Publishing PD Comics for Amazon

[JimShelley]

Yesterday, I saw this:

http://www.amazon.com/Marvel-Family-Collection-Complete-Captain/dp/1493613308/ref=pd_sim_b_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=0Q2QME7NG9NN0Y5GCK2P

My first thought was, that's one awful cover...

My second thought was, how is this guy selling public domain stuff on Amazon? (The rules on that sort of go back and forth...)

My third thought was, I could do a better job, design wise and price wise (I looked up what it would cost to print such a book on CreateSpace and was flabbergasted by how much this guy was overcharging.)

Now, generally, three thoughts is all I'm good for on any given day, but in this case, I went the extra mile and wondered:
Would the guys at DCM be cool with republishing their scans in such a fashion?

My kneejerk reaction was, "No."
But a research in the message boards revealed a few threads where people were given an "Okay" for some re-purposing of the files as long as the original scanners were acknowledge. (Which is more than fair.)

I was already planning on creating a PD Christmas comics collection, (darkmark is helping me with that.) but seeing these horrible Fawcett collections made me want to throw my hat in the ring with some superhero stuff.

Note: if there are any scanners who aren't cool such re-purposing, I'd be happy to not use their stuff. Or if you wanted a share of the profits (imo: judging by that Whiz collections, I don't expect much) I would be open working something out.

Here's the problem, in some cases, all you can find is the name of the uploader (which I don't want to assume is the scanner.)

If the name of the scanner isn't contained in the original file, what do you do then?

- Jim

[Yoc]

Hi Jim,
Nice of you to reach out to the scanners about this.  I'd say if nobody objects that you feel free to use the scans - noting of course that we are not lawyers here, etc. etc.
Some like Rangerhouse might even be willing to give you larger resolution versions (likely raw and unedited) of their scans which would be much better for printing from.  You can reach RH through the DCM Facebook page he runs for us.

Any donation to DCM to help with over head costs here would be most welcome should you want to share your profits from your printing adventure.
Good luck!

[JimShelley]

Thank you Yoc!

[CBpop]

Great idea Jim !!!  You are more than welcome to use any of my scans (CBpop) and I do have the higher resolution files (png, psd,) that I would be glad to share. 

I agree with you about the high cost and quality of the reprints.  I favor the “raw pulp”  look vs the cleaned white “color adjustment” of many of the reprints. That's why I was overjoyed when I found DCM, because the scans sent me back to a rainy day and the pulp smell and look of a golden age comic. Just a nice memory from the past.

I am grateful that the old series, which would be too expensive for most to buy and read, are being  reprinted, but I know it can be done better. The 1960s Nostalgia Press Flash Gordon reprint books did an excellent job of keeping the style and look of the original.  I would hope that the quality printing of these early reprints could be repeated.

Good luck and please contact me if I can help.

Ed

[JimShelley]

Thank you Ed! That is very awesome of you!

[OtherEric]

Well after the fact on this thread...

If I scan something Public Domain, the scans are Public Domain.  I don't believe my editing is sufficiently transformative to move it out of the PD.  That's actually a big reason I don't "sign" my scans and never have; people can see here or at GAC that I'm the scanner.  But I want people to be able to use my scans however they want.  Which doesn't mean I'm not frustrated when I see my scans showing up on eBay or Amazon, but that's a function of people charging for stuff that's available free elsewhere; not an objection to people using them in general.  If anybody wants to use my scans in print, they're completely welcome to; with or without crediting me.  And if I can get better quality scans to people to use in print, I will; and have on at least a couple occasions.

[tilliban]

Am totally onboard with OtherEric in this matter. I donate my scans to the general public.
If you want to print them, ask me for the raw scans. Won’t cost you a thing…
I do this because I like people to discover these mad, mad, mad comic books from way past.