So last week we got exactly eight comments. If I’m gonna keep providing you guys this space, I’d like to see you taking more advantage.
A reminder: Out this week, X-Factor #41.
PAD
So last week we got exactly eight comments. If I’m gonna keep providing you guys this space, I’d like to see you taking more advantage.
A reminder: Out this week, X-Factor #41.
PAD
ā¢ 
Anyone catch Neil Gaiman on the Colbert Report on Monday. Pretty charming guy, he really held his own with Colbert. So PAD when you’re gonna find a way to get interviewed on the show.
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/221843/march-16-2009/neil-gaiman
Well, normally I don’t get my “stash” until Saturday. But I did receive some of this week’s titles early for possible review.
Was a big week for Dynamite. So far, have read “Super Zombies” which is…okay. “Red Sonja” is in Brian Reed’s capable hands. I love what Dynamite has done with this character. She is hot in every way and this issue (#42) ends in a cool cliffhanger.
one of the ones I’m looking to the most is “Supergirl”. Often unreadable since PAD handled her, this book now is one of the few DC books that really rocks!
What I got today:
Amazing Spiderman #588: The conclusion to the
Character Assassination storyline. Good issue. No cool Spidey wisecracks, but plenty of action, suspense, and drama. Good storyline.
Amazing Spiderman Extra #3: I’ve only read two of the three stories in this so far. I think my favorite, so far, is the Joe Kelly story, but the Guggenheim one was good too. Hope the Lady Kraven story is good.
The Amazon #1: This was actually the best of the three comics I picked up today. I was looking in my LCS and saw this book on the stands. I saw Tim Sale’s name and was interested right away. I really like his artwork. I flipped it open, liked the art, and then decided to get it. Not only is Sale’s artwork very good, but the story is good also. I think I’m getting the next issue! š
Oh and I wanted to pick up X-Factor, but I’m so far behind on that series. I don’t have clue what is going on (can’t remember the last issue I picked up). I’ll have to pick up some X-Factor trades sooner or later. I miss reading that book.
DF
Actually, now is the time to jump on. The game seems to be changing, and this is becoming the new ground floor.
Well, I decided to pick up the new issue today and I really liked it!
The recap was both confusing and funny.
Its cool to see Layla all grown up. The other developments in the issue were pretty interesting too (especially liked the one at the end).
Not sure if I’ll be able to keep up with the series or not, but I’ll definitly pick up another issue if I can.
Man, I think I’d like to go back and read some of the earlier issues that I have. š
DF
one of the ones Iām looking to the most is āSupergirlā. Often unreadable since PAD handled her, this book now is one of the few DC books that really rocks!
For some reason, I’ve always wanted this character to succeed. Not necessarily in a pre-determined, preset way, but in a way that makes sense for the character. And it stemmed from PAD’s stint on her.
Dunno why, but…
I always felt that PAD’s run on Supergirl should have been put out as a Vertigo book so he could have gone further with some of the themes he was exploring…
Cheers.
Well, here in Hong Kong, American comics don’t arrive at the comic shop until Friday…
Sorry! But boosting this to at least a 5 comment count =)
I just take it that we’re going for quality over quantity. š
New comics day today in UK, but may not get to the shope before it closes… Looking forward to X-Factor, Angel and Ultimatum.
Cheers.
One whole comic this week. It’s getting so that I was asked by a friend what I could recommend for him, and had nothing. Or at least nothing I thought would appeal to him.
That one comic was Angel, which was fun but really not the same series at all with Kelley Armstrong’s current arc.
I only pick mine up monthly. Got my monthly stash last weekend. So far have read the final issues of Birds of Prey, Blue Beetle, Robin, Nightwing and my latest issue of Green Lantern.
Just a suggestion, but if you kicked off the thread with some thoughts of your own on current comics, that’d probably generate more discussion…
I’d rather not, Matt, because I’ve come to the realization over the years that there are way too many folks out there interested in skewing anything I say in the worst possible light. If I say anything critical about a book it will be translated into “Peter David just trashed (insert writer or artist name here).” I don’t need people inventing feuds for me. To quote President Bartlet, I’m the human starting gun.
PAD
So, because you quote it, you are saying you like West Wing. So you DIDN’T like Lost’s first couple of seasons since it was programmed opposite of West Wing? Wing?
HEY! EVERYONE! PAD HATES LOST!!!
;-D
The reason I haven’t commented before now is that the layout on this site is very confusing and I only just now figured out HOW to comment. Perhaps that explains your low totals.
I had the same problem! There was no little button that said ‘comment’ or ‘reply’ on it…I was so confused!
Ditto. I only recently figured it out as well. Besides which my comics are shipped to me monthly so by the time I get them from the Post Office and start to read them I’m probably at least 5 weeks behind what ever came out “this week”
I’m not much good for this wednesday thing since I get my comics every 2 months or so. Just picked up a mess of THE WALKING DEAD last week…ÐÃMN!
Can’t say anything about it since it will ruin the shocks but…ÐÃMN! Any long time readers already knew that nobody was safe but…DAyyyyyyyyMN!
Also, the book reads MUCH better as a trade paperback and/or reading 6 issues in one fell swoop. The book is a fast read. The letter column takes twice as long to read as the book does. The dialogue does not always seem natural, Robert Kirkman doesn’t have the ability of someone like PAD to come up with clever wordplay (or, if he does, he is deliberately suppressing it in favor of a more realistic approach). But he’s got cahones, that’s for sure.
What a great HBO series this would be.
When Walking Dead first started, I was on a severe budget, so I never bought it. I was gifted the first hardcover, and have been held prisoner ever since. NOBODY is safe.
.
The reason it reads so well in collected form is that Kirkman doesn’t write it as individual issues, but as a whole. Yes, there are endings and cliffhangers at the end of every issue, but the whole is so much stronger than the issues.
.
Walking Dead is also an anomaly in that its sales go up almost every month, and those that buy the issues also frequently buy the collections.
I hope you don’t only post on the site to elicit comments from your readers. The vast majority of people who read what you post will never post a comment. (says the guy who has been an online publisher since 1995) Sure, it would be nice if they did, but most people don’t.
