As an industry, comic books have managed to remain fundamentally unchanged for 70 years, but just like it did in the Garden of Eden, a little apple has been shaking things up.
In recent years, the comic book industry started offering digital and semi-animated ("motion") versions of its ink-and-paper issues online, but Marvel, in particular, has embraced Apple's recently released iPad as a new, viable viewing platform.
The company's digital comic viewer was a flagship app for the iPad's April 3 launch, and today, Marvel will release the first episode of "Iron Man: Extremis," its third motion comic series, to iTunes. The series will continue bi-weekly on iTunes, Xbox Live and Zune Marketplace through June 23.
"Our tact with anything at Marvel is that we want to have a seat at the table," said Ruwan Jayatilleke, "Iron Man's" lead producer and a senior vice president at Marvel. "We're fairly committed to this entertainment space."
Mr. Jayatilleke was quick to point out that Marvel doesn't intend for digital or motion comics to replace print but rather "widen the net" to bring in new readers.
"No one is ever going to say that print comics don't have a place and that they're not important to us, because they are important to us," he said. "But part of enriching the experience and growing the audience segment is reaching out to different consumers.
"That's not going to happen from printing more comic books or printing different ones."
To local enthusiasts and independent comic store owners, the digital shift at Marvel and, to a lesser extent at DC Entertainment, has been met with mixed reactions.
Don Sayers, 21, has been reading comics off and on for six years, and although he said he thinks digital will never re-create the tactile experience of a physical comic, motion releases like "Iron Man" seem promising.
"The first one I watched was 'Watchmen,'" he said. "That was a really, really good way to do digital comics."
Ringgold resident Chris Haggard, 38, is a comic art collector and co-founder of www.comicartfans.com. Mr. Haggard said the hand-holding narrative approach in motion comics removes a crucial element from the comic experience.
"Just like in a movie, you have someone else's interpretation of the story," he said. "There's no imagination involved. (Comics) are about reading, and a motion comic essentially pulls all that out."
Although digital and motion comics have the potential to shift readership online, local comic store owners said they're not worried.
Even if rare issues can be found in digital form for far less than a physical copy at auction, the core customer base of independent comic stores, the hobbyist and collector, will always prefer paper, said Steven Watson, 25, assistant manager of Dice Head Games & Comics in Cleveland, Tenn.
"It's nice to have something tangible you can hold in your hand," he said. "I see a lot of dads coming in with their kids buying them comics, and then they get into it.
"It's a weird family tradition thing for dorks."
SCALES OF JUSTICE
Not sure how you'd like to get your comic fix? Fear not, here's a handy comparison guide for weighing the pros and cons of digital/physical media:
Marvel App (iPhone/iPod touch/iPad)
* What it is: An app that released almost currently with the iPad on April 1 that features frame-by-frame touch navigation of downloadable Marvel comics.
* Price for service: None (app requires a free iTunes account to download).
* Cost of "Civil War # 1": $1.99.
* Current catalog: About 500 titles.
* Publishers available: Marvel Comics.
* Does viewing require an internet connection?: No.
* Equipment required: An iPod touch ($199-$399), iPhone ($99-$299) or iPad ($499-$829).
PSP Digital Comics (Playstation Portable/PSP go)
* What it is: A digital comic downloading service that debuted last December for use with Sony's Playstation Portable and PSP go handheld gaming systems.
* Price for service: None (requires a free Playstation Network account).
* Cost of "Civil War #1": $1.99.
* Current catalog: About 1,200 titles.
* Publishers available: Marvel Comics, IDW, Ape Entertainment, Disney, Titan, Dabel Brothers, Red 5, Archie and more.
* Does viewing require an internet connection?: No.
* Equipment required: Playstation Portable ($170) or PSP go ($250).
Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited (computer)
* What it is: An online-only subscription service that allows subscribers to view an unlimited number of Marvel comics from a catalog of thousands of titles.
* Price for service: $10 monthly, $60 annually.
* Cost of "Civil War #1": N/A (though the issue is available to subscribers).
* Current catalog: About 5,000 titles.
* Publishers available: Marvel Comics.
* Does viewing require an internet connection?: Yes.
* Equipment required: Any computer with an internet connection.
* What it is: The physical comic book made of paper and ink you know and love.
* Price for service: The gas to get to and from your local comics store or any number of free, home delivery subscription services.
* Cost of "Civil War #1": $3.99.
* Current catalog: Any issue of any comic that isn't Web-based.
* Publishers available: All of them.
* Does viewing require an internet connection?: No.
* Equipment required: None.
Casey Phillips has worked as a features reporter in the Life department for three years. He writes about entertainment, young adults, animals and people of interest. Casey hails from Knoxville and earned a bachelor of science degree in journalism and a bachelor of arts in German. He previously worked as the features editor for Sidelines at Middle Tennessee State University. Casey received the East Tennessee Society of Professional Journalists Award of Excellence for Reviewing/Criticism in ...
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