Source 7: One Way To reduce Piracy: Improve the LCS Experience: by Ryan Haupt
-Haupt believes that government intervention is not needed to stop online piracy. Retailers must strive to improve their stores and advertising in order to attract potential customers.
-Haupt compares comic book shops and retailers to front line soldiers that represent the bulk of the industry. He believes that comic shops has built up stigma as a smelly haven for snobbish nerds and this is what prevents the average person from entering the comic shop
-Citing one experience of finding a tater tot on a shelve of trades, Haupt shows that these sanitation rules can make or break a comic book shop.
-Large chain bookstores are not to blame for the comic shops declining success as bookstores do not sell bulk amounts of comics and do not treat them with the same respect as the comic shop.
-A simple hello when a customer walks in and a retailer that is willing to help customers find the best material for them can make a bigger difference that SOPA ever would, according to Haupt.
Source 8: SOPA and the Comic Book Industry: By Brett of Graphic Policy
-The blog states that the blacklisting method that SOPA proposes to end online piracy can be worked around due to the use of such devices as a Firefox-Plug in. The blog also notes this method's ineffectiveness in such undemocratic countries as Iran and China.
-The Blog notes an interesting dilemma, that websites could no longer be held accountable for causing seizures as innocent websites could be targeted and such down. This issue holds personal significance for me as I had a seizure myself and would not want that to happen to others.
-The blog also notes that SOPA gives internet service providers power to shut down websites that are "health risks to the public". The unlimited jurisdiction that this act gives can allow for innocent websites to be shut down in the wrong hands.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Research Paper Sources 4-6(Pages 24-26)
For this next installment of research, I have decided to examine a number of shorter sources, but ones that still provide valuable information in order to make an informed decision about SOPA's effects on the comic book industry.
Source 4: An open letter to Washington from Artists and Creators: Written by Neil Gaiman and others
-Gaiman and his collaborators acknowledge the threat that online piracy causes to their creations and thank
Washington for trying to solve the problem.
-The group notes the benefits of an unrestricted internet, allowing creators to interact with fans around the world using such sites as Facebook and Twitter.
-The group fears that SOPA's policies, though crafted with good intentions, can be misused to stifle creativity and digital distribution. They propose that the effects that SOPA would have on Piracy would be outweighed by these negative impacts on creators.
-The group believes that the internet would be caught in the crossfire between SOPA and creators.
Source 5: Open Letter to Marvel Comics regarding SOPA, and a call to Readers and Creators: By Ales Kot
-Kot states that SOPA is simply unconstitutional because of its infringing on the 1st amendment rights to free speech.
-With SOPA's passage, the government can block these websites without due process of law. According to Kot, this act is driven entirely by the profit of eliminating online piracy.
-Marvel's endorsement of SOPA has led Kot to stop buying all Marvel products out of principle.
Source 6: PIPA and SOPA-Good but flawed idea-Over Reaction by 'internet' users: By user nhalden
-nhalden points out comic fandom's hypocrisy in that it accepts copyright laws but does not accept the passage of SOPA. Also, comic fans seem to be ok with the act of piracy of works for their own personal gain. This is exactly what SOPA is trying to prevent.
-nhalden does cite that although Youtube is a website that makes piracy very easy, its administrators do a good job of taking down copyrighted material before a problem is caused.
-SOPA's jurisdiction extends to actions with "malicious intent, constructive competition, and profit motive" and thus would not apply to simple fan art or sketches or a site such as Facebook
-nhalden believes that the theories of SOPA's complete censoring of the internet fall with the extreme 99.999% of what could actually happen. He encourages comic fandom to take a more realistic approach to this act. He points out the bills flaws but agrees with its stance to end piracy.
Source 4: An open letter to Washington from Artists and Creators: Written by Neil Gaiman and others
-Gaiman and his collaborators acknowledge the threat that online piracy causes to their creations and thank
Washington for trying to solve the problem.
-The group notes the benefits of an unrestricted internet, allowing creators to interact with fans around the world using such sites as Facebook and Twitter.
