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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Lit Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: The Empire Vol. 1

Discussion in 'Literature' started by DoubleSith, Aug 27, 2014.

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  1. JoinTheSchwarz

    JoinTheSchwarz Former Head Admin star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Nov 21, 2002
    As expected.
     
  2. Barriss_Coffee

    Barriss_Coffee Chosen One star 6

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    Jun 29, 2003

    [​IMG]

    I know they signed a contract, but it still sucks. Everyone's against the author/artist these days.
     
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  3. Valin__Kenobi

    Valin__Kenobi Author: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Praji star 4 VIP

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    Mar 30, 2004
    What we have here, more than anything, is a timing and perception problem. Under other circumstances, many of us would be applauding Marvel's decision to keep this content in circulation, and once the dust settles I think we'll come to agree that it's far better than leaving it in OOP limbo for eternity.

    But announcing this yesterday, of all days, feels like adding insult to injury. Perhaps it was intended as positive news on a sad occasion--"This chapter is closing but the stories you love will still be in print!"--but if so, it backfired. When DH began reprinting Marvel, it was a decade-defunct series in a drawer somewhere, whereas Marvel is taking recent content away from someone still making use of it, and no one wants to be reminded right now.

    While it shouldn't make a difference as far as the letter of the contracts, a lot of the backlash is the illogical but heartfelt perception of Marvel and Disney as a massive corporate beast cashing in on a smaller rival's IP at the earliest opportunity. They certainly aren't hurting for money, so being able to reprint 23 years of someone else's hard work for free feels, again, like insult to injury.

    And while this shouldn't make a difference either, there's the perception of scale. I would be delighted if my Hyperspace article saw the light of day anywhere else, even though I'll never see an additional nickel past the original flat fee--but the amount of work I put in is a miniscule fraction of the millions of man-hours collectively put into DH's content. Whereas if I'd put years into writing or drawing an ongoing series, I doubt I'd enjoy losing my royalties if any (I have no idea what percentages of their creators worked for royalties vs. flat fees) and watching someone else profiting from it even though I understood, logically, that's how things are done.
     
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  4. The2ndQuest

    The2ndQuest Tri-Mod With a Mouth star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    Yeah, I also get the impression this was intended to be an olive branch to SW fans- it's just the timing that is throwing people off.

    Things pass in time though- keeping these in print is really only positive in the broader picture.
     
  5. Zeta1127

    Zeta1127 Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012
    By all means Marvel should reprint DH's work, which was a concern many people had over the switch from DH to Marvel, but don't announce it until after you have already put out some of your own material first.
     
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  6. Zorrixor

    Zorrixor Chosen One star 6

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    Sep 8, 2004
    Their choice to reprint recent series that DH are still trying to sell has rubbed me the wrong way, too.

    Add to that, that the Marvel ones will be oversized, whereas the DH Omnibuses are smaller, and it's in direct competition with people choosing what version they want-- which feels rather lousy, given that DH currently still hold the licence. Next year? Sure, Marvel can do what they want in January. But right now, Disney should still be supporting DH.

    I can't help but wonder if this would not be happening if Marvel was a private company, and not directly owned by Disney, as it really is in rather poor taste.
     
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  7. The2ndQuest

    The2ndQuest Tri-Mod With a Mouth star 10 Staff Member Manager

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    Jan 27, 2000
    If Disney didn't own Marvel then DHC would still have the license and we wouldn't be having this conversation in all likelihood.
     
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  8. JoinTheSchwarz

    JoinTheSchwarz Former Head Admin star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Nov 21, 2002
    To play devil's advocate: keep in mind the reprints won't be here until April 2015. It's not like they are starting tomorrow.
     
  9. CooperTFN

    CooperTFN TFN EU Staff Emeritus star 7 VIP

    Registered:
    Jul 8, 1999
    Though on that same line of thought--they don't have to solicit stuff until about three months ahead, so why did they announce this now? It has to be aimed at picking up where DH leaves off, but whether in a good or bad way is debatable.
     
  10. Barriss_Coffee

    Barriss_Coffee Chosen One star 6

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    Jun 29, 2003
    I've been wondering about Quinlan lately -- republishing the old Republics (no pun intended) focusing on him in lieu of the Quinlan-centric novel would be a good marketing gameplan. He could be a character they use to quell us oldschool EUers.

    Does anyone know if Ostrander or Duursema worked for Marvel before?
     
  11. CooperTFN

    CooperTFN TFN EU Staff Emeritus star 7 VIP

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    Jul 8, 1999
    Duursema drew one issue of Marvel SW. Ostrander, not that I know of. In any event, I dunno if they want to make too much hay of the old Quin stuff until and unless it's made clear that something remotely close to it still happened.
     