Personally, I don’t come here to read what others comment about, but to read what you write, Peter. I value your opinions, even if I don’t always agree. (though I usually do.) I also don’t want to feel pressure when I do visit the site to post something, or that I am only taking rather than giving. My own opinions are often the same as yours, and I don’t feel a “I agree” post is worth much to you.
I do have one question, though: have you ever thought about doing a podcast? Not “about” you, but one in which you discuss the world at large and the things you are most interested in? A Cowboy Pete podcast, if you will. Email me (tim@mymac.com) if you are interested in this at all, I could help get your feet wet. (I publish two different shows, the Mac one, and the Geekiest Show Ever podcast)
Im at my new comic book store (my old one just closed in Austin Texas, but luckily we have like 7 here).
My new budget went into effect this month. No more mini series 1) because it seems half the ones I collect, the writer or artist cannot seem to deliver issues on time or even finish the series (twelve, Final Crisis Legion, Ultimate Hulk vs Wolverine (ist time around)Spiderman/Black Cat…..) 2) Marvel has jacked up the price on these never to be finished series a Dollar more than normal.
If I hear from fans that a mini series is great, then I will collect the trade that will come out 2 months after the series is over.
Loved X Factor though, the writing always takes me by surprise and loved the art. After dropping Uncanny X-men and Xmen Legacy and putting to bed the latest collection of New Mutants/New X-men/Young X-men series I am glad there is something mutant related that is interesting and written well.
Thanks Peter for continuing to work smarter as well as harder.
“If I say anything critical about a book it will be translated into āPeter David just trashed (insert writer or artist name here).ā
Point taken… although if there’s a book you really liked one week, I think most of us would be interested in hearing that too. Like Tim said, I come here primarily to read your thoughts on stuff.
Wasn’t able to comment on the earlier system. Still don’t feel right trying to comment here as I’ve yet to post an Amazon review for “Tigerheart”. (Still not satisfied with the wording, for one thing.) Learned more reading than commenting; find it easier to think that way.
Does this mean it’s okay to comment on X-Factor #41?
Absolutely.
PAD
Since X-Factor was mentioned, I’m taking this opportunity to reprint my comment below which was pretty much buried at the end of the Scans thread. The following comment showed up on the newly minted Scans board:
āJust a heads up guys, PAD has made it pretty clear that heās not comfortable with our community, and that heās willing to involve the legal department of his employer, to prevent our posting snippets of his work. So no PAD scans, even under flock. While heās been more accepting of our posting older works, heās also made noises about wanting people to ask for his permission before scanning and sharing even small portions of his work. Letās respect his wishes on this.ā
To which I responded:
Well, the last time I was over there it was made abundantly clear that I wasnāt welcome, so Iām not going to make the mistake of going over there and saying this. But feel free to post the following in response:
The position espoused is not remotely correct. I have EXPLICITLY said that I have no problem with āsnippets.ā A few panels here, a page there. Anything that remotely falls under the realm of fair use is of no concern. And the comment about wanting people to consult with me over reproducing āeven small portionsā of my work is, again, 180 degrees away from what I said. What I had said was thatāgiving a for-instanceāif people wanted to produce LARGE amounts (such as the 50% that was reproduced of X-Factor) of work to which I own the copyright (such as Fallen Angel) that they but had to approach me and we could likely work something out. Here I was trying to put forward an example of how Iād be willing to work with Scans regarding work where I have the legal option to make that call (unlike that Marvel work) and itās being twisted and distorted to make me come across as uncooperative. I really canāt fathom it.
I’m hoping that sets the record straight. Somehow I doubt it will.
PAD
“I really canāt fathom it.”
Let me see if I can offer up an explanation. In the weeks since LiveJournal shut SD down, I’ve been trying to think of how to keep SD from being shut down again: ways to spread the comics across the web so even if Marvel hits one host with a DMCA, it won’t cripple the community. Ultimately the conclusion I came to was while it was technologically feasible to build an impervious SD, no one would actually use it. The steps required to run it, coupled with the loss of speed and ease, make it too much of a pain to use.
That’s the same reason it’s easier just to excise PAD comics from the conversation. You say “snippets” are fine, but what constitutes a snippet? Is that snippet per post, per year, if you post eleven pages from a comic over the course of two years, is it still a snippet? In that case, the tension from never knowing what’s too much diminishes the fun of wanton posting.
Similarly, contacting you, waiting for a reply, and (hopefully) reaching a compromise are too much work for too little return. If you can’t just post when the mood strikes, that kind of kills the fun of posting. No other message board requires written consent from an author, why should SD have to put up with it? (Yes, I understand the legal reasons, but I’m not talking in terms of legalities, this is strictly a usability issue.)
Personally, I like the “No PAD” rule. It slightly lessens concerns about the community being shut down for treading on an artist’s rights, it’s a simple rule that’s both easy to follow and easy to identify as being broken, and because of the first two points, it streamlines the community. Instead of having twenty conditional requirements to decide if pages can be posted for discussion, you have one, and in the world of user interfaces, less is quite often more.
To sum everything up, this isn’t a “Rar! Evil PAD!” thing, it’s just fine tuning the SD for optimal performance.
That’s not logical thinking. Barring only PAD’s work means that you are still possibly violating terms by posting the work of any other creator or company, and then just hoping someone else doesn’t narc you out to the proper authorities. Further, what’s to stop just any anonymous fool (say, perhaps, me) from registering at your site and reporting you every week for the next two years. Not having PAD’s work there wouldn’t be any kind of deterrent at all. As I said, illogical thinking.
Alan Coil, what are you suggesting, banning EVERYONE’S WORK that isn’t in the public domain already? Your so-called “logical thinking” provided no solutions at all.
And also: you can have anonymous fools aplenty, but history indicates that non-anonymous people have more power.
“Alan Coil, what are you suggesting, banning EVERYONEāS WORK that isnāt in the public domain already?”
If you’re so stupid that you can’t figure out why posting half a comic got you in trouble, then yeah, the safest thing to do would be that.
Bottom line; PAD may have been the first to call out your illegal behavior, but he’s not going to be the last.
