further scans_daily thoughts... expressed by better folks than I

[thehefner]

The scans_daily debacle has exploded over the internet. It's kind of amazing; many of us (including me) just sort of assumed we were our own sleepy little niche, never realizing we were this big.

Holy shit, does that mean I'm quasi-internet-famous for being that totally obsessed Harvey Dent fanboy who thinks Gilda Dent seriously warrants an in-depth three-part retrospective?

But seriously, it's been the hot topic at many a blog and major comic site, but perhaps nowhere more heated than at Peter David's own blog. I joined in the posting early on, espousing how awesome (and vital!) scans_daily was... a point that was expressed most eloquently than by Gail Simone, a professional DC Comics writer whose own work was frequently posted there.

That was the battle I'd picked on PAD's blog, as opposed to the many arguments about why scans_daily sucked, why Peter David sucks, people sucking up to Peter David, morality issues, ethical issues, immature insults, and--of course--heated debates about "fair use" and copyright law. And so many of these are fueled by misconceptions about law, PAD's involvement, and what scans_daily actually was.

So as such, thank god for MightyGodKing--former scans_daily contributor possessing awesome Canadian Lawyer superpowers--for summing up the s_d debacle from all perspectives--particularly legal, ethical, and sensible--better than anyone else has. Or, indeed, could.

To think, back in the day I got all butthurt when MGK snarked at me. After the whole PAD/DIAF debacle, it all seems ridiculously silly and thin-skinned of me in retrospect. Not that I've ever claimed to have a skin in the first place.

In the meantime, s_d exists in other forms. Sort of. There's noscans_daily, where we can at least confer and geek out (WITHOUT scans), and there's also a new scans_daily at Insanejournal... but frankly, I can't bring myself to go there, much less start an Insanejournal account. It all just feels wrong.

Comments

[suburbfabulous.livejournal.com]

I commented in CorporateWhoreLand, but I didn't check back to see if anyone responded.
I'm pissed.
I'm pissed at Peter David, and I never thought those words would come out of these fingers.
It seems unnatural, not just his being a phallocephalic pocket monkey for the former Boy Wonder, Quesada, but his NOT GETTING IT why anyone could be upset and still be ethically sound.
He's effectively accused every member of s_d of stealing comics...and so many of them, even his, aren't worth stealing. He seems to have a hyperinflated sense of his own importance; maybe working in the same field as John Byrne does that to a person...except John Byrne has a rare combination of balls and brains. He's not always right, but you know what he's about from the get-go. As long as you accept Kirby as your personal savior, Byrne is your co-parishioner.
Peter David's ivory tower was built by wonks like me, people who bought into the whole Image-vs.-Valiant world of the early '90s. When he beat Todd MacFarlane at a debate, I cheered. When he landed the Star Trek beat, I was happy for him (even though I'd long since given up on Roddenberry's franchises.)
God help me, I helped make that monster.
Peter David was in sales before he was a writer. I guess he never left.

[nymphgalatea.livejournal.com]

That MightyGodKing is a very clever, eloquent bloke. Yes, scans_daily was illegal, and some of the posters are making me wince with their rudeness and horrific sense of entitlement. But it was a good place to go find out about stuff when you were a newbie, because some comic shops and some message boards are really unfriendly and sometimes creepy (especially when you're a girl).

Ah well. Times change, and I now have an Insanejournal, though I don't know how much I'll be posting now. A lot of peoples' comments have left a bad taste in my mouth.

[tragical-mirth.livejournal.com]

I go back and forth with my levels of anger toward Peter David. I understand where he is coming from (though I still think it's a flipping idiot thing to have done, when really, all he had to do was say, "Hey, man, can ya take that down?" and the mods would have done it). I still love him as a writer, though, and this isn't going to change that. Most of the best writers are unconscionable assholes in person, and even still, he's certainly not that.

What I would like to add to the argument, though is this: MGK here argues that Marvel and DC surely didn't know that scans_daily existed, and that is absolutely not the case. In addition to Warren Ellis, at least Dan Slott and Gail Simone (that I know of) stopped in to make comments, and a lot of other creators (artists, inkers, etc.) stopped in to the comm to post their own work. I imagine that, with this implicit show of support, the mods and participants probably thought they were in the right. Whether or not what they were doing followed U.S. Copyright Law to the letter, the holders of those copyrights seemed to give their approval. I don't think I would have been a part of the commnity for very long otherwise. < JohnTheSkrull > I'm not for stealing people's shit, yaknow. < /JohnTheSkrull >

[gallen-storm.livejournal.com]

No idea what this was all about till about five seconds ago. So Scans Daily has been shut down, I must say it is sad that it is gone. I find it sadder though that creative talent is getting so tight now that they are making it nearly impossible for person A to show Person B their favorite panel or page of a comic via internet. But it seems once more the Napster days are back and for the next month we will here the complaining. Now I never used scans daily, knew of it, but I prefer holding and reading the comic. Don’t know, probably some sick fetish I have, pha! wanting to hold and read his comic, you sick-o.

But I do find it sad that these groups, Marvel especially, get bent out of shape when one posts an image from their stuff, let alone critics or comments on what they have published, unless it is brain-dead praise. But I agree Mr. David could have just asked for the images to be taken down, specially since other writes, as it seems form what I have read, had no major issue with Scans Daily.

Yet on the other had as an artist myself, I too can understand any creative person or persons taking actions to secure their work and pay check. Specially if they are a small time indy writer or artist. Still I do find it disheartening that many creative individuals who belong to large companies and do not risk losing anything more then a few bucks because 10 poor nerds chose not to buy issue 129 of Super Awesome Comic Alpha, are becoming very gun-ho lets call the lawyers and sue these guys for even thinking of sharing my material.

Though I am not an innocent bystander here, I too read some of my Japanese comics online, more so because they are not published in the US.

Anyway, I feel this incident stems more from the issue that Marvel, NOT Peter David so much, once again could not take criticism of their work, which Scans Daily is know to do to all comic book material and companies. Thus, in true character of what their company has become, retaliated to the public by acting childish and taking their proverbial ball home while shutting down the play ground because the rest the kids could not play by their standards.