Uber-Technology Reprints - 2000AD for all!

[Rex Gambill]

Paul, you and I seem to think alike. Having recently put together a complete run of the first half of 2000AD, and having recently acquired a scanner and CD-ROM burner, I have considered scanning my early progs, burning them to CD-ROM, and selling the paper progs. The only thing stopping me is the time it would take to do it.
Perhaps if a group of dedicated scanners who have early progs got together and agreed to scan certain progs and upload the scans to share them, everybody could have scans of early progs.

[W. R. Logan]

>Perhaps if a group of dedicated scanners who have early progs got together and agreed to scan certain progs and upload the scans to share them, everybody could have scans of early progs.

Then you face the problem of:

"Reproduction, storage in a retrieveal system or transmission in any form or by any means without prior permission from Rebellion is strictly forbidden"

La Placa Rifa,
W. R. Logan.

[paulvonscott]

Anyway, Rex, nice to know you agree with me, I'm sure you are about to agree with Logan and me that it would actually be a really bad idea to do it yourself!

It certainly is illegal Logan, as we all know.  One of the reasons I suggested it, was so that Rebellion could do it properly before someone else does it on the sly.  If pirate versions of thrills appear it will probably be too late by the time Rebellion got into the act.

Whether you like the idea or not, if it can be done someone will do it and all it takes in todays age is someone with a bit of time.  Judge Dredd can say he's the law as often as he wants, but people still commit crime.  I have to say I don't condone any copyright violation, one of the reasons I would like rebellion to consider this.

As Rebellion are a computer game company, they must have acces to reasonably priced cd burning and packaging.  I happen to think is a very good idea.  Certainly if they are going to get released (and they aren't going to be great quality anyway) in ten prog bound paper editions, they could always release a cd version anyway and see how it goes (I would advise a lot more than ten progs).  As I said it was done by a D&D mag, its not my idea, just a bloody good one.

Certainly a DVD version, although more expensive would be fantastic!  Imagine being on your DVD player with a fully browsable menu on the TV, able to close up on particular frames and enjoy the whole thing.  Wow-ee.

[DavidXBrunt]

This is a quote from Comics International magazine. It's from Jason Kingsley the publisher of 2KAD. It's part of a large, 4 page, interview that covers the business behind the magazine. This seems appropriate to the conversation.  

"Every single page is being scanned. 44,000 pages in all. Then we can make them available in reprint albums. So we're going to be reprinting them in five or 10-prog collections. They'll all be in black and white, except for the collection covers, and buers will be able to customize which issues they want, as they'll be printed to order. So an individual could ask for a five issue run of prog six to 10, for instance, or a 10-issue run from prog 53 to 62. We will be trial launching them at ?19.95, I think, for five, and ?24.95 for ten."

That's all copyright Quality Communications.

[Wake]

Well if the pricing is out somewhere else, I guess we can discuss it.

?24.95 for a bound volume of 10 progs is rather more than I would have liked, but it still works out cheaper than the originals for around the first 20...and about the same for 21 to 200ish. Beyond that, it would be cheaper to buy originals (though they still won't sit properly on a shelf)

Wake

[Rex Gambill]

Yes, and far be it from me to violate anyone's copyright. That's why I don't burn copies of music CDs for my friends, even though they think it's perfectly all right to do so for me.

I do, however, believe it is my right as the owner of a printed copy of 2000AD prog 2 to burn a scan of it to CD for personal use (i.e., not sale or distribution).

To me, it's the same principle as dubbing a copy of your music to listen to in the car, or in your personal MP3 player. You've already paid for the thing once. You're not about to pay for it again, only in a different medium.

If someone else had offered reprints of early issues of 2000AD at the time I started collecting the original progs, I would have sprung for the reprint editions. They most assuredly will look better on my bookshelf than the boxes of newsprint progs on my bedroom floor.

I have spent a pretty penny collecting back issues of 2000AD, and I didn't buy any of them from IPC, Fleetway or Rebellion. If I could have, I would. It would have saved me a lot of money. I do, however, buy new issues of 2000AD from the local comics shop.

As for sharing the scans, if the only alternative is to buy back issues from dealers, then Rebellion isn't losing a dime. The money goes straight from a collector's hand and into the dealer's pocket.

However, if Rebellion were to actually offer reprints, then the sharing would be unnecessary, and at that point, in my opinion, illegal.

I fully expect this post will elicit flames from other message board folks. All I ask is that you remember that other people are not always going to agree with you, though they may be persuaded to.

Rex Gambill,
who is willing to listen to reason, and doesn't have any intention of distributing scans of 2000AD.

[The Amstor Computer]

Might as well drop a word in for the luddites ;-)

If it was a choice between picking up a copy of progs 1-10 in dead-tree format or on CD/DVD, I'd spring for the originals. I just can't adjust to viewing comics on my TV or computer. There's something about the smell & feel of old comics - something separate from the contents themselves - that is, for me, part of being a comics fan.

However, I would happily pick up a reprint volume of earlier progs. It's always a pleasure to read stories in one volume - I'm sure most long-time fans have the Necropolis saga in prog & bound format, or Apocalypse War & Block Mania volumes beside the original progs. It also saves wear & tear on those precious early comics ;-)

[DavidXBrunt]

Absolutely, there's nothing like a good book. Or book shaped collection of reprints of 25 year old comics.

If I could afford the ?3250 for the back catalogue I'd be in heaven.