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"Enhancing" comic scans--yes or no?
rangerhouse:
I would also say I would NOT like my scans upgraded, some most of mine I edit, and someday, someone will come along and decide that all mine need to be upgraded. OR They going to brown many issues to make them like original.. or..
That being said, I know how much fun it can be to edit so of this stuff and put your own name to it. and I'm sure many users would love to get involved and dont have the resources to purchase and/or find these comics.
I do know that this stuff belongs to everyone (public domain) and it sure is nice to see my name with my scans at least while I'm still alive..
SOME day we will all be long gone,...
John C:
I want to quickly chime in, but be warned that I'm not considering any sort of scanner rights. I love you guys and want people to respect your wishes, but at least in the United States, there's no copyright on scans. So please be patient with people who want to mess with'em, since they're allowed.
Purely from a reader standpoint, I'd also prefer the scans as raw as possible. Repairs are fine, but I feel that any "enhancements" invariably try to make the comics into something...false. We can argue whether it's better until the cows come home (and then ask the cows their opinion), but to me, the more you change the original image from what was scanned, the more it becomes the editor's art than the artist's.
It's worth noting that serious "upgrades" introduce a new wrinkle: Legally, it puts us in a gray area. The UK considers some sorts of mechanical reproduction as worthy of copyright (though a collection or collage/remix does not--go figure). It sounds stupid, but we all know of stupid lawsuits of heirs coming out of the woodwork to get some cash: Someone's trying to lay claim to some of Charles Babbage's personal papers!
On a technical level (Snard hints at this), also don't forget that every change you make (even just innocently rotating the scan, not that I don't want anybody doing it...) is a net loss of information. If it were to replace the original, that's an irreversible change, which is never a good idea. It's like magnifying a small image--you'll get really big pixels, but not a better image.
I think of color like advertising: Most people ignore it, but a few people are interested in only that aspect. If, in five years, someone wants to study the paper or ink in Golden Age books, it's more difficult by having pages that try to hide the paper and change the color of the ink. And like removing ads, it's infinitely easier for a user who doesn't like it to change the colors than change them back.
The discussion is getting pretty heavily stacked, here, though. Can someone who likes the edited versions explain the benefits? "I like the bright colors" is acceptable to me. It occurred to me while typing this that I can't think of a single reason to prefer editing and am really curious why it's a popular idea.
JVJ (RIP):
The only caveat that I would make, guys,
is considering any scan to represent the original. If you have seen the same pages from different scanners, you would know that the act of scanning itself is very subjective and variable. Someone's modification of some scans might actually bring the files closer to the "original" comics. Also, some comics have been maintained more carefully than others, with paper that is whiter or yellower, depending, so a scan of that issue might be much closer than one left in attic for years. Some scanners (the hardware) are more accurate and more faithful than others, too.
All I'm sayin' is no one's scans are the ne plus ultra definitive version of the comic - so it's not wise to get too protective of them.
(|:{>
rangerhouse:
Well lets hope we can get every Public Domain Comic Scanned in our lifetimes ???
I love to edit comics, its like a drug.. I cannot stop and never satified with the final product.
When I get 24 hours on a book I could kick myself, I got family, kids ... lol
I always think how would I want to see it? I ask my 16 and 19 year old kids what do the prefer... (thinking someday they will be the only ones looking).
I know I will be scanning 1st Capt Marvel JR (Whiz 25 ??) and another Master Comics with Cpt Nazi, those books I tend to put allot of time into.
I enjoy everything about Golden Age Comics and hope to get my Kids involved.
So I think in the end everything is great edit no edit.. Hell the fiche is sometimes great if thats all we have..
I guess in the end we all have to decide for ourselves.
narfstar:
I just love that there are a group of us silly old men who share an appreciation for this stuff. The hours and dollars I've spent are worth for the enjoyment others get from them.
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