Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Stealing Comics
Ok, so I've recently found out some things about BitTorrent which is a file sharing system, similar to Napster before it went corporate, where you can file share with people on the internet. I really don't know much about this kind of stuff because I think its insane to let other people be opened up to your computer and I like to buy things and have them in my grubby mitts instead of "virtually" owning them on my computer.
Apparently, comics are now free game in this file sharing business. Ben was doing a search on comics and found some available for download. Ben tells me that someone's got so and so's comic on BitTorrent, which I have no clue about, so I say "That's cool." (thinking you could buy them online, why I thought this, I have no idea) to which I receive an IMMEDIATE response of "UH NO, that's NOT cool."
Wha? So Ben explains to me what BitTorrent is and that this person is pirating these comics, making it available for steal to anyone that wants it.
Its hard enough to get retailers to buy small independent comics and carry them in their stores, all we need is for some jackhole with a scanner giving it away and making himself look cool for all his pirating dweeb internet friends.
I admit, I have made the occasional copy of a CD for someone to introduce them to something that I think is cool. But I do so, in hoping that they will like it and go out and purchase more music from this artist and I've helped create a lifelong fan. I do not, however burn a crapload of CDs and hand them out to anyone and everyone I know. That's just wrong. I buy my songs from iTunes (mostly singles) or I buy the CD.
So, this is a message to all you BitTorrent users (or other filesharing programs that let you illegally download things that you SHOULD be buying) out there. Please stop, unless you also plan to purchase the thing that you're stealing at some point. (I know there are SOME people who will buy bootleg copies of things just because they can't WAIT for it to come out, but they will still buy the real deal once it DOES come out). Don't steal comics off the web, unless they are WEB comics that are meant to be read for free. My husband and I, and a lot of other people we know, are trying to make a living at this, and by you offering our work for free undermines everything that we're trying to do.
Even the big muckety mucks need that retail dollar because, as Ben was quick to point out to me, even at the top people need to get paid for the system to work. If people don't buy the comics, the retailers don't make their money, then the distributors don't make THEIR money, which means the publishers don't make THEIR money and then we creators are left cold and poor.
Apparently, comics are now free game in this file sharing business. Ben was doing a search on comics and found some available for download. Ben tells me that someone's got so and so's comic on BitTorrent, which I have no clue about, so I say "That's cool." (thinking you could buy them online, why I thought this, I have no idea) to which I receive an IMMEDIATE response of "UH NO, that's NOT cool."
Wha? So Ben explains to me what BitTorrent is and that this person is pirating these comics, making it available for steal to anyone that wants it.
Its hard enough to get retailers to buy small independent comics and carry them in their stores, all we need is for some jackhole with a scanner giving it away and making himself look cool for all his pirating dweeb internet friends.
I admit, I have made the occasional copy of a CD for someone to introduce them to something that I think is cool. But I do so, in hoping that they will like it and go out and purchase more music from this artist and I've helped create a lifelong fan. I do not, however burn a crapload of CDs and hand them out to anyone and everyone I know. That's just wrong. I buy my songs from iTunes (mostly singles) or I buy the CD.
So, this is a message to all you BitTorrent users (or other filesharing programs that let you illegally download things that you SHOULD be buying) out there. Please stop, unless you also plan to purchase the thing that you're stealing at some point. (I know there are SOME people who will buy bootleg copies of things just because they can't WAIT for it to come out, but they will still buy the real deal once it DOES come out). Don't steal comics off the web, unless they are WEB comics that are meant to be read for free. My husband and I, and a lot of other people we know, are trying to make a living at this, and by you offering our work for free undermines everything that we're trying to do.
Even the big muckety mucks need that retail dollar because, as Ben was quick to point out to me, even at the top people need to get paid for the system to work. If people don't buy the comics, the retailers don't make their money, then the distributors don't make THEIR money, which means the publishers don't make THEIR money and then we creators are left cold and poor.
Comments:
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Straight up.
Drop some money on the media you love so much.
Stealing it waters down the whole process.
Drop some money on the media you love so much.
Stealing it waters down the whole process.
Does getting your friends to GIVE you their comics for free count as stealing? 'Cuz then I'm really guilty.
Marlena believes in this so much, she bought her Madonna CD twice! She practices what she preaches people!
Stop stealing, Marlena is not someone you want the mess with! She'll hunt you down and kill you!
Marlena believes in this so much, she bought her Madonna CD twice! She practices what she preaches people!
Stop stealing, Marlena is not someone you want the mess with! She'll hunt you down and kill you!
Well said, honey.
No, being given free copies from your friends is not stealing. The publisher usually gives the creator a small amount of comics for family and friends.
Damn right! I bought her DAMN CD twice because she wouldn't let me have that video! Deluxe version, my ASS the only thing deluxe about it was the VIDEO!
I may not kill you, but I'll put a HURT on you so bad you'll wish you were dead!
No, being given free copies from your friends is not stealing. The publisher usually gives the creator a small amount of comics for family and friends.
Damn right! I bought her DAMN CD twice because she wouldn't let me have that video! Deluxe version, my ASS the only thing deluxe about it was the VIDEO!
I may not kill you, but I'll put a HURT on you so bad you'll wish you were dead!
