CaptainPrimate

January 12, 2011 11:35 am congrats gents!

November 18, 2010 12:22 pm @mikespitt2000 - so, are you telling me that you've only ever pirated Surrogates?  And the fact that you bought the book from the creator justifies the pirating?  Honestly, you've never pirated any other book?  Really? If you did, did you also buy the trade/issue from the creator?  If not, your original argument doesn't really stand up that well.  

November 18, 2010 12:12 pm @mikespit2000 - this is absolutely an attempt to justify.  "I do X because of X"  You are justifying your behavior.  I pirate comics because I don't have money, I pirate comics because I don't have an LCS...whatever.  You are providing an reason for behavior...which is an attempt at justification.  

November 18, 2010 12:00 pm It bears mentioning that while I find the two dimentionality and simplicity of the anti-piracy rhetoric troubling, I find the rationale that the pirates themselves use to justify their behavior completely transparent B.S.

November 18, 2010 11:54 am

@wallythegreenmonster - I'm not talking about research w/in a political context (or how its used within a policial context).  My point is that as soon as you start making definitive statements about the way the world is ("X happens because of Y") then you are stepping into my house - the house of science...hypothesis, theory, data, and research (I can't believe I just said "you are stepping into my house").  Anyhoo.  You absolutely cannot make broad statements about the way the world is (how things work, etc.) without the data support said statements.

Any with that, I'm walking over to my LCS to buy my books. 

November 18, 2010 10:14 am

Before I write absolutely anything, let it be know that I personally believe that comics piracy is a tenable position in any way, shape, or form.  I don't support comics piracy, nor do I think its a good idea. I buy all my books from my LCS...always.

Having said that, I'm bothered by the two dimentionality and simplicity of a lot of the anti-comics piracy rhetoric that has been flying around lately.

First, I think that laying the blame for declining sales and market size at the feet of comics piracy is an enormous mistake.  It completely absolves the companies (and the decisions they make) of any responsibility in the matter - which I find quite bothersome.  If we want to consider why the vast majority of creators (except for a small minority) pretty much get paid piss all for their enormously hard and creative work, we need also to consider the standard work for hire structure practiced by most comic publishers.

The other thing that bothers me is the subtext that comics are cancelled because they are pirated.  Does this mean that books were never cancelled before the web? (the primary mechanism that has enabled media piracy of all kinds).   

I think its also enormously important that everyone realizes that to the best of my knowledge (and I've looked into this back when I taught a class on the history of comic books) there hasn't been any research at all as to the impact that comics piracy has on the industry.  Until we get that research - research that *must* be carried out within an academic environment, and not by the companies themselves (we've been down that road too often with the MPAA and RIAA manipulating the results of studies), everything that is said is conjecture and opinion.  I'm not saying that creator's shouldn't voice their opinions and discuss their personal experiences.  Quite the contrary. I think it is absolutely vital for the necessary ongoing dialog.  What I'm saying is that definitive statements about the impact of comics piracy on the industry simply shouldn't be made until their is quality research data to back it up.

October 20, 2010 11:21 am Guy is frighteningly talented...and easily one of the nicest creators I've ever had the chance to meet. 

October 6, 2010 11:07 am CAFFEINATED MARSHMALLOWS! (no clue why I'm yelling, but it somehow seemed appropriate given that they are CAFFEINATED!)

July 19, 2010 1:36 pm looks suspiciously like the 80s Flash gordon flick...which frankly scares the crap out of me. 

March 29, 2010 9:17 am thanks to everyone who stopped by (for the Saturday events and the Friday keynote)