@Alan Coil: I didn’t mean to suggest it was logical thinking, just that it was the reasoning. PAD said he couldn’t fathom why people were agreeing that not posting his works were a good idea, and I wanted to offer a bit of insight into why I thought the ruling had been made.
Andrew Burton says:
March 19, 2009 at 5:28 pm
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“The steps required to run it, coupled with the loss of speed and ease, make it too much of a pain to use.”
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“In that case, the tension from never knowing whatās too much diminishes the fun of wanton posting.”
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“Similarly, contacting you, waiting for a reply, and (hopefully) reaching a compromise are too much work for too little return. If you canāt just post when the mood strikes, that kind of kills the fun of posting.”
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“(Yes, I understand the legal reasons, but Iām not talking in terms of legalities, this is strictly a usability issue.)”
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So to Hëll with petty legality, you just want to do whatever you want to, however you want to, whenever you want to? And exercising some restraint or common sense takes the fun out of it?
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Sigh. I know I’m a grumpy old fart, but somedays I really do just want to take 99% of the internet by the throat and scream “Will you just grow the @@@@ up!” into its pimply adolescent face.
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Feh!
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Cheers.
Aris Katsaris–
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No, I’m certainly not advocating banning everyone’s work. I was making the point that banning works by Peter David just because he was the focal point recently was bad logic. ANY creator, or troll, could report Scans Daily EVERY DAY. But it needn’t come to that. “Fair Use” means one can use bits and pieces of a story to make a point or to attract interest. SD was posting anywhere from 5 pages to entire stories. (There was another creator who posted they had seen an entire story of theirs posted, so I’m not speaking of PAD here.)
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Banning PAD just because he was the focal point recently is just punishing (or trying to punish) PAD, when if you read all the information, you’ll see that PAD’s appearance at the site just happened to coincide with the actions taken by Photobucket and LiveJournal.
Matt, since I never posted anything by Peter David anywhere, I don’t know what you’re talking about me getting into trouble. All I ever posted in Scans Daily was some pages (5 or so) out of an 160-page graphic novel (“The Hedge Knight”) and some Penny && Aggie strips.
So, I don’t know what you’re talking about “my” illegal behaviour anyway. Even under your absurd corporation-designed American laws on copyright, my behaviour seems legal to me. The whole community was wiped out, ALL OF THE POSTS, it wasn’t just the parts that violated American laws in them.
Not that I care about American laws, since I’m not an American, I don’t live in America, and Livejournal isn’t even an American site, it’s now owned by Russians.
And if you can give me a legal definition of “snippet” then you and Alan Coil (and PAD) can start discussing about legality or “logical thinking”. Up to then, you merely want to abolish the community altogether and disguise that desire by saying that these undefined “snippets” are acceptable but something else undefined isn’t.
For right now to me it seems that “snippets” means whatever your corporate masters want it to mean.
And Peter Poole, your own maturity certainly is showing. If you’re to argue that we should respect “petty legality”, you ought atleast tell me which nation’s laws I’m supposed to follow and offer some justification for that argument.
First off Ari, it was your buddy “schmevil” at scans_daily who first used the term “snippets” in this conversation, so maybe you should ask HIM what it means!
But anyway, do what you want. I just think it’s ridiculous to single out PAD when other authors can (and assuredly will) come along to object to their copyright being violated. When that happens, at a bare minimum the site will be shut down again, and if the violations persist, they can pursue legal action (yes, even internationally) against individual infringers. In that case, I hope you have thousands of dollars to spend defending your actions.
@Peter J Poole: “And exercising some restraint or common sense takes the fun out of it?”
Yes. Please don’t think this is me trying to excuse or justify these, I’m just calling it like I see it: posting to an Internet forum is very much an impulse action, and imposing a writer/artist/owner-based delay would drive people to another forum where there was no such delay in place. This is why MP3 downloading (legal and not) and Twitter are so popular, because they’re very much impulse-based: think of a song you want, you can get it; have a pithy blurb, you can share it. With SD, if find some pages of a comic struck you as poignant, you suddenly had a way to not only share them with like-minded people but also do so with context.
Comics are hamstrung by the fact that they’re an extremely asynchronous media, since despite being sold every Wednesday a large contingent of readers may not actually get their comics but once a month, which doesn’t even cover whether or not a person has a referenced back issue in their collection or not. Scans Daily was a marvelous (no pun intended) innovation in discussing comics because it provided context with its topic. (I liken SD as the Internet comic fan’s version of PowerPoint in business presentations.)
I’m not trying to argue the legality or maturity of Scans Daily, my point is just to say that in terms of usability, that intangible factor that makes people enjoy using a widget, SD was doing something very right (and almost 9000 people, including a few professions agree). Changing the usability, introducing a functionally random delay between wanting to post and posting, would most likely disrupt the enjoyment enough that people would go someone else.
Matt, in a community watched by thousands of people it’s amusingly cute that you think we’re all “buddies” with each other.
It’s about as parochial as thinking we must all obey American laws. Even if we don’t have anything to do with America.
Or as parochial as your usage of the word “dollars”, even when I just told you I’m not American.
Yes, perhaps Marvel will sue me, though I haven’t scanned anything by it. Or perhaps the FSB will assasinate me. Or perhaps aliens will abduct me.
Given the spiralling downwards fiscal and politicak condition of my nation, I honestly find it much more likely that I will be eventually imprisoned or killed by an upcoming military dictatorship over here, than that I’ll sued by your collapsing companies over there.
Matt, kiddo, I’m not *intimidated* by your companies’ threats. I am merely inconvenienced and annoyed that one of my minor morning delights, checking out Scans_daily, was momentarily taken away.
And now, I’m more annoyed and amused by the American parochialism you’re all displaying, in your discussion of “Fair Use” and copyright laws and whatever, and your bureaucratic amoral arguments on obedience of the law.
Yeah, scanning pages is illegal over there. And saying “Christianity is stupid” is illegal over here. Whatever.
One thing that has always bugged me about sites like SD and has certainly reared its head in many of the posts from its defenders–the sheer contempt they have for creators. It drips from the screen.
