Image via CrunchBase
Once upon a time, parents would tuck their children snugly into their beds and reach for a weathered, almost-musty copy of Grimm’s Fairy Tales with which to enchant the little ones and take them on a series of wonderous journeys from the comfort of their beds.
Now the kiddies reach for a Kindle or an iPAD and download Hans Christian Anderson’s The Little Mermaid for free. I know most kids don’t read fairy tales, they troll the internet for the latest pics of Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez cuddling half-naked on a yacht in the Caribbean.
My point is still valid, though.
Not only do we have to contend with the dissolution of the family unit in the modern age, the digital revolution is slowly eroding the reign of books in the cultural consciousness.
Beginning in April, Archie Comics will release titles digitally via wireless devices the same day the books hit comic store shelves and other outlets. The company will also offer an Archie Comics app for Android beginning in March and plans a number of digital initiatives this year, including exclusive Reggie and Me stories featuring Archie’s rival, Reggie Mantle.
Can you imagine? That despicable Reggie has been hounding Archie for decades and the digital age finally hands him a chance to be on even ground with his rival for Veronica’s affections.
Image via Wikipedia
People have truly embraced this new age of technological convenience. My daughter has a PC, a laptop and an iPAD, with the Archie Comics App, of course.
As a child, the trip to the local comic store was something magical; you’d walk through those doors and every hero and villain in your imagination was waiting. I couldn’t wait to get there.
I still can’t.
My daughter has yet to decide which medium she will embrace. She loves her iPAD, but she also sees the fun in making the weekly trip to our neighborhood store, Pulp Comics.
Most of her generation isn’t as conflicted and the future may result in a fully digital publishing world.
And people used to think the Walkman was cutting-edge.
Image via Wikipedia
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I love this post – such reminiscing for me… the walkman (even the discman!), the Archies (I had about 300 of them – they were destroyed in a house fire… boo hoo!). I love books and will never give in to the iPad/ebook thing. I refuse!! My kids aren’t getting them either!
I still have my huge collection of cassette tapes…