  12. JoinTheSchwarz

    JoinTheSchwarz Former Head Admin star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Nov 21, 2002
    Oh yes, Ostrander has worked for Marvel before. I own some of his 90s Heroes for Hire, for instance. And he co-wrote the relatively recent 1 Month 2 Live mini.
     
  13. vong333

    vong333 Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 18, 2003
    Okay here I go, this is were the switch hitters/back stabbers come out. Ohh, I can't wait for this oversized edition, its great, we geet EU stuff, can't wait to buy it, wonderful, glad that they are keeping this in print. Yep, I could go on and on. My take on this is the following, if you truly want the dark horse stuff why wait? Why? They have omnibuses, digitial issues, single issues, trade paperbacks and the like. I say hunt them down and buy them from Dark Horse, the company that did the comic book. Personally, I am mad about the decision and will definitely not buy this. You want to reprint Dark Horse stuff? Respect them and wait a couple of years, come out with your own crap. Marvel going to make money off dark horse made stuff? Wow, for this the license should have stayed with dark horse. But what do I know. What I do know is that I have every issue, trade paperback and omnibus, so I feel complete. Marvel can stick that stuff up there rear and you guys can pay the $35, but remember, if you are truly a star wars fan that loved or respects dark horse, you have until the end of the year to buy it from the horse its self. They should get the profits and I hope they get cheesey at the end and make a massive sales so that dark horse can clear up their inventory and make its money.

    Dark Horse made star wars into the best movie comic propertry in the world, no other franchise can lay claim to that. They have one awards and they set the benchmark for others to follow.
     
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  14. Force Smuggler

    Force Smuggler Force Ghost star 7

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    Sep 2, 2012
    And if we are currently strapped for money? What then?
     
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  15. Valin__Kenobi

    Valin__Kenobi Author: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Praji star 4 VIP

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    Mar 30, 2004
    How shortsighted. I certainly encourage people to buy as much now as they can, rather than waiting. But I don't think anyone's contesting that.

    That's well and good in the short term ... but what about the NEW fans in five, ten, or twenty years that want to read this material? Kids aren't going to shell out fifteen grand to buy every OOP collection and issue--and make no mistake, much of it will be crazy expensive before long.

    I don't disagree in substance with any of your post, but in its tone you're turning on your own kind. I've been reading these comics for most of my sentient lifetime and their losing the license has hit me as hard if not harder than the reboot itself, but come on.
     
  16. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

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    Jul 19, 1999
    Oh, I wouldn't worry Valin - Vong will be undergoing the Marvel treatment next year, whereby his bank account and overdraft are drained of funds in return for volumes of varying quality and high price.
     
  17. AniSkylover

    AniSkylover Jedi Grand Master star 3

    Registered:
    Jan 5, 2001
    I'm happy to hear the DH comics will be made available, but from what I gather online and contrary to the Marvel Omnibus, there is nothin "oversized" with this Epic Collection except the number of pages, right ?

    I wish they would make some kind of "vibranium" edition for the best looking titles, or use the "gallery edition" line they do with IDW.
     
  18. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

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    Jul 19, 1999
    No, oversized, for Marvel, is 28cm.

    The size you're thinking of for the Adamantium and IDW Artist's Editions would be best classed as double Absolute, but the prices for those volumes tend to be through the roof!
     
  19. Plaristes

    Plaristes Jedi Master star 3

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    Jul 2, 2007
    I just hope Marvel decides to include in future volumes material that DH never omnibused, like the webstrips, UK TCW comics, original manga stories, etc.
     
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  20. TOD-UK

    TOD-UK Jedi Grand Master star 3

    Registered:
    Mar 4, 2002
    I think if they were inclined to be that inclusive then some of those you mentioned, especially the webstrips, would have been included in this new collection
     
  21. CooperTFN

    CooperTFN TFN EU Staff Emeritus star 7 VIP

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    Jul 8, 1999
    FWIW, the webstrips were straight from LFL--they were never DH's to reprint.
     
  22. Blur

    Blur Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 11, 1999

    Exactly. When Lucas announced that he had sold Lflm. to Disney in October 2012, I immediately knew that Marvel would probably take back the SW license (since Disney owned Marvel). Though the official announcement regarding this wasn't until this year?!, we all saw the writing on the wall long beforehand.....
     
  23. Captain RX

    Captain RX Jedi Master star 2

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    Jul 30, 2014
    What would a hypothetical The Empire Vol 2 contain? Would it just be the Star Wars Empire series?
     
  24. Lugija

    Lugija Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Oct 3, 2009
    Likely more Darth Vader and Dark Times.
     
  25. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

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    Jul 19, 1999
    First volume suggests they are grouping stuff chronologically.
     
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