Page 1 of 2

Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited

Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 11:35 am
by Kevin W.
I started this thread to see if anyone else here is using this feature on Marvel's website? (it could potentially be pretty handy for chronologists). A couple of weeks ago, I bought a year's subscription, and am overall pretty impressed. The "smart panels" feature is now my favorite way to read the comics online; it takes a little getting used to at first, but once you get the hang of it, the close-up on most panels is a welcome sight.

Also, I thought I would be annoyed by the 6 month delay for new comics to be added to the website, but perhaps it's the fact that I quit most Marvel titles 6 months ago, (after "Secret Invasion" ended) and it's the post-Secret Invasion stuff that's just now starting to get uploaded onto the website. Thus, it feels like there's no break for me in my reading of some titles!

At the start of last week, I got an email from Marvel letting me know what new titles were coming out that week, (and I take it I'll get a new email each week). Looking over the selection gives me an idea of where Marvel's priorities are in what gets put up on the website:

Monday, August 10
MADROX #3
ASTONISHING X-MEN: GHOST BOXES #1
MARVEL ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN #43
SECRET INVASION: SPIDER-MAN - BRAND NEW DAY #2
VENOM: LETHAL PROTECTOR #1

Tuesday, August 11
SECRET WARS #10
ONSLAUGHT REBORN #3
IRON MAN: GOLDEN AVENGER #1
MIGHTY AVENGERS #18
WOLVERINE: FLIES TO A SPIDER #1

Wednesday, August 12
KING-SIZE CABLE SPECTACULAR #1
SECRET INVASION: X-MEN #2
ULTIMATE X-MEN #93
WOLVERINE: ORIGINS #28
X-MEN: FIRST CLASS #16

Thursday, August 13
ETERNALS #4
MARVEL APES #2
NEW WARRIORS #16
SECRET INVASION: INHUMANS #2
DARK AVENGERS #1

Friday, August 14
ANNIHILATION #4
ANNIHILATION: NOVA #3
MIGHTY AVENGERS #4
MARVEL ADVENTURES HULK #15
SKAAR: SON OF HULK PRESENTS - SAVAGE WORLD OF SAKAAR#1

So the focus is on new titles, (hey, I can finally read "Dark Avengers #1"!) with a few retro titles sprinkled in. That works overall, as I want to read the new stuff. I also notice that they have a good majority of the early Silver Age stuff, (including the first 100 issues of Amazing Spider-Man, and the first run of X-Men). My concern is that if the focus is only new product and the Silver Age material, it'll be forever in getting some classics of the 1970's and 80's uploaded onto the website, (how about some more classic issues of New Mutants from the 80's, Marvel?!?)

This is now the prominent way for me to read Marvel comics, as far as I'm concerned. I've got no more room for storing comics and would rather read the product than own the more expensive "pamphlets" these days.

Re: Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited

Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 4:18 pm
by Somebody
The interface is ab-so-lutely HORRENDOUS. I've seen programs coded by half-drunk amateurs that are more usable. Seriously, I've read scans of comics before and had no problem doing so. I couldn't stomach trying to read using Marvel's ridiculous viewer.

I also don't like the inability to download and read offline. That's just asking to break the (ha-ha) "fair use" policy of various ISPs.

Re: Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited

Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 4:34 pm
by JephYork
Speaking of digital comics, Marvel has also produced a bunch that are digital-only -- or at least make their debut digitally, and are then put in print elsewhere/later. (Although some notably haven't EVER shown up in print.)

I think we should start a comprehensive list of those comics, so we can keep track of them for chronology purposes. Does anyone know if such a list currently exists?

-Jeph!

Re: Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited

Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 4:41 pm
by Somebody
Not to my knowledge.

Of the current batch, however (i.e., from the past couple of years, rather than the CyberComics of the late-90s/early 2000s which appear to be lost forever) ARE there any which haven't been released in either one-shots, anthologies or TPBs and aren't scheduled for release? They're even admitting in promo interviews now for "digital-exclusive" stuff like Galacta that it's going to get printed in relatively short order.

Re: Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited

Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 4:58 pm
by JephYork
There's a few, yes. "Franklin Richards' Birthday" is one ... I'd like to find, or create, a list in order to locate any others.

-Jeph!

Re: Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited

Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 5:23 pm
by Somebody
I'm reliably informed that that was the story printed in FR: Dark Reigning Cats & Dogs as "40 Year Old Franklin". I analysed it here

Re: Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited

Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 6:18 pm
by JephYork
Quite right -- sorry. I meant "Franklin Richards Saga"...

-Jeph!

Re: Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited

Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 6:23 pm
by Somebody
The "Sagas" aren't actual comics though. I can see why they may be useful for MCP purposes, but I was only talking in terms of sequential stories, not chopped-up summaries.

Re: Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited

Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 6:28 pm
by JephYork
Well, here's the list I've come up with by trolling through their contents page. You tell me what hasn't made it into print...

