Why doesn't DC publish a Silver Age Photojournal?

[nearmint]

We'll always owe a debt of gratitude to Ernie Gerber for the Photojournal. My understanding is that he wasn't able to publish DC Silver Age volumes because DC refused to give him permission to reprint the covers.

 

I have no idea if it would be a profitable venture for them or not, but I sure wish DC would go ahead and publish the volumes themselves. They'd be important from an historical perspective, valuable as a reference tool, and just damn fun to page through.

 

Come on DC. Do it for me. Pretty please..?

[Rip]

Some people were working on one about 5 years back, but the project fell apart.

[Zonker]

My understanding is that he wasn't able to publish DC Silver Age volumes because DC refused to give him permission to reprint the covers.

 

I have no idea if it would be a profitable venture for them or not, but I sure wish DC would go ahead and publish the volumes themselves.

 

I never heard this before... seems strange DC would allow its Golden Age covers to be reprinted, but not its Silver Age. Also, Arnoldt said in another thread that reprinting covers for price guides and the like is not a copyright infringement, so I'd be surprised if Gerber even needed permission. Can you imagine the headaches Gerber would have had in tracking down ownership and permissions for all those obscure/defunct Golden Age publishers?

 

No, I think the simplest explanation for why no Gerber DC is the same as why DC would not undertake such a project itself: the Gerber books did not sell through-- a dozen years later, you can still order new copies (from Diamond if I am not mistaken).

 

In any event, here is a previous thread that points you to a wonderful on-line resource for DC covers (also be sure to check out The Grand Comicbook Database Project

[nearmint]

I never heard this before... seems strange DC would allow its Golden Age covers to be reprinted, but not its Silver Age. Also, Arnoldt said in another thread that reprinting covers for price guides and the like is not a copyright infringement, so I'd be surprised if Gerber even needed permission. Can you imagine the headaches Gerber would have had in tracking down ownership and permissions for all those obscure/defunct Golden Age publishers?

No, I think the simplest explanation for why no Gerber DC is the same as why DC would not undertake such a project itself: the Gerber books did not sell through-- a dozen years later, you can still order new copies (from Diamond if I am not mistaken).

In any event, here is a previous thread that points you to a wonderful on-line resource for DC covers (also be sure to check out The Grand Comicbook Database Project

 

 

It's possible my memory is playing tricks on me about DC not giving Gerber permission to reprint the Silver Age covers. I just seem to remember a CBG or CBM article about it years ago where he stated that was the only thing holding up the DC Silver Age volumes.

 

I have no idea if Gerber ever made a dime on the Photojournals, but keep in mind that a book does not have to "sell through" in order for the publisher to make a profit. Generally, their markup gets them into the black long before a title sells through. Volumes 1 & 2 couldn't have been too much of a disaster for Gerber, or he wouldn't have gone ahead with volumes 3 & 4.

 

Also, Gerber didn't have the Time Warner marketing machine behind him. DC does. I worked at Brentano's bookstore for 11 years and was able to get the Photojournal into our store by ordering it from a distributor, but of the 2200 stores under the Waldenbooks umbrella at that time(far fewer now), I was the only store carrying it. Time Warner has put far more obscure books into every store in the company.

 

Heck, put a classic Silver Age Batman on the cover and coincide its release with the Batman movie that goes into production in January. They might sell a few copies.

[ArAich]

It's possible my memory is playing tricks on me about DC not giving Gerber permission to reprint the Silver Age covers.

 

I have a gut feeling that your memory is dead on...We have a show going on in Hartford,CT that documents the history of comic books in Connecticut....the article that I had read concerning this show stated that there will be no books containing Capt. Marvel, Superman or other DC characters as DC would not give permission for there use in the show...

It seems that DC is very stingy with their characters...

[fantastic_four]

the article that I had read concerning this show stated that there will be no books containing Capt. Marvel, Superman or other DC characters as DC would not give permission for there use in the show...

It seems that DC is very stingy with their characters...

 

So we're back to Zonker's question...how did he get away with it in the original Golden Age Photo-Journals? He also printed a number of Silver Age DC covers in those.

