Should eBay allow photocopied copies of rare comics to be sold?

[Davenport]

His description says it all: "These are intended for reading copies and are not printed in replica style. It is 8 1/2 x 11" with a white border where it is double stapled."

 

So he's just printing duplexed 11X17 sheets, fold and saddle stitch. Nothing 'replica' and the resulting gutters must be huge.

 

Some of the online scans are super high quality and it's fun to try doing a replica, but it's a lot of work & hassle to set up even half-way accurate spreads.

Roll Your Own Hardcopy Project

[vhfroggy]

As long as he sticks to the public domain and doesn't represent his photocopies as originals, then I have no problem with him. He's very clearly not trying to misrepresent them and as another poster said, you can't blame the seller if the buyer reads neither the title nor the description.

 

I'd be more concerned about the people who buy these and what their intentions are.

 

Maybe their intentions are to read them because they can't afford the originals

 

100% agree. I didn't mean to imply that the only reason to purchase would be to flip them and pass them off as originals, but I do think those people are out there.

 

Let's agree to neither be so cynical as to think that everyone wants to cheat everyone nor so gullible as to think that everyone who would purchase these just want reading copies.

[Buzzetta]

The only real problem is going to be from people expecting to get homemade print out replica comics in 9.8 and they arrive in 9.6 condition.

[rjpb]

I have mixed feelings about these in the GA section of ebay, as on one hand they look like a cool way to have a full reprint of an otherwise unaffordable comic, but they can clutter up listings at times. At the price points they are selling at, I doubt they would be mistaken for originals in hand. What I find strange are the random full reprints available for comics that aren't much more expensive for a 3.0-4.0 original.

[Wally's Comics]

I love photocopy books because it allows me to have a reader of a big book

while I have the slabbed real copy.

 

 

Win Win!

 

 

[The Kaptain]

I'm not sure how you determine if a comic book is "public domain" or not.

 

However, this seems similar to selling burned CD / DVD's with scanned comics, which are definitely not allowed on eBay.

[BarryAllen]

They come up on my searches all the time and seem to be getting even more of them then ever. This dealer sells only photocopied covers. The photos however look like real copies. Are they trying to swindle people who don't read the descriptions?

 

http://m.ebay.com/sch/thethreeauctioneers/m.html?isRefine=true&_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=50&_trksid=p2056116.m3555.l6241&_trksid=p2056116.m3555.l6241&_mwBanner=1

 

I reported one item and wrote the guy asking why he's selling counterfeits.

 

Am I wrong? Thoughts?

 

I don't know why anyone would buy it...

 

Seems like a legit listing, extremely stupid, but legit.

 

Now if it were a recently produced book I think the publishers might have an issue...

[burntboy]

I'd be more concerned about the people who buy these and what their intentions are.

 

Buy 'em and then after trimming the white border off down to normal size, sell 'em as comic books??

 

I have no problem with his listings although I wish he showed his Photocopy instead of an actual comic...

[burntboy]

 

I don't know why anyone would buy it...

 

Seems like a legit listing, extremely stupid, but legit.

 

Now if it were a recently produced book I think the publishers might have an issue...

 

Read Wally's comments above - i think he's onto something...

[Boba]

Ok, I admit the idea of a nice reprint of say a Punch #12 to thumb through is not terrible. But I still take issue with the fact they could have selected the category "Reprint" , which is in just about every category; Collectibles > Comics > Silver Age > Reprint. In fact only the category "Magazines" does not have a "Reprint" subcategory, . . . and my other peeve is that they don't show the product you receive. These are certainly not signs of sinister intent, however, I do suspect they could get the occasional person who clicks first and asks questions later, feeling like they was robbed. But another thing I just noticed is they don't sell a hell of a lot of them, I honestly don't know why they bother. I sent the guy a message suggesting he identify them as reprints in the category, and post photos of the real product, and maybe I'll buy one. Thanks all for the feedback, you actually did change my mind a bit on this.