Wow-Wee...
That's a whole lot of HATE for stealin'... I for one have done some Bit Torrent DownLoadin'... But, in my defense, it's been because I like to preview somethin' before I unwittingly spend 30 or 40 bucks on something I know little about, but has peaked my interest... More often than not, if I like it, I go out and by the real deal... It's how I was introduced to several animes... And let's face facts here, haven't you ever bought somethin' and only like 12% of it??? Wouldn't you have liked to know that all the other stuff was crap??? I know I would... That's the extent of my Bit Torrentin'...
As for doin' it with comics, that strikes me as Dumb... Considerin' that, should someone miss the actual issues of an ongoin' book or miniseries, chances are that a couple of months later it'll be put back out in TradePaperBack Form... It's become such a trend now... It's not like when Crisis was a new thing... If you missed it, you were screwed... You might have to read your friends... Then, I don't know how many years later, they put out a HardCover Edition for like 100 bucks for the diehards... Then after some more time, they decide to put a softcover for the rest of us... But, i digress, I don't agree with doin' it with comics...
Foreign films are a little harder for me to make a decision on... Reason bein', most the time foreign movies get put on the choppin' block for editin'... You know, in order to make it more palatable for the masses... I hate that, with a passion... I say, "If it was good enough for someone to want to distribute it here, then leave it alone"... Let us see it as it was meant to be seen... Oooops, sorry, that's a whole other topic for later discussion... Maybe, at my blog...
See You,
Tony
That's a whole lot of HATE for stealin'... I for one have done some Bit Torrent DownLoadin'... But, in my defense, it's been because I like to preview somethin' before I unwittingly spend 30 or 40 bucks on something I know little about, but has peaked my interest... More often than not, if I like it, I go out and by the real deal... It's how I was introduced to several animes... And let's face facts here, haven't you ever bought somethin' and only like 12% of it??? Wouldn't you have liked to know that all the other stuff was crap??? I know I would... That's the extent of my Bit Torrentin'...
As for doin' it with comics, that strikes me as Dumb... Considerin' that, should someone miss the actual issues of an ongoin' book or miniseries, chances are that a couple of months later it'll be put back out in TradePaperBack Form... It's become such a trend now... It's not like when Crisis was a new thing... If you missed it, you were screwed... You might have to read your friends... Then, I don't know how many years later, they put out a HardCover Edition for like 100 bucks for the diehards... Then after some more time, they decide to put a softcover for the rest of us... But, i digress, I don't agree with doin' it with comics...
Foreign films are a little harder for me to make a decision on... Reason bein', most the time foreign movies get put on the choppin' block for editin'... You know, in order to make it more palatable for the masses... I hate that, with a passion... I say, "If it was good enough for someone to want to distribute it here, then leave it alone"... Let us see it as it was meant to be seen... Oooops, sorry, that's a whole other topic for later discussion... Maybe, at my blog...
See You,
Tony
Hey Marlena! Couldn't agree more.
It hurts indie/small press people in any field. Don't steal from indie bands. Don't steal from indie filmmakers. Don't steal from indie comic book creators.
The problem is some comic book fans feel they've paid their dues, and so they feel justified in buying a hardcover Daredevil trade for $30 and then they turn around and steal a Dead@17 comic, because they want to make sure it's "good" first?!? That rational never made sense to me. Dude, go read a review or look at an online preview or something.
Sharing a hard copy is cool in my opinion. You bought the hard copy, it's yours. I'm okay with people passing Karma Incorporated around to a few friends. But that's different than making available to *anyone* with bit torrent.
It hurts indie/small press people in any field. Don't steal from indie bands. Don't steal from indie filmmakers. Don't steal from indie comic book creators.
The problem is some comic book fans feel they've paid their dues, and so they feel justified in buying a hardcover Daredevil trade for $30 and then they turn around and steal a Dead@17 comic, because they want to make sure it's "good" first?!? That rational never made sense to me. Dude, go read a review or look at an online preview or something.
Sharing a hard copy is cool in my opinion. You bought the hard copy, it's yours. I'm okay with people passing Karma Incorporated around to a few friends. But that's different than making available to *anyone* with bit torrent.
Thanks David!
Yeah, its very two-sided and sometimes the line gets fuzzy but there are SO many ways to sample something before purchasing it that, in my opinion, there isn't really a need to pirate something.
You can rent movies, read online previews like you said, or even check it out in your local comic store if you have one, if you can purchase the CD on Amazon they most likely have samples of the tracks, and alot of music stores now have it set up where you can listen to CDs before you buy them.
I'm not perfect and I don't expect anyone else to be, either, but I think people should show some common courtesy and think about the people they affect when they pirate things...
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Yeah, its very two-sided and sometimes the line gets fuzzy but there are SO many ways to sample something before purchasing it that, in my opinion, there isn't really a need to pirate something.
You can rent movies, read online previews like you said, or even check it out in your local comic store if you have one, if you can purchase the CD on Amazon they most likely have samples of the tracks, and alot of music stores now have it set up where you can listen to CDs before you buy them.
I'm not perfect and I don't expect anyone else to be, either, but I think people should show some common courtesy and think about the people they affect when they pirate things...
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