Alan is correct, there’s no logic to the PAD ban but given the level of vitriol still on display at the new SD it’s probably all for the best. Lots of people there are still angry at, I don’t know, having their rotten personalities placed on display for all to see (all self administered injuries mind you. Nobody forced them to write posts that made them look so awful), so it isn’t like anything by PAD will serve as much more than a target for sniping.
Now it seems to me that the smart thing to do would be to contact PAD and ask him for some specific guidelines on what he would find acceptable. Why would it be smart? Well, I can easily imagine some other creative types who would</i. be more than willing to do what many of the SD folks have claimed PAD did–go after the site because of insults by posters there. Since it’s proven quite easy to get the place shut down there is little incentive not to do so…unless there are a good number of well known artists and writers there who are happy with the terms of use. Having PAD on board with the site would certainly give it a bit of legitimacy.
“your bureaucratic amoral arguments on obedience of the law.”
Ah, the irony of the thief attempting to claim the moral high ground.
Yes, Matt, I find it very amusing that you claim the moral high ground when you support companies that repeatedly steal material from Nordic and Greek mythology, when Disney stole Pinocchio, etc. The capitalist ethos: It’s not theft if companies do it.
And you’ve still not explained to me why I should care about American property law, when I’m not an American and I don’t live in America. Except your seeming belief that the whole world belongs to America.
Andrew Burton says:
March 20, 2009 at 11:57 am
@Peter J Poole: āAnd exercising some restraint or common sense takes the fun out of it?ā
“Yes. Please donāt think this is me trying to excuse or justify these, Iām just calling it like I see it: posting to an Internet forum is very much an impulse action, and imposing a writer/artist/owner-based delay would drive people to another forum where there was no such delay in place.
– snip –
Changing the usability, introducing a functionally random delay between wanting to post and posting, would most likely disrupt the enjoyment enough that people would go someone else.”
Isn’t justifying it exactly what you’re doing? People want to do things the way they were because it’s fun to do them that way…
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I can understand that, and I agree that tightening up the rules and regulations – something I believe the mods were working on – would have caused some people to go elsewhere. I also appreciate your argument about wanting to share thoughts about comics with examples, but posting half the pages of current comics is way OTT for that, and that’s what got them shut down.
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Whining about how hard it is to know how much you’re allowed to post is infantile. There’s maybe what, a couple of dozen publishers out there? Write and ask them. Then post that as the board rules. Creator owned? Ask the creator, which is where PAD was coming from. It’s a one time start-up effort that makes the pain go away forever.
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Where I’m coming from is that it’s possible to enjoy things, legally, with common sense, showing some respect for the owners and creators of the material you claim to love, without it turning into anarchy. If SD was a community, then communities need to have their own rules and enforcement of said rules, and need to establish diplomatic relations with other communities including the (alleged) Real World.
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I stick by what I said in the original thread – some people were having a really great party, a few people got overly rowdy and the party got closed down, which is unfortunate on one level and inevitable on another. The lesson learnt, should be, have fun but don’t pìšš øff the neighbours or the landlord.
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That’s the mature thing to do, instead of the “we wants it and we wants it right now” mentality that gets on my nerves so much.
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Cheers
Aris Katsaris says:
March 20, 2009 at 11:00 am
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“And Peter Poole, your own maturity certainly is showing. If youāre to argue that we should respect āpetty legalityā, you ought atleast tell me which nationās laws Iām supposed to follow and offer some justification for that argument.”
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You fail today’s close reading assignment. I used the phrase “petty legality” to summarise – rightly or wrongly – what I perceived Andrew’s position to be. I did not say that you should respect them, nor did I say that you should obey them. (Though I think respecting laws is sensible, in the same way that respecting an 800lb gorilla in the room is sensible).
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I’d suggest that you consider following the laws of your own nation, whatever that may be. You might also want to see if that nation is one of the 164 countries (as of September 2008) that are parties to the Berne Convention on international copyright legislation.
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If you fundamentally disagree with those laws, you should protest, object, or disobey in whatever way you see fit, so long as you are prepared to face up to the consequences of so doing.
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On the other hand, if you just want to be an irritating little internet smartarse, you’re equally at liberty to pursue that course. Just don’t expect me to get too excited. In the great banquet of life, sunbeam, we’d finish you before the soup course was served…
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Cheers.
@Peter J Poole: “Isnāt justifying it exactly what youāre doing? People want to do things the way they were because itās fun to do them that wayā¦”
If I’ve given the impression that I’m trying to justify anything, I apologize. I don’t deny SD was most likely breaking copyright law. (And I only say “most likely” here because I’m not a lawyer, so I can’t say with 100% certainty that it was. From my observations, copyright laws are very much like Schrƶdinger’s cat in that actions often seem legal and illegal until a judge passes judgement.) Justification would be me trying to excuse SD, and that’s not what I’m doing. My posts here have only been to explain the reasoning behind SD’s actions.
Andrew Burton says:
March 20, 2009 at 8:44 pm
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“If Iāve given the impression that Iām trying to justify anything, I apologize.”
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I got that impression, though I may have been mistaken. (I’ve worked for 15 years as a consultant, where paying the rent means always sounding certain and being the ‘shmartesht guy in der room’, so sometimes I come across a wee bit heavy footed when discussing stuff. I do know that I’m not totally infallible though)
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You make some valid points, and I take them as that, even if I draw my own conclusions from them. (Which is part of what I’m here for – seeing other people’s opinions and discussing them)
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I agree that laws sometimes need clarification, and that’s why (most)countries have legal systems, so that law and justice can be measured and reconciled.
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Personally though, I think posting 11 pages of a 22 page comic does make it extremely likely that there will be cat hairs on your pizza when you open the box, and that anyone thinking otherwise is being ingenuous at best š
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Cheers.
What it is is a lengthy rationale for hypocrisy.
The denizens of Scans Daily condemn me for acting to protect intellectual property. Yet now you all eagerly institute a ban–not out of a personal sense of vengeance, no–but out of a sense of self preservation. Of protecting your OWN intellectual property, namely your online group. So basically, you all admit that you totally understand the concept of taking active and preemptive steps in protecting one’s property…so long as it’s YOUR property.
