What Record and Comic Stores Have in Common

Reporter Jason Snell attended this year's Comic-Con to see how the iPad and other devices were affecting the comic industry; he found they seemed convinced that “the coming digital comic revolution, in which devices such as the iPad eliminate the need for reading printed media, will end up driving readers into comic-book stores in search for the good stuff--on paper." This sound familiar? A presenter told the audience that comic shops are cultural centers; they could thrive in the iPad era, sort of like boutique vinyl record stores. Snell's thoughts:

“I'm not so sure. I recall people in the music industry talking in much the same tone about how record stores would always thrive because people wanted to go and hang out there, but the last time I checked, my local record store was being turned into a Trader Joe's. And bookstores face the same challenge, as readers turn both to e-books and to buying direct from Amazon. The survivors are likely to be retail chains or independent stores with a very good sense of what it takes to create a pleasant, appealing retail environment--pretty much the antithesis of at least one class of comic-book store." Read More.

Did I mention almost every comic that's published is scanned and posted on pirate sites within hours of release? But kids would never walk into a store and...