ComicBitsOnline.com

9 Comments so far (Add 1 more)

1. Hi,Rafiq.
   Believe me I get worse “bashings” that don’t appear on CBO. I never hide my identity so its easy for anonymous emailers to attack. Though they should be aware there is a Reverse Email Check available that I use to find out who they are!

   1. Terry on June 1st, 2009 at 12:06 pm

2. It seems I missed out the most important discussion on Cinebook (Terry you need to tweak the Wordpress options, to provide email subscription for threads, it is pretty useful for these)

   I have to go with the comment of Terry on Censorship. Being from a country which is still rich of its culture and despise anything which promotes nudity in any form, it is the perfect business plan of CineBook & Cadic to come and flourish in the market. Imagine, there is always a chance of banning a comic featuring nudity content, in Middle Eastern countries, and Asia is no way afar that.

   I always believed a good story or graphic novels could easily be told, and understood, with a subtle reference to the intimate affairs. You don’t need to show bare act to sell your pieces. And what’s more when Cadic is getting the approvals from the creators of the series to modify the content to fit the regions in which they are going to be published, then why does the reader or general public have to oppose that. If for one, that should have been the creators, who are happy to understand the situation and go along with it to touch global audience.

   Moreover, no one here is part of a cheerleading group to any one publisher. We love comics, and We love the ones who are contributing to it, despite the shun-off by biased awarding groups. That is very well shown, by you masceaurading under anony persona, without revealing your identity. Sorry Terry, if I had come out arrogant in my reply, but couldn’t bear and see the bashing you get for no reason at all.

   ÇómícólógÝ

   2. Rafiq Raja on June 1st, 2009 at 1:51 am

3. Well,”Anti Censorship”,firstly I tend to delete comments sent in anonimously because it’s usually a sign of some flamer or person with a grudge. If you are “anti-censorship” surely you should tell us who you are?

   But,let me explain because you obviously have no idea about Cinebook or its world-wide distribution.

   You are,obviously,referring to editing out nudity? Well,this is done with the approval of the creators. Why? Well,we -I assume you do also but your anonimity excludes us knowing- live in the West where nudity in comics was not unusual in the 1980s but seems accepted these days as a norm.

   I have no problem with nudity as anyone knows if they are aware of my work for Eros,etc..

   However,Cinebook distribute to Asia and the Middle East where nudity would get the books banned. Even in India,although extreme violence,etc.,can be seen in comics there is no nudity and women have to be “appropriately” clothed.

   Cinebook is a small company and for it to print the books with nudity and another edition for overseas without nudity would be financially crippling. Cinebook realised that certain countries could be good markets but you have to consider that were there is a strong Muslim or other faith system in power you are kidding yourself if you think they’ll allow nudity.

   When I saw the books originally and noted that certain items had been deleted I wondered what they were -after all the stories flowed and there seemed no oddities. And the creators would NOT allow cuts that ruined the book.

   You cannot just publish and say “Tough -nudity included” especially when,in 2008,sales to Asia and the Middle East amounted to 3%.

   You need to think this through. It’s obvious to anyone who looks at the distribution of Cinebook -go to their site- that will tell you what you need to know and you can ask Cinebook why the “censorship”.

   So,in your opinion,Cinebook should not be applauded for what it has created in comic albums the UK has never seen in English before and the UK jobs it creates and ancilliary services gaining financially from its business because the anonimous “Anti-Censorship” doesn’t like books with nudity cut out?

   I suggest,if you live in the UK,that you go to the local newsagents and look at the top shelf. Lots of nudity there.

   Cinebook has given the UK comic industry a massive boost and presented us with great books that,unless you speak French and can afford to buy from Europe,you would never see. And another fact that puts your ‘arguement’ in its place:the comic shop in Canterbury which sells Cinebook makes a great number of sales to French tourists!

   Hey,you want to go back to just the Beano Max or Dandy or Marvel/DC UK reprints you go for it. A HUGE number of comic buyers have voted with money to go buy Cinebook.

   Why don’t you make yourself known to Olivier Cadic at Comic Expo or BICS or any of the major book events he attends and stand there in your black beret and balaclava and shout out “Censorship!”
   -Good idea?

   3. Terry on May 24th, 2009 at 1:12 pm

4. What about Cinebook rampant censorship of their older-oriented books? Why is that never mentioned amongst the cheerleading?