-The group fears that SOPA's policies, though crafted with good intentions, can be misused to stifle creativity and digital distribution. They propose that the effects that SOPA would have on Piracy would be outweighed by these negative impacts on creators.
-The group believes that the internet would be caught in the crossfire between SOPA and creators.
Source 5: Open Letter to Marvel Comics regarding SOPA, and a call to Readers and Creators: By Ales Kot
-Kot states that SOPA is simply unconstitutional because of its infringing on the 1st amendment rights to free speech.
-With SOPA's passage, the government can block these websites without due process of law. According to Kot, this act is driven entirely by the profit of eliminating online piracy.
-Marvel's endorsement of SOPA has led Kot to stop buying all Marvel products out of principle.
Source 6: PIPA and SOPA-Good but flawed idea-Over Reaction by 'internet' users: By user nhalden
-nhalden points out comic fandom's hypocrisy in that it accepts copyright laws but does not accept the passage of SOPA. Also, comic fans seem to be ok with the act of piracy of works for their own personal gain. This is exactly what SOPA is trying to prevent.
-nhalden does cite that although Youtube is a website that makes piracy very easy, its administrators do a good job of taking down copyrighted material before a problem is caused.
-SOPA's jurisdiction extends to actions with "malicious intent, constructive competition, and profit motive" and thus would not apply to simple fan art or sketches or a site such as Facebook
-nhalden believes that the theories of SOPA's complete censoring of the internet fall with the extreme 99.999% of what could actually happen. He encourages comic fandom to take a more realistic approach to this act. He points out the bills flaws but agrees with its stance to end piracy.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Research Paper Source 3(Pages-13-23)
In my continual effort to relate SOPA's potential effects on the comic book industry to previous disputes between companies and creators, I will be analyzing Static Shock artist Scott McDaniel's response to collaborator John Rozum's claims that I analyzed last week. Needless to say, McDaniel was not happy with this perceived attack on him and his work and retorted back with an extremely in-depth analysis of the situation. This explanation takes a look at specific parts of Static Shock, providing script material, character designs, and much more. However, while these aspects are enlightening and fascinating to the comic book fan, they do not hold relevance for the audience and thus I will only be examining McDaniel's overview of the situation.
-McDaniel attempts to defend his credibility to the reader, citing his childhood love of comics and his passion for drawing comics.
-McDaniel affirms the Editor's role in the production of comics as having the power to hire/fire creators and accept/reject stories and ideas. The role of an editor can be compared to the role that SOPA would have overseeing the entire industry.
-The overall downtrend of the economy has impacted the comic industry and McDaniel's family life, leading to a gap between assignments he was handed(a gap that may exist with SOPA's passage). DC's New 52 relaunch has also increased competition between creators and the need to stand out.
-Just like Rozum, McDaniel was also pressured by the death of Static's creator, Dwayne McDuffie, to put out the best possible material in order to honor both the character and his creator. Fans of Static also had preexisting expectations for the series, some of which McDaniel could not hope to achieve. Static, along with Batwing, being a minority character with his own ongoing series also put racial pressures onto the book.
-McDaniel's fears about the book's success was confirmed by a poll engineered by Comic Book Resources based on initial opinions of the New 52 books. Having prior experience in Statistics, McDaniel was able to express this poll in the form of a spreadsheet. According to the data, Static Shock was the 46th most expected title out of the 52. Combined with the general trend of comic sales leveling off after issue 1, Static Shock was practically destined for cancellation. These expectations by fans and trends of the industry can sometimes doom a book before editorial intervention.
-These factors provided McDaniel's justification for what Rozum claims are "shocking moments" simply because readers needed to become latched on the book in order for its survival in the rough market.
-McDaniel attempts to defend his credibility to the reader, citing his childhood love of comics and his passion for drawing comics.
-McDaniel affirms the Editor's role in the production of comics as having the power to hire/fire creators and accept/reject stories and ideas. The role of an editor can be compared to the role that SOPA would have overseeing the entire industry.
-The overall downtrend of the economy has impacted the comic industry and McDaniel's family life, leading to a gap between assignments he was handed(a gap that may exist with SOPA's passage). DC's New 52 relaunch has also increased competition between creators and the need to stand out.
