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Post by Warmonger on Sept 26, 2015 16:55:18 GMT -5
Agreed that it's better suited for the Epic Collection line.
Aren't the Omnibus books usually hardcovers with over 1,000 pages? And don't they usually come in at close to $100?
The Epic Collection's are a waaaaay better value and I guarantee they'd make more money using that format.
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Post by thwhtguardian on Sept 26, 2015 18:23:14 GMT -5
Agreed that it's better suited for the Epic Collection line. Aren't the Omnibus books usually hardcovers with over 1,000 pages? And don't they usually come in at close to $100? The Epic Collection's are a waaaaay better value and I guarantee they'd make more money using that format. Are they really a better value? You get 1,000 pages for around a hundred bucks which sounds like lot but to get the equivalent amount of content with the Epic Collection you're paying the same as they usually clock in at 25 bucks for around 300 pages and I know I'd rather have one nicely bound copy instead of three. |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Sept 26, 2015 18:28:04 GMT -5
I'm not sure a 1970s Kung Fu book is really the kind of thing that a casual reader is going to pick up. I completely understand why they would go with an omnibus.
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Post by The Cheat on Sept 27, 2015 15:48:52 GMT -5
Yeah, I'm not a fan of the omnibus format, but with the usual discounts, they nearly always work out being the cheapest way to own the content.
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Post by foxley on Sept 27, 2015 19:39:43 GMT -5
It could well be the copyright on Fu Manchu simply expired. I'm skeptical that there will really be 4 Omnibuses (seems like Epic would be the more logical format), since I don't think any Marvel title ever has had 4... even stuff like X-Men and Avengers only have 2 I doubt copyright has expired. Sax Rohmer died in 1959. Under either British (life + 50 years) or American (life + 120 years), there should be a few years left to run. |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Sept 27, 2015 19:53:54 GMT -5
The copyright on the first three Fu Manchu novels has expired and those three books are in the public domain. I suspect the copyright on the MoKF stories is jointly held by The Estate of Sax Rohmer and Marvel. Even if it isn't Fu Manchu is still trademarked by Rohmer's Estate and that is the real issue. That's why since they lost the license to use Fu Marvel has not referred to him by that name in various appearances of Shang Chi and why Moore referred to him as The Doctor in LoEG. Marvel worked out a deal to be able to reprint the books, probably in the vein of what happened with Essential Godzilla.
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Sept 27, 2015 21:17:19 GMT -5
The copyright on the first three Fu Manchu novels has expired and those three books are in the public domain. I suspect the copyright on the MoKF stories is jointly held by The Estate of Sax Rohmer and Marvel. Even if it isn't Fu Manchu is still trademarked by Rohmer's Estate and that is the real issue. That's why since they lost the license to use Fu Marvel has not referred to him by that name in various appearances of Shang Chi and why Moore referred to him as The Doctor in LoEG. Marvel worked out a deal to be able to reprint the books, probably in the vein of what happened with Essential Godzilla. I'm a bit confused about copyrights and trademarks... If Fu Manchu's first novels aren't copyrighted anymore but the character is trademarked, doesn't that mean that as long as you don't use the name of Fu Manchu on the covers, you're good to go? |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Sept 27, 2015 21:30:13 GMT -5
The copyright on the first three Fu Manchu novels has expired and those three books are in the public domain. I suspect the copyright on the MoKF stories is jointly held by The Estate of Sax Rohmer and Marvel. Even if it isn't Fu Manchu is still trademarked by Rohmer's Estate and that is the real issue. That's why since they lost the license to use Fu Marvel has not referred to him by that name in various appearances of Shang Chi and why Moore referred to him as The Doctor in LoEG. Marvel worked out a deal to be able to reprint the books, probably in the vein of what happened with Essential Godzilla. I'm a bit confused about copyrights and trademarks... If Fu Manchu's first novels aren't copyrighted anymore but the character is trademarked, doesn't that mean that as long as you don't use the name of Fu Manchu on the covers, you're good to go? A copyright applies to an original creative work (such as a comic book, play, novel, song, sculpture, photograph, choreography or architectural plan). A trademark applies to a name, logo or symbol used to identify commercial goods or services. So while the first three Fu Manchu novels are in the public domain and can be used and published by anyone, the name Fu Manchu is trademarked by the Rohmer Estate. Trademarks don't expire, as long as they are used. Hence Marvel being able to grab Daredevil, Captain Marvel, etc., after the trademark had expired. |
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Post by Reptisaurus! on Sept 27, 2015 21:56:11 GMT -5
Yeah, I'm not a fan of the omnibus format, but with the usual discounts, they nearly always work out being the cheapest way to own the content. I believe that Frank's right, and that the Epic line is a better per-page value. Althoguh I also believe that Marvel has made a lot of money gouging it's fan base over the last couple decades. So I'm not sure that the cheapest format translates into the most money for the company. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Sept 27, 2015 22:01:22 GMT -5