In my case, alerting Marvel was not a “Scans EVIL!” thing either. And yet that’s how it’s been consistently portrayed by the membership of Scans Daily. Posters have claimed that I demonized the group, that I called you “criminals,” that it was vindictive and personal on my part when it never was. And there was no hesitancy to cast me in as negative a light as possible. “PAD is evil. PAD is a dìçk. PAD shouldn’t have done it.” What else do you call boycotts except punishment for perceived misdeeds?
Extending the common courtesy of asking a copyright holder for permission to reproduce his material is “too much work for too little return?” My God. Never has Carrie Fisher’s line of “Instant gratification takes too long” been more epitomized than in your notion that if you can’t post “when the mood strikes,” it’s no fun.
Why should SD have to “put up” with asking permission before reproducing material beyond fair use? Because IT’S THE GØÐÐÃMN LAW. Oh, but you “understand the legal reasons.” It’s just too much trouble. Yes, officer, I saw that red light, but I was just too dámņëd lazy to lift my foot off the gas and hit the brake.
Christ.
When I attempt to take reasonable preventative steps AS REQUIRED BY LAW in order for copyright to survive, I’m a creep who ruined your fun and spontaneity. But when you attempt to take what you see as reasonable preventative steps in excess of anything required by law, mostly as–let’s face it–payback, you’re just trying to “fine tune the SD for optimal performance.”
Bull.
PAD
@Peter David: “What else do you call boycotts except punishment for perceived misdeeds?”
I tend to equate the whole kerfuffle to a bunch of teenagers grumbling about how Old Man Peterson called the cops ran them out of the abandoned house they were using as a hangout. You were definitely doing the responsible, legal thing, but by doing so you didn’t earn any goodwill from the squatters. Scans Daily calling for a boycott is the equivalent of those hypothetical teenagers unanimously agreeing not to invite Old Man Peterson to their next kegger…although they apparently have no qualms putting up flyers for it on the power pole in front of his house.
That’s the reason I started my posts in this thread by saying I’d been trying to think of a way to bulletproof Scans Daily and ultimately decided it was nearly impossible: the Scans Daily culture isn’t one that would ever go build a clubhouse, they’ll just look for another place to squat until they get run off again. It’s not something I’d ever think of as an ideal demographic, but at the same time it is a demographic that for the most part buys comic books. To paraphrase a friend, Scans Daily is never going to affect the sales numbers for Avengers, but there were enough people in the old SD that it could be used to direct people to smaller or independent comics.
Your saying you couldn’t fathom the SD mentality is what made me want to post, because if there was a way to get around the very significant BREAKING THE LAW aspect of the community, the Scans Daily community could be a very significant engine for drawing in potential fans who’d never otherwise go into a comic shop. And getting past the copyright problem could be done as simply as a comic publisher having a means to embed a few pages of a comic into web pages the same way YouTube and Hulu have embed features.
The “PAD boycott” may feel good but it accomplishes nothing and misses the point. The problem isn’t PAD being a meanie, it’s that SD was violating copyright law. Period, paragraph, and end of story.
What’s sad about this is that in many instances simply reaching out to a copyright holder is all it takes to earn fans a little slack. Hëll, CBS Studios allows people to make Star Trek fan films as long as the filmmakers agree not to attempt to make any money off of them.
Yes, Matt, I find it very amusing that you claim the moral high ground when you support companies that repeatedly steal material from Nordic and Greek mythology, when Disney stole Pinocchio, etc. The capitalist ethos: Itās not theft if companies do it.
No, it’s not theft because it isn’t theft. Corporations and individuals alike can appropriate material from ancient Greece because it’s in the public domain.
PAD, in fairness, I don’t think it’s every member of SD who’s out to demonise you. (It probably feels like it, and it could conceivably be a majority, but I don’t think it’s actually all of them)
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What I’m seeing here is exactly what several people have said, a bunch of people having irresponsible fun who are pìššëd øff because their fun got stopped. The truth is that society has managed to produce a generation – Hëll, probably more than one generation – that does expect and demand instant gratification to its desires.
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Just an observation on my part, but expecting people who have bought into that to react and respond reasonably is perhaps a tad over-optimistic. Getting angry at them may be the natural human reaction – Hëll, it was partly my reaction in a previous post – but I suspect it’s ultimately just a waste of some perfectly good adrenaline… (I’m not saying we need to ignore and condone that mindset indefinitely, just that losing our cool isn’t going to help fix the problem)
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Cheers.
Believe me, Peter, I’m not wasting adrenaline. To me, that would entail actually going over there and confronting them. Insanely, after someone took one of my replies here and reposted it over there (which they were perfectly within their rights to do) someone actually claimed I was trolling. A reprinted post from my blog in which I was responding to SD members who came here shouting boycott, and *I* am the one trolling? You can’t argue with logic like that since there is no logic involved. Or thought. Or sense.
PAD
I’m very passionate about intellectual property rights, but I’ve been struggling to find a response to people like Aris. It occurs to me that this is because PAD and Peter J. Poole have already pretty much said what needed to be said, and said it well. So, for now — ditto what they’ve said.
Boy, if only things were always this easy. š
Normal service will doubtless be resumed anon š
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(Normal? What a ridiculous concept!)
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Cheers.
Grumblerassin’frassin’…why does X-Factor always come out on my “off” week? Must be patient…must be patient…
Actually, I’m visiting some friends this weekend whose hometown has a Waldenbooks…I hate to take even a little business away from my LCS, but I might try my luck and see if the bookstore’s spinner rack has a copy of #41 amid the “icons” (X-people and DC’s Big Three and such) and Archies.
Chuck
Change your off week? š
Unfortunately, my current pattern is based around the only time that one of my friends (who comes to the shop from the opposite direction) and I can get our work schedules to converge and get some face time together. If I changed, we’d rarely see each other.
Chuck
Yay!
How long will Darwin stay a sponge?
More importantly, I am happy to see that Layla is really Layla, and not Mystique or a Skrull or something. Was she using similar technology to communicate with Jamie in #32? I can see that it’s a different scenario, as no one else could see her then, but was it a similar principle?