-Just like Rozum, McDaniel was also pressured by the death of Static's creator, Dwayne McDuffie, to put out the best possible material in order to honor both the character and his creator. Fans of Static also had preexisting expectations for the series, some of which McDaniel could not hope to achieve. Static, along with Batwing, being a minority character with his own ongoing series also put racial pressures onto the book.
-McDaniel's fears about the book's success was confirmed by a poll engineered by Comic Book Resources based on initial opinions of the New 52 books. Having prior experience in Statistics, McDaniel was able to express this poll in the form of a spreadsheet. According to the data, Static Shock was the 46th most expected title out of the 52. Combined with the general trend of comic sales leveling off after issue 1, Static Shock was practically destined for cancellation. These expectations by fans and trends of the industry can sometimes doom a book before editorial intervention.
-These factors provided McDaniel's justification for what Rozum claims are "shocking moments" simply because readers needed to become latched on the book in order for its survival in the rough market.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Research Paper Source 2(Pages 7-12)
Why I Quit Static Shock: By John Rozum
In considering SOPA's effects on the comic book industry, I realized that this potential battle between government/comic publishers and creators can be likened to a lot of other editorial/creator disputes in the comics stories themselves. By studying what exactly happened in these clashes, one can learn from these mistakes so that when SOPA comes down on the comic book industry, the effects are not as hazardous. The following source is an explanation by writer John Rozum as to why the DC-New 52 comic Static Shock failed both commercially and creatively.
-Rozum states that he initially decided to stay quiet about Static Shock, but loyal Static fans were beginning to unfairly blame Rozum for the title's failure and swore to not buy titles with his name on it.
-Just like any other comic fan, Rozum has an attachment to the stories of Static Shock in the Milestone imprint by creator Dwayne McDuffie. Rozum intended to produce a story worthy of the character and his creator.
-According to Rozum, he was benched by series editor Harvey Richards and artist Scott McDaniel. McDaniel quickly became the head writer of the series, though he had never written before in his life. Rozum's role in the series's development was to essentially transfer McDaniel's plots into dialogue.
-Richards and McDaniel were more concerned with keeping the title in a reasonable sales level than telling a good story. This led to an emphasis on "shocking moments", such as Static's arm getting cut off in issue 1 and the reveal that his sister had a clone of herself, over the development of the main character and supporting cast.
-Rozum notes the stress that this collaboration with Richards and McDaniel caused him. When the two men began to leave him out of the plotting of the series, Rozum decided that enough was enough and walked off the book.
-Rozum believes that keeping his name on the book would unfairly draw fans who are attracted to Rozum's past works, such as the former ongoing series Xombi.
-Rozum distances the actions of Richards and McDaniel from DC Entertainment in general and notes his positive experiences with the company.
-Contrary to internet rumors, Static Shock did not get cancelled because it starred a minority character or a C-list hero. The book failed because of the quality of the stories and editorial mandates that Rozum had no control over.
In considering SOPA's effects on the comic book industry, I realized that this potential battle between government/comic publishers and creators can be likened to a lot of other editorial/creator disputes in the comics stories themselves. By studying what exactly happened in these clashes, one can learn from these mistakes so that when SOPA comes down on the comic book industry, the effects are not as hazardous. The following source is an explanation by writer John Rozum as to why the DC-New 52 comic Static Shock failed both commercially and creatively.
-Rozum states that he initially decided to stay quiet about Static Shock, but loyal Static fans were beginning to unfairly blame Rozum for the title's failure and swore to not buy titles with his name on it.
-Just like any other comic fan, Rozum has an attachment to the stories of Static Shock in the Milestone imprint by creator Dwayne McDuffie. Rozum intended to produce a story worthy of the character and his creator.
-According to Rozum, he was benched by series editor Harvey Richards and artist Scott McDaniel. McDaniel quickly became the head writer of the series, though he had never written before in his life. Rozum's role in the series's development was to essentially transfer McDaniel's plots into dialogue.
