Leading up to and through WonderCon 2012, Mark Waid has spent a lot of time talking about his new turn towards digital comics. However, in the post WonderCon period, thanks to some shoddy reporting, Mark Waid is now spending his time tweeting clarifications of his views on digital comics and dealing with the whiplash brought forth by certain comic retailers.

At WonderCon this year Mark Waid spent a lot of time talking about digital comics, such as hinting at his upcoming Secret Project, and his work with Marvel’s Infinite Comics (where he will be writing a digital-first story featuring the new Nova- free with a purchase of AvX#1!). Mark has even offered a free digital download of his zombie comic, Luther, on his website (click here to read his post and download the comic). Furthermore, Mark is currently selling off his rather extensive print collection of comic books to fund a new digital comic publishing imprint. But in truth, Mark has been a proponent of digital comics for years, having talked it up fairly heavily during his time at Boom Studios. Unfortunately some journalists are presenting this all as a case that Mark Waid has now forsaken print comics in favor of digital. This horrible misinterpretation is only exacerbated by the likes of Phil Boyle of Coliseum Of Comics, in Florida, who has decided to ban Waid’s comics from his store. Others, such as Larry Doherty, of Larry’s Comics, have just taken to digitally criticizing Waid and his views. Because of this, Mark is finding himself tweeting, over and over again, clarifications of his views and how the quotes being used were intended:

 

Mark Waid Mark Waid ‏ @MarkWaid

Please understand the mission statement: not trying to undercut print with digital. Just looking to do BOTH.

Mark Waid Mark Waid ‏ @MarkWaid

Sincere question: can anyone point me to anywhere I’ve ever said that digital is the “only” way for comics to go? Anywhere?

Mark Waid Mark Waid ‏ @MarkWaid

@LarrysComics Show me where I said people should stop buying print and stop shopping at stores, Larry. Show me. Go.

Mark Waid Mark Waid ‏ @MarkWaid

Follo-up question: when I said, with regret, that I was selling my beloved comics collection to help fund my outreach into digital… (1/2)

Mark Waid Mark Waid ‏ @MarkWaid

…how many of you took that as me taking the stand that Print Is Worthless? Am I that easily misunderstood? (2/2)

Mark Waid Mark Waid ‏ @MarkWaid

“Hey, kids! I want money for my comics. By the way, print is worthless.” WHO WOULD SAY THAT?

 

Upon seeing that his comics were now being banned by Coliseum of Comics, Mark even tweeted the names of local competition that carried his titles and would allow fans to continue purchasing his print comics. (I have added links to the stores mentioned below that were not originally in Waid’s Tweets).

 

Mark Waid Mark Waid ‏ @MarkWaid

Florida shoppers: My comics are banned at Coliseum. Buy from Big Mike’s or A Comic Shop or Acme Superstore or Macs. Where else?

 

From there, Mark began re-tweeting other suggestions of local comic shops that would still support and sell his titles. After reading these, it’d be hard to say that Waid doesn’t support comic retailers that deserve it:

 

batmansgirl ‏ @batmansgirl

@MarkWaid Sci Fi City! http://www.sci-fi-city.com/orlando.htm They bag and board all comics for free!

 

Popgun Chaos Popgun Chaos ‏ @popgunchaos

Hey @MarkWaid! My wife @samtastico is manager of my comic shop @vintagestocksgf can you retweet and show love? She’ll kiss you @c2e2

 

Hello Kuma ‏ @Hello_Kuma

@MarkWaid Tate’s in Lauderhill, A Comic Shop or Comic Central in Orlando!

 

Over time, even other great comic creators came to Mark’s twitter defense. One fine and respectable example is the creator of I, Vampire and Tumor, Joshua Fialkov, who tweeted:

 

Joshua Hale Fialkov Joshua Hale Fialkov ‏ @JoshFialkov

I’ve never met someone who loves comics more than @markwaid. If you think he’s trying to destroy the industry you’re out of your minds.

 

But in the end, Mark Waid is honestly a comic book fanboy. Even in selling his unbelievable comic book collection, he talks of the event and his collection like it was so much more than it really is. Watch the video below from Blastoff Comics, wherein Mark talks about selling off his print collection, and then try to tell me he is not a fan of comics and, especially, print form of comics.

 

Mark Waid is comics. He is a fanboy, a creator, an innovator, and an alpha Geek. Mark does signings in comic shops and conventions, promoting and loving the print form, while also bringing forth new and innovative ways of enjoying comics. Mark might want to bring comics into the digital world, but that doesn’t mean he wants to end the world of print comics. Despite what it says on many awesome promotional shirts, Mark Waid is NOT evil.