OK, the Scans_Daily vs. Peter David thing
In general, my opinions are pretty close to that of MightyGodKing (Here, and Here). There are a few points of departure, however, and I'll elaborate on those below.
I've made my thoughts on Peter David pretty clear before, so I won't spend a lot of time rehashing them. I remember an interview with PAD in the early 90s (although I don't remember where - I'm not sure if it was Wizard or some Marvel house organ that was around at that time) where he stated that he doubted he would be writing in 20 years because at that point he figured he wouldn't have anything left to say. And maybe he was right. His current writing doesn't effect me in any kind of positive way, and well, go here. I lack any kind of coherent response to what happens there, except to say that I really hope that the man's moral compass has not actually degraded to this degree. But hey, Dennis Miller was funny for a while too.
That said: David was right legally, even if he did it for the wrong reasons. As far as the personal aspect, and his own revulsion at the harsh language used on some Internet communities and forums, I'm sorry to say that expecting those standards is akin to waiting for Godot. It's also very strange coming from David, whom you would think would have had a long history of getting angry fan responses (or at the very least, would have heard some stories from Harlan Ellison).
As for the Scans_Daily community - look, it was bound to happen sooner or later. I won't even spend time discussing that at all. Sooner or later, someone who wasn't happy with you or what you were doing was going to bring the hammer down. It did. Now, I'm a little sad because Scans_Daily was one of the few online comic communities I even bothered to check the comments for because there was occasionally an insight or comment or snark that amused and/or enlightened me. It also helped me find new comics to purchase.
Now, to Marvel/DC and the Direct Market of comic stores:
Ok, I'm done. See you later.
Now, to Marvel/DC and the Direct Market of comic stores:
Thank you for proving once again for proving yourselves less and less relevant. I've spoken about this before, and it saddens me to see it happening. Well, sorta. I don't mind, I just think that a lot of people are going to be hurt by this. But for me, it changes very little.
Oh, I know you want me to buy my weekly floppies from your special direct market friends and vendors. That's nice of you to want that. The nearest one to my hometown is a four hour drive. Now, I know you think that I should go and spend spontaneously on these things, but let me tell you, if I'm going to make a 4 hour drive for ANYTHING, and forget that I'm not making a 4 hour drive exclusively for comic books because that's fucking crazy, I'm going to know exactly what I want ahead of time. Now, the fact is that I don't make 4 hour drives to get my comics because I'm not crazy; I wait for trades and then order them through Chapters because I don't feel like paying $4 plus deranged shipping costs for a single issue; and if I'm going to plunk $20-40 on a TPB, I want some idea if I'm going to like it. So, libraries help, blogger reviewers help, and so do things like Scans_Daily. The only other alternative is outright piracy by torrents, and if you want to keep pushing people that way, go right ahead, but don't cry about Internet losses because you can't push your superhero stories outside of the rapidly shrinking direct market. It's disingenuous at best and suicidal at worst.
Ok, I'm done. See you later.
4 comments:
"Because ONE PERSON DEMANDED IT"
OUCH.
Anyway, putting aside all the stuff about copyright laws and such (I have no argument with you about that one--the law is the law), to me, it all boils down to hypocricy.
A good 80% of the movers and shakers of today's comic industry are some of the most cynical fucks on the planet, and they let their cynicism shine in almost every single book they take part in creating. Most of them come off as absolute dicks in their interviews. They let everyone know in no uncertain terms that they will do whatever they want, whenever they want and could care less if anyone has anything to say about it.
And Lo & Behold, one of them stops by a message board and finds out that the lack of respect is mutual. Suddenly, Mr. I-don't-give-a-fuck turns into Mr. SENSITIVE and is AGHAST at all the HATRED and VITREOL, and OUTRIGHT DISRESPECT that's being directed toward the Creative Community! BOO-HOO-HOO.
Excuse me if I don't feel any sympathy for them.
Another thing that irks the hell out of me is when these same Don't-Give-A-Fuck creators starts whining about why us ungrateful internet readers never consider the HARD WORK these creators put into these comics...as if WE NEVER work hard for OUR money. In an age where we're trying to make a dollar out of 15 cents, we expect more for our money...especially with insignificant things like lights, groceries, running water, and house/apartment/car payments to worry about. When you go all out about the AMAZING PLOT TWISTS in your book, plot twists that are TOO GOSH DARN CLEVER to be spoiled by the internet, and the best you could come up with is the reintroduction of your irritating MARY-SUE character, then OH YEAH---people are going to get PISSED (or in your words, INSULTED!)
It's going to take a whole lot for me to give any of these people my money ever again.
The title wasn't meant as a slam; just needed a cutesy title, and well, it was the obvious one. No offense intended.
And as far as creators and fans having overdeveloped senses of entitlement, well, you're right, it really comes down to the fact that everyone works hard for their money, and everyone deserves a fair shake, and if you can't market and bring your product to the consumer in a way that they want, you lose the consumer to another item (DVD, Xbox, Itunes) that gives them what they want, when they want it.
Look at it this way; if your with a cellphone carrier, but the carrier won't cover 50% of the places you frequent to or travel, then why are you still with them when there's another group that will?
I know it wasn't a slam. I thought it was kinda funny. I almost spilled my drink when I saw it.
Hopefully, they will start to realize that we're not taking their crap anymore. Then again, Marvel lost half their Spiderman readership and they are still clueless.
I think it might be time for Marvel and DC to take the hint from I-tunes and sell/lease digital versions of the copies the day they are released in print. Enough with the Digital Initiative releasing random issues a few years old.
I don't agree with pirating but people are going to do it regardless, companies might as well focus on cutting the demand and not the supply.
Also, I haven't read the latest X-Factor because I only pick my comics up once a month or so and if that loldog is a spoiler I have to wonder if PAD has gotten too gimmicky. The ending of the prior X-Factor was legitimately a suprise that would have been ruined if it had been spoiled. The reappearance of XXXXXXX should have come as a surprise to absolutely no one who has read superhero comics. It is like that director that made the Crying Game who also asked people not to spoil the ending of their next movie. Creators really need to ration out the "don't spoil the endings" to the really good twists.
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