights (like many DVD's do now)..

The reasons I was originally thinking Kindle type device is that they are larger in format and I was thinking that would be better... but I would agree that at the moment there are hundreds of small devices for every kindle out there, but there is no reason that the digital format couldn't be for both... people who want a larger format could use a larger device and those that have very good eyesight could use the small format!

Frank

[JohnMayo]

The problem with the smaller devices is that the comics have to be converted to a pan-and-scan format to fit the screens. This makes the process of preparing the comics for those devices much more involved than just posting the PDF or equivalent.

Eventually the technology will get to the point that enough people will have suitable enough devices for a meaningful size audience for digital comics to emerge. Hopefully by then someone will have figured out a business model that works well enough to make producing new content for digital comics viable.

[HassanT]

The problem with the smaller devices is that the comics have to be converted to a pan-and-scan format to fit the screens. This makes the process of preparing the comics for those devices much more involved than just posting the PDF or equivalent.

Eventually the technology will get to the point that enough people will have suitable enough devices for a meaningful size audience for digital comics to emerge. Hopefully by then someone will have figured out a business model that works well enough to make producing new content for digital comics viable.

I agree. A comic book in pure PDF form isn't a great read. I read IDW's Star Trek Countdown on my iphone. I thought it was a really good read but it wasn't a simple scan. I also think it would only work on books that have a lot of panels per page. Or said differently, Loeb's Hulk would be a horrible comic book to read on an iphone

[Burrell]

Seems like there was a response removed.................

I didn't care for the extended commercial at the beginning of the panel. Didn't seem necessary. A mention would have been sufficient. And I LOVE TwoMorrows.

What was the "controversial comment" from the audience member towards iFanboy's Josh that seemed to make the panel uncomfortable, and they moved on? I couldn't hear what he said.

[JohnMayo]

Seems like there was a response removed.................

I didn't care for the extended commercial at the beginning of the panel. Didn't seem necessary. A mention would have been sufficient. And I LOVE TwoMorrows.

What was the "controversial comment" from the audience member towards iFanboy's Josh that seemed to make the panel uncomfortable, and they moved on? I couldn't hear what he said.

Bob must have removed the post. I have no idea why.

The extended commercial was unneeded. I could have edited it out if I'd thought about it and had the time. But, frankly, it didn't even occur to me to do so.

I don't recall the "controversial comment" but I think it was along the lines of which of his co-hosts he liked the best or something like that.

If I'd have more time, I'd have fiddled with the audio so the comment could be heard better. Sorry about that.

[JC]

I'm not sold yet on the digital format but if they add more features (e.g. HD or audio capabilities/background music), then I would definitely try it. But until then, I'd stick to collecting oversized books. I'm tremendously enjoying Absolute Sandman.

[Burrell]

Seems like there was a response removed.................

I didn't care for the extended commercial at the beginning of the panel. Didn't seem necessary. A mention would have been sufficient. And I LOVE TwoMorrows.

What was the "controversial comment" from the audience member towards iFanboy's Josh that seemed to make the panel uncomfortable, and they moved on? I couldn't hear what he said.

Bob must have removed the post. I have no idea why.

The extended commercial was unneeded. I could have edited it out if I'd thought about it and had the time. But, frankly, it didn't even occur to me to do so.

I don't recall the "controversial comment" but I think it was along the lines of which of his co-hosts he liked the best or something like that.

If I'd have more time, I'd have fiddled with the audio so the comment could be heard better. Sorry about that.

I think Bob removed his own post probably after rethinking what he said. And that comment didn't sound that bad .... my imagination from how the panel reacted made it much more controversial than the joke that it apparently was.

[BobBretall]

Seems like there was a response removed.................

I didn't care for the extended commercial at the beginning of the panel. Didn't seem necessary. A mention would have been sufficient. And I LOVE TwoMorrows.

What was the "controversial comment" from the audience member towards iFanboy's Josh that seemed to make the panel uncomfortable, and they moved on? I couldn't hear what he said.

I self-edited my comment about the commercial from Two-Morrows.......

I agree that having one of the sponsored shows hold the book up and mention it would have been sufficient without bringing Morrow up on the stage.

The uncomfortable questions was something like, if you were in a sinking ship and there was only room for one of your co-hosts in the lifeboat, which one would you save. Audience reaction probably due to the fact that a lot of iFanboy fans were in the audience.

[Trev]

I self-edited my comment about the commercial from Two-Morrows.......

I agree that having one of the sponsored shows hold the book up and mention it would have been sufficient without bringing Morrow up on the stage.

The uncomfortable questions was something like, if you were in a sinking ship and there was only room for one of your co-hosts in the lifeboat, which one would you save. Audience reaction probably due to the fact that a lot of iFanboy fans were in the audience.

I was in the Two-morrows panel right before the podcasting one. I think it was mostly a question of them being right down the hall before the podcasting panel started. They pimped the podcast book in their panel too.

I wish two-morrows would offer more deals at cons. They might expand their base more if they offered something like 20-30% off of new books at the cons.