Interesting dilemma...

As we move forward into the digital age some publishers have taken to including digital download codes into their comic books in case you want your comic to go wherever your portable media device goes.

Now, this is in reality nothing new. After all, the funny books have included lots of freebies within their pages. Some books have offered 3D glasses, poster inserts, rub off tattoos and other inserts. They have even included cassette tapes of the Ramones singing the Spider-man theme song with certain comics. Except for the cassette tapes, CGC has noted the inclusion or absence of all of these within their grading notes. What if the absence or previous redemption of a digital code devalues a book?

Does this sound outrageous? Consider this. An Amazing Spider-man 238 in a 9.6 seems to be worth less without the rub on tattoos in comparison to a 9.4 WITH the tattoos. Could a grader test to see if a download code works? If the code has already been redeemed then could the book be considered qualified or incomplete because there is an invalid code within it's pages? Do not simply scoff at this. Around 1983, no one assumed that little rub on tattoos were essential to the condition of a comic book either.

Who knows what the impact of digital media or digital codes will be? Those unused digital download codes could be essential in determining whether your 9.8 white page copy of Avengers v X-Men #1 comes back in a Universal or Qualified grade. Me? I still want a copy of Detective Comics 27. At least that book didn't have any inserts that I have to be concerned with.

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