by the YMB investigative team

Since the introduction of the internet, there has been a rapid proliferation of file sharing between individuals. Music sharing via Napster and the like hit the headlines with songs being made available for free, without the consent of artists or publishers. That guy from Metallica was one of the most vocal Napster-haters and ended up being vilified by thousands. But I digress. While many of the sharing sites become legit and paid whopping fines (the two not being mutually exclusive), other methods of file sharing sprang up. As the number of sites increased, so the types of media diversified to encompass movies, TV shows, games and comic books.

While the MPAA have been actively seeking out those who share movies and other broadcast material, no one as yet has targeted those who download comic books.

There are various P2P methods to download and share comic books. For example using [uh-uh] technologies such as [nope] and [not a chance we’re telling you] and visiting sites like [I mean come on] or [You surely know about these already]. You simply download the [Its not that hard to find] and sit back and wait for the comics to come in. At the same time as you are downloading (and once you finish your download), you upload to other peers.

Other methods such as [but we’re not] or [about to tell you] are possibles as well, and as technology grows there will be others.

There have been many debates about the ethics of downloading comics, not to mention the actual aesthetics of reading them – most comic book readers would prefer to have the actual physical book in their hands rather than trying to read their favourite stories on a 17” monitor. The majority of people who have been vocal on message boards and forums have stated that they do not partake and do not condone it, but there must be just as large a silent community who do download and enjoy it. These are the ones YMB wanted to seek out.

From hanging out at forums where these guys and gals congregate we managed to arrange an interview with someone who we will call Comic Book Downloader. What follows is the transcript from the interview, conducted in his office/bedroom

YMB: So, Mr V, how did you get into downloading comics?

Mr V: I was just cruisin' the Internet, y'know? I had been downloadin' music before and stuff... eh... stuff, yeah.

YMB: Stuff?

V: Stuff. Y'know what I mean?

YMB: Not sure, but go on.

V: Anyway, I had been downloading and then I heard about [*!@$$?!@@!"] and that sort of thing. I checked out a couple of sites and found that not only could I download... stuff, but comics as well. I've been into comics for years and really thought this could be a Godsend.

YMB: How so?

V: Because there was so many comics and runs there that you can't get any more. At least not without paying through the nose.

YMB: I see. So it was the rarity factor then, that hooked you?

V: Yeah, that and the small download sizes relative to the... uh... stuff.

YMB: But generally, you were finding stuff online that it is difficult to find at comic shops, conventions, auction sites and the like?

V: Well, not stuff. You can't get stuff at comic shops or cons. Well, some cons, but not all of them by any means.

YMB: Apologies. To rephrase: You were finding comic books online that it is difficult to find elsewhere?

V: Yes. For example, in the first day I downloaded "Flex Mentallo", "Miracleman" and "Trouble".

YMB: But you can get them if you know where to look for them.

V: It costs an arm and a leg, y'know? I'm not paying over the odds for 4 issues of a Charles Atlas rip-off!

YMB: When it comes down to it, its the cost then?

V: I'm not cheap, y'know!

YMB: We're not saying you...

V: I'm not cheap. I've paid money for comic books before, and other things. I have a copy of New Avengers #1 and each of the 27 variants.

YMB: I thought there were only a handful of variants for that book?

V: Well I have 27!

YMB: You mentioned that you downloaded "Trouble". Surely that series isn't that hard to find? There's a reasonably priced trade paperback isn't there, and you can get the single issues for not much more than cover price, if not a lot less.

V: Well, it was there and I hadn't read it.

YMB: Was it your intention to read the downloaded copy and then perhaps buy it at a later date?

V: Why? Its there, its free and it wasn't that great.

YMB: Its also illegal, though.

V: What, being a bit crap? Man, there's so many books out there like that, that comics in general would be illegal. Hell, the 90s would mean life imprisonment for many creators.

YMB: No, I mean, its also illegal to download these materials. They're copyright and you're downloading them without paying a fee.

V: So? These companies are rich, so what if they don't get my $15 for a trade?

When we mentioned that the industry is littered with publishers that had gone to the wall due to poor sales and Marvel itself was close to bankruptcy just a few years ago, Mr V shrugged his shoulders and repeated "They're rich".

YMB: Even if that was the case and taking $15 for an average trade, what happens if 10,000 people download the comics? Wouldn't that mean that the publisher loses out on $150,000?