Yeah, I'm not a fan of the omnibus format, but with the usual discounts, they nearly always work out being the cheapest way to own the content. I believe that Frank's right, and that the Epic line is a better per-page value. Althoguh I also believe that Marvel has made a lot of money gouging it's fan base over the last couple decades. So I'm not sure that the cheapest format translates into the most money for the company. I don't see it, Like I said the epics are usually around 300-350 pages, they cost about 25 bucks and the dressing isn't as nice as the omnibi; so to get the same amount of content you need to buy three volumes getting you up to 75 so coupled with the less attractive look the hardcover definitely seems like a better buy. |
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Post by Reptisaurus! on Sept 27, 2015 22:08:50 GMT -5
I believe that Frank's right, and that the Epic line is a better per-page value. Althoguh I also believe that Marvel has made a lot of money gouging it's fan base over the last couple decades. So I'm not sure that the cheapest format translates into the most money for the company. I don't see it, Like I said the epics are usually around 300-350 pages, they cost about 25 bucks and the dressing isn't as nice as the omnibi; so to get the same amount of content you need to buy three volumes getting you up to 75 so coupled with the less attractive look the hardcover definitely seems like a better buy. Yeah, maybe you're right. Clicking ten random samples on Amazon. 6 were between 450 and 500 pages, 2 were less and 2 were more. (Also they retail for 35 dollars.) Omibuses tend to be 100 dollars for the shorter ones in the 700-1000 page range, and 125$ (retail) for the greater than 1000 pagers. Epic's are cheaper per page, but Omnibuses are oversize and hardcover, making them about and equivalent value. |
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Post by Warmonger on Sept 27, 2015 22:22:55 GMT -5
Agreed that it's better suited for the Epic Collection line. Aren't the Omnibus books usually hardcovers with over 1,000 pages? And don't they usually come in at close to $100? The Epic Collection's are a waaaaay better value and I guarantee they'd make more money using that format. Are they really a better value? You get 1,000 pages for around a hundred bucks which sounds like lot but to get the equivalent amount of content with the Epic Collection you're paying the same as they usually clock in at 25 bucks for around 300 pages and I know I'd rather have one nicely bound copy instead of three. I've personally only bought 5 of the Epic Collections books (Wolverine: Madripoor Nights, Moon Knight: Bad Moon Rising, Iron Fist: Fury of Iron Fist, Avengers: Behold...the Vision, Avengers: The Final Threat) And I think they were all between 440 and 544 pages in length and were all $22-25 apiece. My thing is that I just can't really justify spending $100 on a single trade. And I think a lot of people feel the same way. I think you can attract more readers who have never read the series by offering $25 Epic trades than you could with a few $100 Omnibus books. Because if I was a new reader, bought the first Omnibus book, proceeded to read a few issues and then decided it just wasn't for me...I'd be pretty pissed about the money I just blew. |
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Post by Warmonger on Sept 27, 2015 22:27:21 GMT -5
Another thing I like about the Epic Collection's vs the Omnibus format...I'm old school and like how they're printed on the flat, semi-pulpy paper.
Don't the Omnibus books usually have the glossy pages?
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Post by Reptisaurus! on Sept 27, 2015 23:48:57 GMT -5
Are they really a better value? You get 1,000 pages for around a hundred bucks which sounds like lot but to get the equivalent amount of content with the Epic Collection you're paying the same as they usually clock in at 25 bucks for around 300 pages and I know I'd rather have one nicely bound copy instead of three. I've personally only bought 5 of the Epic Collections books (Wolverine: Madripoor Nights, Moon Knight: Bad Moon Rising, Iron Fist: Fury of Iron Fist, Avengers: Behold...the Vision, Avengers: The Final Threat) And I think they were all between 440 and 544 pages in length and were all $22-25 apiece. My thing is that I just can't really justify spending $100 on a single trade. And I think a lot of people feel the same way. I think you can attract more readers who have never read the series by offering $25 Epic trades than you could with a few $100 Omnibus books. Because if I was a new reader, bought the first Omnibus book, proceeded to read a few issues and then decided it just wasn't for me...I'd be pretty pissed about the money I just blew. I am DEFINITELY more likely to buy comics at a lower price point. And I assume that MOKF will be reprinted later, cheaper. They just want to grab all the money they can up front. I hear the Masterworks line is doing pretty well despite mostly reprinting bronze age dollar bin fodder at 75 dollars (retail) a pop. |
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Sept 28, 2015 6:15:54 GMT -5
I'm a bit confused about copyrights and trademarks... If Fu Manchu's first novels aren't copyrighted anymore but the character is trademarked, doesn't that mean that as long as you don't use the name of Fu Manchu on the covers, you're good to go? A copyright applies to an original creative work (such as a comic book, play, novel, song, sculpture, photograph, choreography or architectural plan). A trademark applies to a name, logo or symbol used to identify commercial goods or services. So while the first three Fu Manchu novels are in the public domain and can be used and published by anyone, the name Fu Manchu is trademarked by the Rohmer Estate. Trademarks don't expire, as long as they are used. Hence Marvel being able to grab Daredevil, Captain Marvel, etc., after the trademark had expired. Yes, but doesn't that mean you can use Fu Manchu in your own stories as long as you don't advertise them as being Fu Manchu stories? The way some comic-book company started publishing Tarzan and John Carter comics after the first novels went into the public domain without calling them Tarzan and John Carter (both trademarked names)? |
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