In this episode of the The BitTorrent Saga, ComicSearch learns A Very Important Lesson: When the cease-and-desist notices are flying, it’s probably not a good idea for a comic tracker to draw attention to itself by sending an “open letter” to one of the publishers making the demands.
TorrentFreak reports that after ComicSearch administrator “Deicist” sent an email to Marvel in support of fellow comic tracker Z-Cult FM, the site received a response — but not the one it apparently expected:
I am going to ask nicely first, and request that you please remove all Marvel comics from the tracker and ask that your members refrain from putting up new torrents containing Marvel comics. You are on notice that if you continue, it will be at your own risk.
TorrentFreak has what’s reportedly an exchange of emails between Deicist and an unnamed Marvel representative that ends, more or less, with ComicSearch pledging to remove the publisher’s titles from its tracker.
Related: Scott Saavedra, on the “justifications” for scanning and torrenting
December 3rd, 2007 at 9:10 am
Ironically, as it is with all pirating, by the time corporations target the pirating method…napster, kazaa, torrent… the pirates have moved on to another method as is the case here.
Torrents are still pretty popular but anyone who’s into pirating has moved on to the next phase which will be about 4-5 years before said corporations realise what that is.
December 3rd, 2007 at 11:00 am
If there were simply a comic downloading service for a reasonable fee, this entire debate would become a non-issue.
December 3rd, 2007 at 11:27 am
I’m not so sure. I imagine the goal posts would simply move: the “reasonable fee” wouldn’t be reasonable enough, or the format wouldn’t be to everyone’s liking …
I just find it difficult to believe that torrenters in any significant number would suddenly, and willingly, start paying for something they’re now getting for free.
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:57 pm
Hey I wanted one of those gigantic flat screen 150inch television set like my neighbour, but I can’t afford the gazillion dollars it cost, so should I just steal one, is just the kind of mentality some have with music and comic book downloads; I mean if I can steal it, why not stupid mentality is what makes everything so expensive these days to begin with
December 3rd, 2007 at 3:03 pm
Pirates should be prosecuted for all they got, even if they end up not making the money back and most of it going to lawyers, at least they’ll seriously cripple quite a few punks living off of other people’s work
December 3rd, 2007 at 5:17 pm
Hey! My name is spelled wrong! Thank you very much for the link though.
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:55 pm
Hey! Now my name is spelled right! Thanks very much for the quick fix.
December 3rd, 2007 at 9:43 pm
“I just find it difficult to believe that torrenters in any significant number would suddenly, and willingly, start paying for something they’re now getting for free.”
I’m not so sure. What about the recent Radiohead album that was offered to fans where they could name their own price. They could have gotten it for free or almost free, but the average paid for the download was five dollars. A very reasonable price for the product. And I think Radiohead wound up making millions on what would otherwise been leaked and downloaded.
The torrent sites represent a service the audience wants (because they created it). Offer it to them for a good price and I have doubt they will pay.
December 4th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
That is too funny. I bet he’s so slow that he didn’t even see it coming.
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