-Richards and McDaniel were more concerned with keeping the title in a reasonable sales level than telling a good story. This led to an emphasis on "shocking moments", such as Static's arm getting cut off in issue 1 and the reveal that his sister had a clone of herself, over the development of the main character and supporting cast.
-Rozum notes the stress that this collaboration with Richards and McDaniel caused him. When the two men began to leave him out of the plotting of the series, Rozum decided that enough was enough and walked off the book.
-Rozum believes that keeping his name on the book would unfairly draw fans who are attracted to Rozum's past works, such as the former ongoing series Xombi.
-Rozum distances the actions of Richards and McDaniel from DC Entertainment in general and notes his positive experiences with the company.
-Contrary to internet rumors, Static Shock did not get cancelled because it starred a minority character or a C-list hero. The book failed because of the quality of the stories and editorial mandates that Rozum had no control over.
Research paper source 1(Pages 1-6)
Comics Alliance: The Dangers of SOPA, The Stop Online Piracy Act, to Comic Books and You
By Aaron Colter
--Colter believes that this bill is an attempt by the U.S. Government to prevent citizens from accessing sites that are outside of U.S. jurisdiction. Instead of attacking the sites head on, the government is trying to prevent the citizens from getting to the sites.
-With one of the provisions in SOPA intended to stop payment services from processing money to pirated sites and material, credit services such as Paypal, VISA, or Mastercard could be shut down on a national level. This would affect many comics readers who use these methods to pay for their products.
-With a greater emphasis on stopping piracy at the search bar, companies such as Google would be forced to almost completely overhaul their search engine in an attempt to disassociate itself with piracy and pirated products.
-Colter notes comics previous history with censorship problems, such as the Comics Code Authority label, and believes that since the comics industry was not directly targeted, the industry has not come together on a stance yet. However, these provisions to the internet would effect the entire comics industry in the long run.
-SOPA's aim to force advertisers to deny service to websites that violate its policies would, in addition to forcing companies like Google to overhaul their policies, constrain opportunities for up-and-coming talents from displaying their work.
-Though lawmakers and business conglomerates assure Americans that these regulations will not effect daily life, Colter notes the underlying political agenda behind SOPA's supporters and questions who the public can believe in this debate.
-Colter notes that to comics publishers and retailers, the risk of online piracy directly threatens their business and as such, support SOPA's passage.
-Both comics writer Steve Niles and publisher Oni Press note SOPA gives unregulated power that can be used to suppress creators and their stories.
-Colter notes that so far, most comics blogs do not support SOPA's passage while comic publishers do indeed support it.
By Aaron Colter
--Colter believes that this bill is an attempt by the U.S. Government to prevent citizens from accessing sites that are outside of U.S. jurisdiction. Instead of attacking the sites head on, the government is trying to prevent the citizens from getting to the sites.
-With one of the provisions in SOPA intended to stop payment services from processing money to pirated sites and material, credit services such as Paypal, VISA, or Mastercard could be shut down on a national level. This would affect many comics readers who use these methods to pay for their products.
-With a greater emphasis on stopping piracy at the search bar, companies such as Google would be forced to almost completely overhaul their search engine in an attempt to disassociate itself with piracy and pirated products.
-Colter notes comics previous history with censorship problems, such as the Comics Code Authority label, and believes that since the comics industry was not directly targeted, the industry has not come together on a stance yet. However, these provisions to the internet would effect the entire comics industry in the long run.
-SOPA's aim to force advertisers to deny service to websites that violate its policies would, in addition to forcing companies like Google to overhaul their policies, constrain opportunities for up-and-coming talents from displaying their work.
-Though lawmakers and business conglomerates assure Americans that these regulations will not effect daily life, Colter notes the underlying political agenda behind SOPA's supporters and questions who the public can believe in this debate.
-Colter notes that to comics publishers and retailers, the risk of online piracy directly threatens their business and as such, support SOPA's passage.
-Both comics writer Steve Niles and publisher Oni Press note SOPA gives unregulated power that can be used to suppress creators and their stories.