   It would be a shame to give any award to a company that employs such execrable practice.

   4. Anti-censorship on May 24th, 2009 at 11:24 am

5. I’ve always felt that what’s often perceived as the “comics industry” in the UK (eg: comic cons) doesn’t always reflect what’s actually being bought by the public; ie: 60,000 sales of The Beano or Toxic, or 90,000 copies of Viz.

   Similarly, the Eagle Awards often seem to miss what’s really popular in the UK, but that’s down to the voters who are mainly into American comics. At least Panini’s popular Spectacular Spider-Man comic (all new UK material) won an Eagle Award last year so that did reflect the tastes of “the man on the street” somewhat.

   5. Lew Stringer on May 21st, 2009 at 5:27 am

6. Maybe Cinebook is snubbed NOT because the organisers consider it foreign but because they recognise it IS British!

   Have you read the guidelines for completing the Nomination Form?

   “Except where otherwise indicated, [the awards] cover creators and work published in the US and Canada only.” Huh? Not even US, Canada and the UK?!

   I must admit I missed this myself on first reading and, when it was pointed out to me, I sent a note to the organisers (using their own form at their own website) asking whether this was an error. With the closing date for nominations now only a day away, I’ve still received no reply.

   The fact seems to be that, although the Eagles might like to trumpet the fact they were founded in the UK, that’s the only thing that’s British about them!

   6. DAJB on May 21st, 2009 at 3:57 am

7. Hi,Rafiq. Basically that’s what Olivier says:people like his books and buy them and Cinebook is successful -He couldn’t hope for more. So he’s happy.

   Mr Brown. Oh,you can type?? Even the mysterious Ms Munro has written a review for CBO and its far more presentable than the 14 point,bold print and biscuit encrusted emails I get from you. Ahhh,that felt better.

   Erm,its always been a case of UK comic media being Marvel and DC biased because they could not go without their Marvel freebies and monthly DC/Marvel dose.
   That said,what comic media do we have now off the internet? Crikey! looking at 1960s UK comics. That says it all.
   Wish I was on the payroll!!

   7. Terry on May 20th, 2009 at 3:34 am

8. Well Terry, it is a sorry situation that a person of Olivier stature doesn’t get the amount of accolades he deserves. May be the Egos of those inside the awarding group, doesn’t allow to recognize someone who has come out from a different country, and beating them hands down in terms of content and wide range of world popular titles.

   Nevertheless, I still believe that the true award for CineBook, stands in the form in which their books are sold out in record number globally, which shows the Fan reactions, by sales. Then, Who cares if the Eagle doesn’t give its awards…

   ÇómícólógÝ

   8. Rafiq Raja on May 20th, 2009 at 1:44 am

9. thou dost protest too much Mr Hooper-are you on the Payroll ? O bviously, I know you are not as you are a man at times even without a cooker-and in a recession too !!! Besides, when did you ever stop yourself from strangling idiots anyway ?

   Let’s face it, do the Eagle Awards truly matter ? Monsieur Cadic is obviously being very successful in a very difficult climate, and that is indeed to be applauded. But the continual problem with the comic book industry is that by and large it’s an incredibly insular and conservative enviroment, which has stagnated largely due to a lack of imagination on the part of publishers, creators and it’s audience. It’s interesting to note that Hollywood’s notions of a “High-Concept” project these days is any film version of some wretched comic or toy tie in (Wolverine, Transformers etc).
   The promise of the supposed maturity of the form, and rise of the Graphic Novel in the Eighties was a false dawn: the mainstream comic has generally stayed the same, despite Moore’s experimentation with structure and form.The wrong ideas were taken, as always. That’s not to say there ISN’T good work out there.And indeed, European comics by and large have always been more diverse in their language and approach. But if anything, I don’t feel much has changed in UK/American work.It still panders to the same tedious cynicism it always has.

   Wow, sorry bout that, didn’t plan on going off on a deranged and garbled rant.Still, I believe comics stopped being interesting and fun when Mike McMahon stopped drawing Dredd, so whadda I know! Besides, I’m a poncy zine maker these days, what right have I got stepping on the lovers of Sequential Art’s feelings eh? If anyone wants to calm me down, a sneak look at McMahon’s new TankGirl stuff’ll do the trick ! Sorry !

   McM Addict Brown

   9. paul ashley brown on May 19th, 2009 at 5:17 pm