(I may have missed some -- everyone, sing out if you know of one that's not on my list!)

Amazing Spider-Man: Gettysburg Distress (President’s Day Celebration Special)
American Eagle: Just A Little Old-Fashioned Justice
Another Bad Night (Halloween Special Issue)
Astonishing Tales: Dominic Fortune #1-3
Astonishing Tales: Iron Man 2020 #1-5
Astonishing Tales: MODOK
Astonishing Tales: Mojoworld #1-5
Astonishing Tales One-Shots: Daredevil
Astonishing Tales One-Shots: Iron Man
Astonishing Tales One-Shots: Sabra
Astonishing Tales One-Shots: Spider-Woman
Astonishing Tales One-Shots: Thing
Astonishing Tales: Wolverine/Punisher #1-5 (1-6??)
Black Knight: Comes the Darkness
Black Panther Saga
Captain America Reborn Prelude
Dark Reign: MODOK #1-4
Dark Reign: Made Men #1-4
Deadpool Saga
Exiles Saga
Fin Fang Four #1-4
Franklin Richards Saga
Ghost Rider Saga
Hulk Saga
Incredible Hulk: the Fury Files #1-2
Iron Man: Fast Friends #1-2
Kid Colt #1-4
Marvel Digital Holiday Special
Marvels Channel: Monsters, Myths & Marvel #1-3 (1-5??)
Punisher Saga
Secret Invasion Prologue
Secret Invasion: Home Invasion #1-8
Spectacular Spider-Girl #1-4
War of Kings: Warriors – Blastaar #1-2
War of Kings: Warriors – Crystal #1-2
War of Kings: Warriors – Gladiator #1-2
War of Kings: Warriors – Lilandra #1-2
Wolverine: Agent of Atlas #1-3
Wolverine: Hunger #1
X-Infernus Saga
X-Men Forever Digital Preview

-Jeph!

Re: Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited

Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 9:11 pm
by Somebody
Well, flipping that, here's the ones I think or know have made it into print:
jephyork wrote:American Eagle: Just A Little Old-Fashioned Justice
In one of the Marvel Assistant-Sized Spectacular two-shot (actually, most or all of the stuff printed in those was originally available online. The Galacta story will be getting a follow-up, which will be printed together with the original as a one-shot).
Fin Fang Four #1-4
Fin Fang Four Return!
jephyork wrote:Astonishing Tales: Dominic Fortune #1-3
Astonishing Tales: Iron Man 2020 #1-5
Astonishing Tales: MODOK
Astonishing Tales: Mojoworld #1-5
Astonishing Tales One-Shots: Daredevil
Astonishing Tales One-Shots: Iron Man
Astonishing Tales One-Shots: Sabra
Astonishing Tales One-Shots: Spider-Woman
Astonishing Tales One-Shots: Thing
Astonishing Tales: Wolverine/Punisher #1-5 (1-6??)
Printed in the Astonishing Tales mini (IIRC, all three of those 5s were actually 6s, and the six "one-shots" took the fourth slot in each issue)
jephyork wrote:Kid Colt #1-4
A one-shot a few weeks back, I think.
jephyork wrote:Secret Invasion Prologue
In the SI #1 "Director's Cut", at least
jephyork wrote:Secret Invasion: Home Invasion #1-8
As a TPB
jephyork wrote:Spectacular Spider-Girl #1-4
Initially in Amazing Spider-Man Family, moving to Web of Spider-Man.
jephyork wrote:War of Kings: Warriors – Blastaar #1-2
War of Kings: Warriors – Crystal #1-2
War of Kings: Warriors – Gladiator #1-2
War of Kings: Warriors – Lilandra #1-2
War of Kings: Warriors two-shot, I believe
jephyork wrote:Wolverine: Agent of Atlas #1-3
The backup in Agents of Atlas v2 #1 (which shows how ridiculously short many of these are - since the backup is 12 pages, these "issues" must only be four pages long...)
jephyork wrote:X-Men Forever Digital Preview
Was this the thing bunged without prior mention at the back of the X-Men #1-3 reprint, causing a minor stir online as it became clear it included important plot info and people were unwilling or unable to buy the reprint for eight pages?

Here's what's left after that. I've split the "Saga" stuff (which I wouldn't expect to see print if it hasn't already) from the rest:
jephyork wrote:Amazing Spider-Man: Gettysburg Distress (President’s Day Celebration Special)
Another Bad Night (Halloween Special Issue)
Black Knight: Comes the Darkness
Captain America Reborn Prelude
Dark Reign: MODOK #1-4
Dark Reign: Made Men #1-4
Incredible Hulk: the Fury Files #1-2
Iron Man: Fast Friends #1-2
Marvel Digital Holiday Special
Marvels Channel: Monsters, Myths & Marvel #1-3 (1-5??)
Wolverine: Hunger #1
Is "Gettysburg Distress" the infamous, half-million copy, Obama-meets-SM story?