Finally, this much isn’t your fault, PAD, but I rather disagree with the way Santucci portrays Siryn when she’s only a month post-partum. She should not look like THAT in a belly top already. Or did her body spring back into shape with unnatural promptness because it wasn’t a true pregnancy? Does she still have the Cesarean scar, even if her stretch marks all disappeared?
What a terrific direction to take the X-Factor book! Loved issue #41.
It will be interesting to see how much time passed by since the last time Madrox was in the future with Layla.
This reminds me somewhat of what Lost has going on right now. Timelines expanding and contracting….. the core group separated…… ramifications of individuals being apart from the group and how that will effect the group as a whole if/when they come back together.
I’m along for the ride! Can’t wait to see where this goes!
I picked up the new “Jack Kirby’s Losers” hardcover from DC Comics. It reprints the 12 stories Kirby did for Our Fighting Forces in the 1970s. I’ve never read them and I appreciate DC for reprinting them in a permanent format. Twelve “new” Kirby stories I’ve never read before! It’s like Christmas morning in March!
Hoy Murphy
Arrrgggg!!!! I know that there are people on here who haven’t read X-Factor, so I won’t ‘shout’ what I really want to (Roo… ROOOOO…). But all I have to say is that this is awesome and I’m very excited. When Rhane and Layla left, and two male characters took their place, I was worried about too much testosterone- not worried so much any more.
I LOVE that we have subplots again! I miss the days when things were not written for trades- they made things more exciting. And PAD has more subplots introduced this issue. All in all the book is moving into unknown territory, and I’m excited!
Light week for me this week (my load did include X-Factor). Haven’t really read any of them yet, though–suddenly Wednesday has become a heavy TV night for me with Scrubs, Better Off Ted, Life and, for a couple more weeks at least, Life On Mars. Skimmed Supergirl at the store and am getting a little impatient to know who Superwoman is and what she’s up to. Also paged through Rich Johnston’s Watchmensch and liked what I saw.
Replying to myself to expand on the list:
Also picked up Angel, The Outsiders, Trinity, Air, Simpsons Comics and Dark Avengers. Skimmed X-Factor last night, read Outsiders before I left the house this morning.
Best book of the week–Tiny Titans, as it is every week it comes out. Why DID the rooster cross the road?
I picked up the latest issue of WOLVERINE, featuring the “Old Man Logan” storyline.
And, once again, I find myself looking at the map on the first page, and wondering who decided that San Francisco was so far inland. Harumph.
HARUMPH, I say!
Small week for me.
I picked up Trinity No. 42 (DC) – only 10 more issues to the end, Fathom No. 6 (Aspen), Land of Oz the Manga: Return to the Emerald City No. 4 (Antarctic Press), and Courtney Crumrin’s Monstrous Holiday TPB (Oni Press) which collects the Courtney Crumrin and the Fire Thief GN and the Coutrney Crumrin and the Prince of Nowhere GN (both of which I bought when they came out a few months back).
I was planning to also pick up the End League No. 7 (Dark Horse), but either it didn’t ship this week or my LCS didn’t get any.
I think next week tends to be the week were most of the stuff I read comes out, so I expect my list will be a little larger next time out.
Picked up some good stuff this week.
I’ve also liked Supergirl in the past few months with the new direction. I think I know who Superwoman is.. her mom. Only got theories on the why (and they involve Zod).
Picked up X-Factor.. after PAD’s comments here about the ending.. I was concerned about it. Enjoyed the issue.
I’ve been enjoying the Dark Avengers. The whole Dark Reign has been entertaining.
Picked up Trinity.. its become a chore to read for me.
Out of curiousity, anybody around here pick up any of the Trek Countdown books?
The only book I have never stopped buying, never stopped reading, for over 35 years is Avengers. I’m thoroughly enjoying the current multiple series and associated storylines. Final Crisis was an interesting experiment but Secret Invasion was good, old-fashioned, planned-years-in-advance comic book fun – and the fallout is just as intriguing.
Today, I bought Dark Avengers #3. But I put it to one side and read X-Factor #41.
This really is great stuff – plots on multiple fronts. I too am glad about Layla’s revelation. Once again, after so many times, over so many years, PAD told us the truth but steered us in a direction we hadn’t thought of.
I’m pleased to see the office crew again – something’s brewing there….
Could it be related to the mysterious gunman in the church…?
And without spelling it out for us, we’re shown in an action-packed manner the continued development of the Val Cooper subplot.
All this PLUS future Sentinels! One has to be careful not to journey to this well too many times but I have faith that this visit will be addressed with due care and significance. My one concern upon the first read was that this sequence was a bit rushed, but then I thought to look at it from Jamie’s POV: He has no idea what the Hëll’s going on either. Great to see the surprise return guest on the last page, too!
I hope I haven’t missed anything, and I’m sure PAD has well-laid plans, and I’m even more sure there’s no way in Hëll he’s gonna divulge any of them – but there’s still a second Madrox (from X-Factor #25) running around in a future, isn’t there?
Thoroughly enjoyed X-Factor, though I’ll put money down here and now that there’s a “don’t take your love to town” pun coming up eventually…
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Speaking of putting money down, your ambition to treble sales in a year do seem somewhat, um, ambitious. (Well, unless your initial audience is about 100 people!) Any back story you’d care to share on why you’re going for it? (How big’s the bet and how ‘merry’ were you feeling at the time?) Or how are the numbers currently looking?
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What else, what else… Hmmm.. Ultimatum 3 didn’t really work for me… this is seeming like a big flashy DC extravaganza to me, instead of the tightness I’ve seen in the mainstream Marvel Universe over the past few years.
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That tightness continues in Dark Avengers 3, and all of the Dark Reign titles so far. Don’t know why, but it just seems to me that the general quality of writing and editorial co-ordination at Marvel for the past few years is letting them really beat seven shades of sugar out of most DC books these days, even though DC have some dámņ good writers on board…
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Fan boy confession of the week; I really enjoyed Young X-Men. Much better than what I saw flicking through X-Farce.
