Uber-Technology Reprints - 2000AD for all!

paulvonscott · 13 February, 2002, 08:23:50 PM

Why not sell Backprogs of 2000AD's scanned in as PDF's on CD? (There may be a better way, some sort of browser, I don't know, I'm not a tech) They have done this for a rpg magazine and you have the whole magazine (I think there was at least a hundred issues) on CD, all the covers, ads, letters, strips, artwork - all the pages you could want.

Let's face it most people don't have the money to buy all the backprogs, most people don't have the space to store the backprogs and Rebellion don't make any money from backprogs.

This way they could, they could sell a CD with a 100 progs on it, make some money, make a lot of people happy and spread the joy a little. It wouldn't kill reprints because let's face it, reading a book is always going to be a more enjoyable. You don't get my titan books without a fight!

You could sell them for a tenner each or whatever and I bet a LOT of readers would buy them. If you have a five year limit for realease since they saw print it wouldn't damage sales of new 2000AD either. You could even have a promo ovffer and give the first prog away with 2000AD.

The only objection I can see is from people who sleep in the shadow of their back prog collection, but speaking from someone who has got a fair few, I'd probably still kep a lot of my favourites, but at least I would feel burdoned by them.

Anyway 2000AD is a comic of the future so I reckon it would be a good idea.

Who's with me?!

PVS

(He crazy man!)

20-Phfor-7 · 13 February, 2002, 08:34:45 PM

I'd certainly be up for a collection of early progs. I'd rather like to read some of the early stories, but I really not up for paying upwards of 150 quid a prog just for the privilege - assuming you can find the ones you want.

In fact, it's an excellent way of preserving the stories - and CD-ROMs and/or downloads never get tatty or fade! Seriously, this is a superb idea.

I can see Rebellion being concerned by the copyright aspect - all those easily-duplicated PDFs - so perhaps some of the very early, less commercial stuff could be handed to the community as a 25th Anniversary prezzie...

paulvonscott · 13 February, 2002, 08:45:36 PM

Easily copyable perhaps, but then are music CD's and whatever... You could even photocopy your mates progs if you wanted too, but who does?

Here is a way for Rebellion to make MONEY out of old rope (sorry) progs and if they packaged them really well, 100 progs at least at a time, a dvd style box with a little booklet, they could even add those articles on 2000AD they are putting in the Meg, or maybe some video interviews with people) and made them a reasonable price they could make quite a bit I imagine.

As it is they make nothing out of expensive tatty old comics. Nothing. As I said I don't think this would kill reprints as not only is reading a book better, but it is collected all in one volume not scattered across numerous progs. This just would allow people to read what they at the moment cannot read. Could bring some old fans back too.

Another plus as you said is they would be preserved forever, before they are permanently yellowed and crumble to dust like all things begat (?) of man.

Wake · 13 February, 2002, 08:54:19 PM

At the moment, the idea is to sell bound prog scans rather than the digital images themselves. This should launch in the shop soon with progs 1-10 as a single book, but hopefully it will extend so that you can choose and sequence of 10 consecutive progs.

Wake

paulvonscott · 13 February, 2002, 09:04:27 PM

Another idea deflated.

Oh well. More tree killin' papery stuff it is then.

How much are these progs going to be? Are the whole Progs contained or just the strips?

Oh well.

Back to the cellar...

Clomp.

Clomp.

Clomp.

"Sigh. No Igor, it was no good. Take it apart and flush the bits down the toilet."

"No igor, I'm afraid I'm too tired and weary to beat you. maybe tomorrow."

2000AD Online · 13 February, 2002, 10:10:23 PM

Sounds good to me. In Japan the comics industry seems mercifully free from the tyranny of ludicrously expensive original comics - reprints are all over the place as are comic cafes (in some of which the staff all dress in maid costumes....but that's another story)..
Anyay - yippee! I'd buy a bound edition of progs 1-10.

Wake · 13 February, 2002, 10:18:51 PM

> How much are these progs going to be?
>Are the whole Progs contained or just the strips?
>
I'm afraid it's not my place to release the pricing before the book hits the shop.

It will contain the whole progs (including Dan Dare by Belardinelli), but in b/w. Unfortuately they're scanned from progs not the original artwork so the quality of the pages originally in colour is slightly lower than the other pages.

Of course this doesn't stop a future release of CD-ROMs/DVDs, but don't hold your breath.

Wake

Thread Zero · 13 February, 2002, 10:40:02 PM

No I am not in a rant mood for the sake of it but forgive old scojo if I'm wrong, but isn't the Meg for reprints?

If you start reprinting old stuff (I'm not against it in theory) surely there is less material for the meg?

Seems somewhat counter productive.

scojo

Wake · 13 February, 2002, 10:44:16 PM

The Meg reprints stuff by story...and probably only if high quality films are available.

The new books reprint by prog...you can't get Harlem Heroes without Invasion, etc.

Wake

paulvonscott · 13 February, 2002, 10:53:08 PM

No, don't worry. I won't.

I guess I'll have a look at these collections when they come out.

Thread Zero · 13 February, 2002, 10:55:06 PM

Yeah I follow you but surely if fans get this stuff, there is less stuff available for reprint in the meg!

(I think I just said that!)

So anyway how come you can now reprint old stuff for these new progs and expect people to buy it, yet only highy quality film stuff is suitable for the meg?

It don't make sense to me man!

Or am I wrong yet again?

scojo

Thread Zero · 13 February, 2002, 10:58:08 PM

I love that film.

Pure Imagination is one cool song from Willy Wonka film.

One of my all time fave songs in fact.

"Well there's no,
Life I know,
That compares to pure imagination..."

Scojo

Thread Zero · 13 February, 2002, 11:01:49 PM

Scojo you are so wrong if you were were born with only one right hand you'd still be wrong.

Well there's no need for that sort of language young man.

scojo and

scojo

2000AD Online · 13 February, 2002, 11:41:18 PM

20-Phfor-7 reckons Rebellion might be concerned about copyright infringement. I could give a damn if the profits were morally theirs in the first place.

Let's see. Who created 'Judge Dredd'? Ah yes, John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra, developed by Pat Mills.

Now somebody remind me who owns the character.

W. R. Logan · 13 February, 2002, 11:49:38 PM

>So anyway how come you can now reprint old stuff for these new Progs and expect people to buy it, yet only highly quality film stuff is suitable for the Meg?

The Megazine has plenty of people who will buy each issue but others will buy it depending on what's in it. To use the best possible films for the reprint ensures that any reprint material is a good as possible and the Megazine continues to see print by selling enough issues to make it viable.

The reprinted and bound volumes will be sold to people who want to get certain Progs in chunks of 10 complete Progs and don't rely on monthly figures to keep going. For example Progs 1 - 10 are going to set you back over ?200 in good condition but I'm sure will be a lot less in the bound volumes and make them more assessable to readers who don't have the original Progs. The choice is then simple, pay out the cash for the original Progs or settle for certain stories quality being lower than perfect but a lot cheaper.

>It don't make sense to me man!

What does.

>Or am I wrong yet again?

Yup 8-)

La Placa Rifa,
W. R. Logan.