Is DR:MODOK the "Reign Delay" thing that they said was going to be printed as a one-shot?

And somehow, I can't imagine the Reborn thing not seeing print in the TPB (if not before)

"Sagas":
jephyork wrote:Black Panther Saga
Deadpool Saga
Exiles Saga
Franklin Richards Saga
Ghost Rider Saga
Hulk Saga
Punisher Saga
X-Infernus Saga

Re: Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited

Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:57 am
by JD
jephyork wrote:Astonishing Tales: Dominic Fortune #1-3
I don't remember seeing this one in the Astonishing Tales print series, but I may be mistaken.
Dark Reign: Made Men #1-4
There's a one-shot for these coming in late September, I think.
Marvel Digital Holiday Special
Probably reprinted in the October Holiday Special.
Marvels Channel: Monsters, Myths & Marvel #1-3 (1-5??)
There was a one-shot with this title a few months back. Written by Frank Tieri, right ?
Wolverine: Hunger #1
I'd have sworn this was reprinted in one of those innumberable Wolverine one-shots, but I can't find it.

Re: Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited

Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 8:54 am
by Kevin W.
Somebody wrote:The interface is ab-so-lutely HORRENDOUS. I've seen programs coded by half-drunk amateurs that are more usable. Seriously, I've read scans of comics before and had no problem doing so. I couldn't stomach trying to read using Marvel's ridiculous viewer.
I'm fairly new to reading comics online, so maybe I'm easier to please, but yes, I've found some comics on their website are better to navigate through than others...sometimes the "smart panels" don't get close enough to make it easy to read, (in which case, I have to switch over to "single-page" format). It's not perfect, but hey, it's allowing me to continue reading Marvel comics. :)
I also don't like the inability to download and read offline. That's just asking to break the (ha-ha) "fair use" policy of various ISPs.

I mentioned this to a friend on another message board where we were discussing this, and I think I'll just quote it here:

"I'd prefer it not to be downloadable...my hard drive is crammed full as it is! Really, I think there's a distinction here that needs to be addressed: If I want to pay for "ownership" of the material, I'm going to buy the comic, not a download that'll take up my hard drive!"

I got another email from Marvel yesterday, letting me know about what's coming out this week, (including new online exclusives):
Make Mine Marvel Newsletter wrote:First, in MARVEL APES DIGITAL #1, the Gibbon and the beautiful scientist Dr. Fiona Fitzhugh are transported to a universe where monkeys rule and humans don't exist! Our furry hero with the opposable toes will have to fight for his and the good doctor's life on a planet where the only law is the law of the jungle: Eat or be eaten.

In THE BLACK KNIGHT #2, the entire magic Marvel world hangs by a thread. The fall of Camelot is nigh and the Old Magics are in danger. Merlin's only hope lies with Sir Percy of Scandia, the Black Knight, and the Ebony Blade.
So while I don't think there's a comprehensive list somewhere, it'll be fairly easy to stay alerted to new exclusives. Of course, keeping track of when they're actually released in print may be a little harder...

Re: Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited

Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 10:15 am
by Giant Ant
Incredible Hulk: the Fury Files #1-2
Iron Man: Fast Friends #1-2

They were reprinted in the Iron Man/Hulk/Fury 1-Shot in 2008.

Re: Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited

Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 11:19 am
by Lonewolf36
Some to add to the list.

Amazing Spider-Man: American Son Sketchbook #1
Astonishing Tales: Iron Man 2020 #6
Astonishing Tales: Mojoworld #6
Astonishing Tales: Shiver Man #1
Astonishing Tales: Wolverine/Punisher #6
Big Hero Six Sketchbook
Daredevil Saga #1
Eminem/Punisher #1
Exiles Sketchbook #1
Franklin Richards: Franklin's Birthday! #1
Immortal Weapons Sketchbook #1
New-Gen #1-3
Secret Warriors Special: Who's Your Daddy? #1
Weapon X: First Class (Gambit) #1

Re: Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited

Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 11:24 am
by JephYork
Lonewolf, Daredevil Saga was a printed book ... are you saying that it FIRST saw print on the web?

Ditto "Franklin's Birthday" and "WX:FC Gambit" ... same question. They were digital comics BEFORE being printed?

Kevin, "Marvel Apes Digital #1" sounds just like "Marvel Apes" #1 ... are you sure it's an exclusive?

Somebody, why put "Sagas" in quotes? That's a little mean-spiritedly disrespectful. (Then again, I wrote one of them... :evil: )
Was this the thing bunged without prior mention at the back of the X-Men #1-3 reprint, causing a minor stir online as it became clear it included important plot info and people were unwilling or unable to buy the reprint for eight pages?
Jeez -- loaded question much? Yes, it was printed in the back of X-Men Forever Alpha. As for the rest, that's sort of irrelevant, no?

Gettysburg Distress is NOT the Obama story. I think Spidey and Cap meet Abe Lincoln.

-Jeph!