-Colter notes that so far, most comics blogs do not support SOPA's passage while comic publishers do indeed support it.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Comics Reaction to SOPA Part 3
For our last feature on comics reaction to SOPA, we will look at a blogpost by Brett on Graphic Policy based on his reactions to Marvel Entertainment and Disney both supporting SOPA
-The blog states that the blacklisting method that SOPA proposes to end online piracy can be worked around due to the use of such devices as a Firefox-Plug in. The blog also notes this method's ineffectiveness in such undemocratic countries as Iran and China.
-The Blog notes an interesting dilemma, that websites could no longer be held accountable for causing seizures as innocent websites could be targeted and such down. This issue holds personal significance for me as I had a seizure myself and would not want that to happen to others.
-The blog also notes that SOPA gives internet service providers power to shut down websites that are "health risks to the public". The unlimited jurisdiction that this act gives can allow for innocent websites to be shut down in the wrong hands.
Examining specifically the comics world reaction to SOPA allows for a more specific and practical analysis on SOPA's effects instead of an analysis of just the act itself.
-The blog states that the blacklisting method that SOPA proposes to end online piracy can be worked around due to the use of such devices as a Firefox-Plug in. The blog also notes this method's ineffectiveness in such undemocratic countries as Iran and China.
-The Blog notes an interesting dilemma, that websites could no longer be held accountable for causing seizures as innocent websites could be targeted and such down. This issue holds personal significance for me as I had a seizure myself and would not want that to happen to others.
-The blog also notes that SOPA gives internet service providers power to shut down websites that are "health risks to the public". The unlimited jurisdiction that this act gives can allow for innocent websites to be shut down in the wrong hands.
Examining specifically the comics world reaction to SOPA allows for a more specific and practical analysis on SOPA's effects instead of an analysis of just the act itself.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Comics reaction to SOPA- Part 2
For this week's look at the controversial SOPA, or Stop Online Piracy Act, we will look once again at an article posted on Comics Alliance titled "The Dangers of SOPA, The Stop Online Piracy Act, to Comic Books and You" by columnist Aaron Colter.
-Colter believes that this bill is an attempt by the U.S. Government to prevent citizens from accessing sites that outside of U.S. jurisdiction. Instead of attacking the sites head on, the government is trying to prevent the citizens from getting to the sites.
-With one of the provisions in SOPA intended to stop payment services from processing money to pirated sites and material, credit services such as Paypal, VISA, or Mastercard could be shut down on a national level. This would affect many comics readers who use these methods to pay for their products.
-With a greater emphasis on stopping piracy at the search bar, companies such as Google would be forced to almost completely overhaul their search engine in an attempt to disassociate itself with piracy and pirated products.
-Colter notes comics previous history with censorship problems, such as the Comics Code Authority label, and believes that since the comics industry was not directly targeted, the industry has not come together on a stance yet. However, these provisions to the internet would effect the entire comics industry in the long run.
Both Colter's and Shand's articles show the long reaching effects SOPA would have to not just business and websites, but ordinary citizens. In order to take a position on SOPA, one must go directly to the source, look at the act itself, and see how it would effect industries in the long term.
-Colter believes that this bill is an attempt by the U.S. Government to prevent citizens from accessing sites that outside of U.S. jurisdiction. Instead of attacking the sites head on, the government is trying to prevent the citizens from getting to the sites.
-With one of the provisions in SOPA intended to stop payment services from processing money to pirated sites and material, credit services such as Paypal, VISA, or Mastercard could be shut down on a national level. This would affect many comics readers who use these methods to pay for their products.
-With a greater emphasis on stopping piracy at the search bar, companies such as Google would be forced to almost completely overhaul their search engine in an attempt to disassociate itself with piracy and pirated products.
-Colter notes comics previous history with censorship problems, such as the Comics Code Authority label, and believes that since the comics industry was not directly targeted, the industry has not come together on a stance yet. However, these provisions to the internet would effect the entire comics industry in the long run.
Both Colter's and Shand's articles show the long reaching effects SOPA would have to not just business and websites, but ordinary citizens. In order to take a position on SOPA, one must go directly to the source, look at the act itself, and see how it would effect industries in the long term.
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