Cheers.
Speaking of putting money down, your ambition to treble sales in a year do seem somewhat, um, ambitious. (Well, unless your initial audience is about 100 people!) Any back story youād care to share on why youāre going for it?
Ever see “Now Voyager?”
If you want the moon, reach for the stars.
PAD
Several times… The Whitman quote which gave it the title is one of my personal favourites:
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“The untold want by life and land ne’er granted, Now voyager sail thou forth to seek and find.”
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Cheers.
OK…
I bought nothing to protest comic book prices. There are more than enough older books I can pick up out of quarter boxes at comic books shop or used book stores to keep me busy and my addiction at bay.
I just want to say how happy I am with the newest issue of X-Factor. I was a little nervous as the end of the last issue, wondering if the ending hadn’t been earned (though I was certainly happy in a sense with what was given). I thought the newest issue answered that concern immediately, and in a fantastic way.
I laughed out loud, I was so pleased with some of the unexpected developments. It was the best thing I read all week. Incredibly satisfying.
Good work, Peter.
For me this week, it was . . .
Deadpool: Game$ of Death, The X Files #5, X-Factor #41, and Green Lantern Corps #33 and 34.
I’ve got to say that, out of all of them, I probably enjoyed X-Factor the most. I appreciated Darwin’s evolutionary jump, as well as seeing sentinels again. I like how every issue has a nice mix of humor, mystery, revelation, and then more mystery right at the end. It’s a paradigm shift, but not in an annoying, “Let’s f— with the fanboys heads just for kicks” kind of way. Bravo.
GL Corps comes in second, mostly because I really like the Green Lanterns. It’s nice to see Kyle doing art again, and I really liked seeing the GL’s coming together to help prime the building. Despite all they’ve been through lately, they are still one big family.
X-Files was great, it has all the intrigue and entertainment of the series, and Brian Denham’s art is awesome. The interplay between Mulder’s recording and Scully’s investigating was great.
Coming in last, sadly, is ol’ DP. He’s one of my favorite characters because it’s nice to read a comic that’s actually . . . y’know . . . comical. However, this one-shot focused on the violence more than the humor, and its satire element was a little too heavy-handed for me. Yeah, reality shows are dumb. We know!
All in all, a very satisfying week for comics.
One word: Wow. X-Factor delivered — a mind bender that still has me trying to figure things out. PAD wasn’t lying when he said the ending last month was not exactly what it appeared to be.
This issue lives up to its cover. I had to reread a few parts because I got confused, but that was my rushing through it, not bad writing. I feel like things PAD has been setting up continue to pay off in a big way. I greatly disliked the “birth” episode for a variety of reasons. But I am too hooked to give up yet. I am hoping there is some sort of redemption around the corner. Last month was a step in the right direction.
One nagging question: Wasn’t time travel last time stated as being a one way trip?? Makes me wonder how a return will exactly work.
Oh, and I am glad I got the Layla one shot a few months ago. It pays off nicely on the final page.
Iowa Jim
The other title: Dark Avengers. I am on the bubble on this one. Not sure it will hold up over time.
Time travel plays a confusing role in this story. But Marvel rules for time travel are not always clear to me. So hard to say this violates it.
Never liked Osborn, but like Ben Linus on LOST, he is becoming a master manipulator on a much bigger scale. Not as well written as Ben, but there is also a lot of past history to deal with that Ben lacks.
All that said, if this title doesn’t go somewhere soon, I will save my money for something else.
Iowa Jim
This week’s X-Force was brilliant.
The pacing made me feel hopeful that the team would be able to save Boom-Boom in time, even though I knew they had introduced that whole “time limit” gimmick for a reason. I’m sure they will have a talk with Cyclops when they find out what happened to Tabby upon their return from the crossover. They keep finding ways to keep you on the edge of your seat, and it’s not only one plot being dragged out forever. There are multiple threads, some fine and some thick, that string all the issues since #1 together.
X-Factor #41
Elated of Layla’s return to the book. I was worried she wasn’t going to come across as charming and funny as her younger self. I was happy to see that she is still that Layla, even in her curvy new body. It’s like watching a kid, understanding what makes their unique, and watching them again, 10 years in the future, with that uniqueness untouched, but with the fundamental changes that come with age. Maybe I read between the lines, or I expect that form your work, or perhaps you did try transmitting that… either way, thanks.
– David
I just finished reading the first Dark Tower comic: The Gunslinger Born. Peter David got the language down perfectly , which couldn’t have been easy since the dialect is a mixture of archaic, western, and something else I can’t quite put my finger on. I once tried writing a piece of fan fiction using the same language and threw up my hands after one paragraph.
The fact that I couldn’t differentiate between what was original and what came from “Wizard and Glass” really shows skill. I’m looking forward to reading “The Long Road Home.”
Iowa Jim,
Why the short leash on “Dark Avengers”? I think the premise is absolutely delicious and the execution has been above par. plus, I feel the book has a plan and I can’t wait to see where it goes.
Just my two cents. Your mileage may vary.
Going against the flow here but Im really not liking the new direction of xfactor. Madrox is one of my favourite characters and I feel hes being treated like šhìŧ. Ill give it 2 more issues at most and then drop it.
Supergirl though has really improved. Im curious to see who superwoman will turn out to be.
I tend to like decisive protagonists, or at least ones – like Spidey – who agonise over their decisions, but do then make decisions and deal with their consequences. The whole thing of Madrox being in a semi-permanent state of analysis-paralysis is not something I’m instantly comfortable with, but it is something new and different in a quite subtle fashion, so I’m enjoying seeing where that eventually goes to.
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Cheers.
Wolverine 71 – this is the book Millar can write so well. Old Man Logan was just such a great idea to run on the regular book.
Uncanny X-Men 507 – I love the idea of alternating artist on the story arcs. I’m not sure on Dodson and Land as x-artists but fraction has prooven himself quite the capable writer.
Supergirl 39 – Who is Superwoman. The Superman books are very good.
Outsiders 16 – No Batman, no problem.
Witchblade 125 – This title is so reader friendly.
