Originally Posted by Profits of Doom

I can actually see this working in a few different ways. First off the part you already mentioned, by growing the fan base exposing the comic to possible future collectors. A true collector is going to want to have the actual product in their hands irregardless, so they will go out and buy the comic after they read a scan and get hooked. I can also see people continuing to read the scans after they have purchased the comic, since a true collector is worried about damaging the condition of the comic, and reading a scan can allow you to collect and read the story without degrading the condition of it.

This has actually already worked on me. I was a huge fan of the Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Angel TV series, and when I heard Joss Whedon was continuing both series in comic book form, picking up from where the series finale of each ended, I was intrigued. I found a scan of the first issues of both on a warez forum and downloaded and read them, and the old collector in me came back out and I have purchased them ever since...