V: Yeah, well...

YMB: And what of the creators? They're not rich. They have families to feed, etc.

V: Yeah, well... uh... the majority of stuff that I download I actively seek out to buy in paper format as soon as I can.

YMB: Really?

V: Really. In fact, I'd say about 90% of the books I download, I then go out and physically purchase. Physically.

YMB: 90%?

V: More like 97%. No, 98%.

YMB: So, how many comics do you think you have downloaded?

V: About 20,000.

YMB: 20,000?

Mr V pointed to a cupboard in the corner which had hundreds of CDs and DVDs stacked high, and teetering.

V: Yep. Its the best collection in the Midwest I believe.

YMB: And you've bought about 98% of those?

V: Give or take.

YMB: How much should we give or take?

V: Its... its one of the biggest collections in the Midwest, you know. Can we move on please?

YMB: Okay. Well, you have hundreds of CDs and DVDs over there, all with comics on them?

V: Uh-huh.

YMB: So, which of these... hundreds of CDs contains your favorite comic storyline or run?

V: What? Oh, I haven't read any of them.

YMB: You haven't?

V: Nope.

YMB: Why ever not?

V: They're worth more if they're in mint condition you know.

YMB: But they're downloads, not actual print copies.

V: Yeah, but there's still a demand and that demand will increase over time. People throw out comics every day. My mum still has a bit of a purge from down the side of my bed
from time to time.

YMB: Thats unbelievable.

V: I know. She doesn't warn me, so she sometimes finds my... stuff.

YMB: Okay. Well, thanks very much.

V: Have you downloaded any comics?

YMB: Uh... no. Why?

V: Then you haven't lived my friend.

YMB: How so?

V: The rush when you find something rare is unbelievable. I swear its better than having sex... probably.

YMB: Quite. Well, thanks very much for your time.

We decided that Mr V couldn't be the only example of a downloader. How could all of these people be such hoarders and... unique in their perspectives? After some investigation however, we found
there was quite a black market for downloaded comics. A tip off lead us to a local Microbrew place in San Francisco's Bay Area where we met Mr S.

YMB: So, you don't mind talking to us?

S: As long as you're buying, I don't mind yackin'.

YMB: Then you admit selling downloaded comics?

S: I have that complete run of Chuck Austen books, including "Small Favors" and "Worldwatch" that you asked for.

YMB: Uh... yeah.

S: So yeah, I sell downloaded comics.

YMB: What's the point? Who buys?

S: Other than journalists? People. Ordinary people.

YMB: Can't they download?

S: Some people don't have DSL or whatever. They need product just the same as the other Internet gurus y'know? An email; a meeting; a transaction. You can do that with 56K of bandwidth easily.

YMB: Its lucrative then?

S: I used to sell cassettes in the 70s/80s, CDs in the 80s/90s. It is a natural extension.

YMB: So what are the biggest sellers? "Miracleman"? "Flex Mentallo"? That issue of Elektra where she was drawn naked?

S: Nope. Its the rare stuff.

YMB: Aren't they rare?

S: Damn man, you can get them if you know where to look. The rare books are the ones that absolutely no-one can lay their hands on. People pay the big bucks for those.

YMB: For example?

S: Byrne's "Spider-Man: Chapter One".

YMB: Huh?

S: Everyone who bought it burnt it. Except this one guy in Rio de Janerio. I hooked up with him a few months ago and we've been making a killing ever since.

We decided to take our leave there as things were becoming more and more ludicrous. However questions still buzzed round like a bee trapped in a jam jar which you then proceeded to run down a hill in a warm Summer's day.

We know that there are people who benefit from downloading comics, and those that lose out but is there any real harm? And what if the publishers decided to make their comics legitimately downloadable 2-3 months after they are published, if there is no way they will reprint in single issue or trade format? Who would buy the first 5 issues of a book, find that 6-8 are sold out and won't be reprinted, and then just shrug and pick up issues 9 on?

Marvel (as far as we know they're the only ones, so please don't burn us in effigy if others do the same) are now selling CDs with complete (as near as damn it) runs of seminal comic books - Fantastic Four and Spider-Man (we believe, look we have no real time to check sources okay? We don't get paid for this) are two that spring to mind. How about if others do the same, get the price point right and people can buy all the issues they desire?

Sorry. Almost got all journalistic there.

Please discuss this on the message boards.