In “Click and Drag”, Aaron Kashtan discussed the possible reasons behind the continue existence of print copies of webcomics. The importance of printed copies, he argues, is not only limited to the tactile sensations that people desire from hard-copy books, but also other qualities such as gift-ability(the ability to be gifted) and collectibility(the ability to be collected), etc. Although, the web-based fan manga, “Dragon Ball Multiverse”(“Multiverse” for short), that I am currently following does not necessarily sell printed copies, it does use them as incentives to gain support for live events. Namely, they offered limited edition hard-copies for fans to collect if they go to the comic exhibition that “Multiverse” would make an appearance in. In this respect, “Multiverse” behaves like a web comic since there are hardly any materials outside of their website that would be able to tell their story — You can only read the material on the Web. But going back to webcomics in general, hardly any of them exist without a hard copy counterpart if they are the least amount of popular. The hard copies and digital copies complement each other to increase audience and retain them. Contrary to a lot of scholarly predictions, hard-copies do not seem to have their last bit of breath, and they are set to live on longer indefinitely. Which is why, in conclusion, we should start collecting these physical copies now and sell them off for ridiculous amounts of money after the web inevitably shuts down and all information is lost.
Print or Web?
Difference between Webcomic and Fan Comic? 
Even though my webcomic is similar to yours and not sold physically (as my author wishes to remain non-profit), I completely agree that the print medium remains valuable in terms of profit, learning, and dissemination. I found it interesting that your webcomic is sold physically only at special events, which appears to be an excellent marketing strategy considering the role of webcomics in “attention economies” where views dictate economic value (Misemer 2). I personally believe there will always be a demand for print comics due to the associated tactile sensations as you mentioned. When you read a printed comic book, you can feel the progress as you flip the pages, so reading becomes more personal and fulfilling. Such affordances are not offered by the digital medium alone. Thus, I like how you described the print medium as a “complement” to the digital medium.
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Haha, an entertaining last sentence there Ryan. Although I don’t necessarily agree that readers should begin “collecting these physical copies now and sell them off for ridiculous amounts of money after the web shuts down […],” the merits of having a physical copy are abundant. As you have mentioned, physical comics offer tactile sensations, gift-ability, and collectibility. On the other hand, the strengths of webcomics rely on easy mass distribution and digital elements such as alternative text and hidden comics. By combining both physical and digital mediums, the weaknesses of each medium can be supplemented while their strengths enhanced.
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I feel like combining the two mediums is not necessarily the best answer. First, there are certain affordances to each mode that cannot compare. Swiping on a screen will never be the same as flipping through a physical comic. Conversely, animation and sound effects cannot be possible in print. There could be a new invention that makes experiencing comics completely different, immersing the reader/viewer in all of the senses; however, I think that certain people will still want to have physical copies of comics regardless of advancements in technology.
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I agree with this post! You say that hard copies and digital copies complement each other to promote a work, and by webcomic exhibits the converse of that–Because the digital copy wasn’t very popular, the hard copies didn’t sell well, and we can speculate that the reverse is also true. And we would certainly need to stock up on hard copies of webcomics for their inevitable falls, if it weren’t for archivists! Certainly, that’s what’s keeping mine online. However, it is always sad to see a webcomic go; as Bramlett explains, there is a certain special experience gained in digital media, formed by opportunities to sneak in alt text and commentary, that are harder to implement (and are thus sometimes left out) in book copies.
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