Ultimate X Men 100 – Finally, this title is taken out of my misery.
End League 7 – This book is a real treasure. For fans of robert kirkman.
Red Sonja 42 – I just like the pretty pictures.
X Force 13 – Killer x men. I always new claremont could’ve done more.
Punisher 3 – by the writer of end league. this is much better then eniss’s max run. more appealing to everyone.
Origins 34 – I wish Way had a bit more dialogue. I had this book done in 5 minutes.
Dark Avengers 3 – I hated secret invasion, but this is really cool.
ASM 588 – I tell you the reboot has done wonders. PAD, any chance you’ll write an arc or 2.
Yong X-Men 12 – Not bad. Glad the series is over though. Uncanny & X force, no more X Books. (Wolvie is more of a solo book so that doesn’t count).
SoulFire 8 – This was Turner’s last book drawn. Very sad.
Invisible 60 – Done in 1 crossover is a great idea.
Ultimatum 3 – Loved the pretty pictures. I’m sorry but since Loeb went to marvel all he writes is garbage imho.
X Factor 41 – PAD you write so much good stuff.
See you all next week
Joe V.
Joe V.,
“Young X-Men” was simply an excuse to change the numbering to #1 after it was decided X-23 would be joining “X-Force” and that the Super-cool “New X-Men” series would end as a result.
Likewise, “Young X-Men” is only ending so they can lauch yet another “New Mutants” #1, which is what “New X-Men” – the series written by Yost, not the Morrison change on “X-Men”‘s title – was originally titled before changing it’s numbering for a new #1 and then it’s lineup with X-23’s introduction to the team with “New X-Men” #20.
Confused? you won’t be after watching this week’s episode of “Soap”.
I suspect there was also some attempt at re-branding going on, Young X-Men, Young Avengers, in an attempt to draw fresh readers into the kirk… I was fairly sceptical to begin with, but eventually was enjoying the New/Young X-Men quite a lot. Certainly more than the blatant cash-cow milking that is X-Force.
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I’m not sure what New Mutants is supposed to bring to the table though. (It’s supposed to be the return of the old New Mutants isn’t it, as opposed to more about the newer mutants?)
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Cards on the table, Chris Claremont’s X-Men is pretty much what kept me ‘into’ comics 30 years ago, and I still have some ingrained element of brand loyalty to the franchise, but I can’t deny that there is one Hëll of a lot of convoluted history piled up there, never mind the inevitable difficulty that comes with needing to put out more stories every month. M-Day and the Decimation were – allegedly – an attempt to steamline things again, but I’d say that was only partially successful. (For the record, I have similar thoughts about Legion of Super-Heroes over at DC)
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I honestly don’t know what could or should be done with the X-Men franchise to keep it fresh and interesting, but the Manifest Destiny/move to San Francisco/Legacy stuff is kind of working for me so far…
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I have very mixed feelings about X-Men Forever, but will wait and see.
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Cheers.
There were only 8 posts last week because Marvel decided to take the week off.
Does any one know why they insist on releasing all the
Xbooks on the same day? Do they think it will help sales?
I would think that retailers want people in the stores more frequently?
I noticed that the latest solicitations from Marvel show that Marvel is releasing 40 items in the first week of May. I saw a few trades and poster books in there, but it looks like somewhere between 33-36 new comics that week. If that happens…
Three dozen titles in a week? Ouch! If that doesn’t get me to thin out the herd and drop a few more titles, nothing will…
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(And that’s before I look at how sterling is measuring up to the dollar. Must..find..cheaper..addiction…!)
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I’m not sure how effective “boycotting” the pricier books would be – surely part of the argument is that fewer people buying helps to drive the unit price up?
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Cheers.
“…surely part of the argument is that fewer people buying helps to drive the unit price up?”
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Yes, but it also makes each individual item more profitable for the retailer. When comics start making as much per issue as magazines, perhaps more places will sell them…again.
Good point. Though you then get the “Harry Potter” phenomonon where supermarkets were selling the new HP at massive discounts they could manage by ‘economy of scale’ which ordinary book-stores couldn’t match. (Supposedly, the series that did most to promote young literacy and boost book sales did the least to support small book sellers. Unintended consequences and ‘Lego system’, anyone?.
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I think there’s room for some kind of balancing act on prices, formats, distribution and the need to get fresh blood into the game, but dámņëd if I know what needs to balance where…
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Cheers.
Ordered the 3rd volume of Buffy the Vampire Slayer out of Amazon, and finally ordered Scott McCloud’s “Understanding Comics” as well, which was long on my “To Buy” list.
No comment on them, as I haven’t gotten them yet.
BBayliss,
I can understand your frustration at higher comics prices, but the best way to do that would be to support lower-priced books.
As it stands now, most of the Top 10 consists of $3.99 and even $4.99 cover priced books. The Obama/Spidey issue is a perfect example of why comic companies will say, “Gee, I guess that price isn’t that high for the general public.” If more $2.99 books were in the Top 10 and it looked like $3.50, $3.99 and even $4.99 cover prices were hurting sales, comic companies would likely sing a different tune.
Plus, companies like CrossGen have tries lower cover prices in the past, to no avail. Fans would rather pick up the new $3.99 Wolverine one-shot.
Toss in the fact that IDW, which has had $3.99 cover prices for years is challenging Dark Horse for third place in market share while Archie comics have virtually no traction in comics stores – yet do well on newsstands – at about $2.25 a pop, and I just feel your protest is misguided.
Why not support something different and relatively reasonably priced rather than boycotting all new comics?
Loved X-Factor #41 – have to say I was a bit surprised the emotional intensity was pulled back a bit compared to the previous two issues but the interplay between the memebers of X-Factor, Madrox in the future w/Layla, the spookiest looking Sentinel I’ve seen in a while (and what a cover!) and Ruby Summers made the issue really great. I am hoping that Madrox isn’t isolated from Siryn for too long – and wondering if the baby issue is truly resolved – but I guess that’s for future issues to reveal …
Liked quite a few other comics but although it’s not Spider-Man 2099 (yet anyway), I thought Spider-Man: Noir was a really cool alternate universe Spider-Man tale …