[Rip]

From what I remember it had something to do with profit. Not the rights to the covers.

I could be wrong but I thought they were even talking about selling ad space to help.

[ghoulaid]

My understanding is also that the market (at the time) wasn't ripe for a DC Photo Journal. It was felt there wouldn't be enough initial orders to recoup a certain chunk of the production costs to go ahead with printing. There are DC silver age covers in the original Photo Journals because you don't need DC's permission to use them. Nor do you need their permission to display books at a show.

[Crowzilla]

how did he get away with it in the original Golden Age Photo-Journals? He also printed a number of Silver Age DC covers in those.

 

The answer lies in what is allowed under fair use doctrine.

The Golden Age PJ's are allowed because DC was just a part of the over-all presentation made for scholarly work and the amount contained in the guides was not enough to have to seek permission.

While an exclusive DC photo-journal guide even thought presented as a scholarly work, the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole would require the permission of the copyright holder.

 

Sean (man I didn't think law school would start paying off while I saw still in it) Zillatoy

 

 

[nearmint]

The answer lies in what is allowed under fair use doctrine.

The Golden Age PJ's are allowed because DC was just a part of the over-all presentation made for scholarly work and the amount contained in the guides was not enough to have to seek permission.

While an exclusive DC photo-journal guide even thought presented as a scholarly work, the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole would require the permission of the copyright holder.

 

Sean (man I didn't think law school would start paying off while I saw still in it) Zillatoy

 

 

Which brings us full circle to my original post. All this talk of copyright becomes moot if DC would just publish the darn thing themselves. How many years have they been publishing Archive Editions? Surely the same marketing machine could make a DC Silver Age Photojournal a success, and at the same time make lifelong DC fans very, very happy indeed.

[fantastic_four]

Which brings us full circle to my original post. All this talk of copyright becomes moot if DC would just publish the darn thing themselves. How many years have they been publishing Archive Editions? Surely the same marketing machine could make a DC Silver Age Photojournal a success, and at the same time make lifelong DC fans very, very happy indeed.

 

If they thought it would make money, I'm sure they'd publish it. As someone else asked already, I wonder how much money Gerber made, if any?

[nearmint]

If they thought it would make money, I'm sure they'd publish it.

 

I see what you're saying, but you're proceeding from the assumption that they've thought of it in the first place. Remember, DC is in the business of publishing comics. The vast majority of reference books on comics are not published by DC or Marvel, but other publishers. The closest thing we've seen so far to even a partial DC Silver Age Photojournal are the Tiny Folio editions from Abbeville Press that reprint covers of Action Detective, Sensation and Wonder Woman.

 

I know that it's all just wishful thinking on my part. I'm cursed with optomism.

[14 of spades]

so about these Gerbers...

 

they're still available for purchase? i'd definitely be interested in getting myself a set. how much do they go for? and where would i get myself a set?

[Zonker]

Amazon.com for $145

 

Ya might also want to try ebay or half.com.

 

so about these Gerbers...

 

they're still available for purchase? i'd definitely be interested in getting myself a set. how much do they go for? and where would i get myself a set?

[Metarog]

You can get them at Bud Plant's for $99.50. Follow this link-

 

BUD PLANT

[ghoulaid]

I bought mine from Bud Plant and it was the best money I ever spent (that is - if you like looking at covers for hours on end)! Great articles too.

[fantastic_four]

I bought mine on ebay...oddly enough I bought them in early 2001 directly from Gerber himself, who was auctioning them directly at the time. I didn't know it was him until he asked in the winner notification e-mail whether he wanted me to sign them on the first page before mailing them...I said sure, why not.

[nearmint]

I bought mine at my local comic shop the day it came out. I don't even remember what year that was. What a great night I had kicking back in front of the TV and drooling over page after page of Golden Age covers, many of which I'd never seen before. My want list increased dramatically that night. It's still one of my favorite things to do, kick back on the couch, put on a good movie, and page through the Photojournal. Ah, the simple pleasures...