Comically Absurd IP

from the Blatant-Self-Promotion dept

Mon, Aug 16th 2010 3:12pm — Nina Paley

Certain arguments come up over and over again in copyright debates. Mike recently wrote about copyright monopolists calling Free Culture "neo Marxist." This is so absurd, yet so common, that there's a comic about it:

In fact there is a whole IP* category over at Mimi & Eunice. How many times have we heard an indignant "thou shalt not steal"?

How often do we hear competition denounced as theft?

There are strips about business models...

Price vs. Value...

Patents...

and of course, Lawyers:

Naturally, these comics are Free, copyLeft, share-able, copy-able, and embeddable. It is my fondest wish that writers will use these images in their articles and comments, without asking permission. What's in it for me, you ask? The more people see Mimi & Eunice, the more cultural value they'll have. Watching works find their audience is a singular pleasure for an artist. But since Techdirt is more about business models, I'll add that the more people share the strips online, the more value a paper book will have, which I can then sell.

*"IP" stands for something slightly different over there.

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Filed Under: comics, intellectual property, nina paley

20 Comments

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Crosbie Fitch (profile), 16 Aug 2010 @ 3:33pm

This only works for Nina Paley
No other artist will be able to do this.
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Anonymous Coward, 16 Aug 2010 @ 3:56pm

Re: This only works for Nina Paley
As a Nina Paley impersonator who tries to sell her art I can tell you first hand that there is absolutely no money in it. Potential cumstomers are all like, "You're not a girl?!?"
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Michael Long (profile), 16 Aug 2010 @ 4:13pm

For a while...
"But since Techdirt is more about business models, I'll add that the more people share the strips online, the more value a paper book will have, which I can then sell."

At least, until the iPads and Kindles and Nooks take over, at which point you won't be able to sell the paper book, either.
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Ilfar, 16 Aug 2010 @ 4:32pm

Re: For a while...
When I followed the Cyantian Chronicles (webcomic) I saved all the comics to disk for offline reading pleasure. I still bought all the paper versions as they became available too, mostly because I valued the feeling of helping someone whose work I admire.

The printed copies are kept in sealed plastic bags in a safe place and I only read the digital versions. I can point to those copies and be proud of them, and that's about all the use I actually get out of them.

And how did I encounter the webcomic in the first place? Saw a printed out strip stuck to someone's wall. Pity them there printers stopped the selling of printed copies. :P Those that don't buy, probably wouldn't have bought anyway. But they're free advertising which might catch someone who WILL pay.
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Mr Civil Libertarian, 16 Aug 2010 @ 4:33pm

Re: For a while...
At which point, Nina can just sell her comics in ebook format, right?

As an aside, I'd consider buying a mimi and eunice collection- I already bought Dr Mcninja and Cyanide and Happiness books, but they're online for free.
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BearGriz72 (profile), 16 Aug 2010 @ 4:37pm

WIN!
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Ron Rezendes (profile), 16 Aug 2010 @ 4:41pm

Re: Re: For a while...
That's crazy - no one buys anything when they get something free!
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Nina Paley (profile), 16 Aug 2010 @ 4:43pm

Re: For a while...
M.E.R.C,H. stands for Mimi & Eunice Raise Cash, Hopefully. I'm exploring unusual publishing options now, focusing on "adding value" through materiality.

One cool idea is to make sets of little 3.5" x 1.25" (approx) card-strips in themed sets. You could hand them to people who, uh, need them. I've made some prototypes and am waiting for the strip's audience to build before investigating mass-production.

Gum would be fun, too.

This, by the way, is where traditional distributors and publishers can be hugely helpful - pushing real, physical objects into real, physical points of sale. They're great at that. Little indies like me can compete with them online, but in the material world, I'd rather partner with them than try to compete.
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Chris Eastvedt (profile), 16 Aug 2010 @ 4:54pm

Re: For a while...
Nina, you are are very smart lady. T-shirts/clothing are a given, of course, and I love the gum idea. I can see a whole subculture spawning around this. Cute and smart- always a winner.
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TamDarylpuppetBot, 16 Aug 2010 @ 5:55pm

but ... but ... but ... if no one can get a patent on an idea they come up with who will sit around and come up with ideas all day if someone can get their idea stolen. Instead of sitting around and thinking up ideas these people who come up with ideas all day will have to get jobs instead and no one would ever have an idea and everyone will suffer.
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Anonymous Coward, 16 Aug 2010 @ 6:15pm

@10
and we needed a patent to ivent fire right?
the wheel right?
how about art before copyrights and machines and inventions before patents?

YEA its just like the dark ages control of the catholic church meant to keep the little people form prospering too much
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Anonymous Coward, 16 Aug 2010 @ 6:22pm

@11 part 2
and ill add wihtout copyrights and patents stuff gets made stillbut taks a lil while like linux to catch on and get good at stuff. BUT in case of code and machines and products.....what happens is you have to invent it right then get some cash and make it and keep how secret .....if you cant then you have to think of brand name upscaling or MASS producing so little other guy cant match your cost

hollywood stomps cdrs and dvdrs at around 5-10cents each
with the canadain cdr levy they could still sell them at 55cents and be a penny less, ALSO the other person would have to buy a burner that wont last as long and do as many "prints" and use transportation to get the cdrs his time and effort.....well you get the idea ......
music you can always have the tshirts fomr concerts and royalties for playing on tv, or for a live show. ART well can b e bought and paid for in use in games , movies and businesses , other stuff is fluff and should be freed up.

remember no artits works are usually worth anyhting while they live.
and origainls are always worth more then copies.
i may enjoy a digital copy but its not the actual work ....

levis will just have to either try and push there brand name or sell the jeans cheaper.

thats what a free capitalist market really is.
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Q-Tip, 16 Aug 2010 @ 6:29pm

Re: This only works for Nina Paley
Terrific. Nina will have a corner on the market!
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Bob Bunderfeld (profile), 16 Aug 2010 @ 9:25pm

Nina.....
Since none of your art is worth anything while you are alive, and since you can't spend any of the money that one day your art will produce, can I have all the rights to your art after you are dead? It's not like you are going to use it, you'll be dead! No need to let your art suffer after you die, when you can make me so happy when you are alive!

Geez, there's a comic idea in there I'm sure, have a go Nina, will be funny to see what you do with that!
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Andy (profile), 16 Aug 2010 @ 10:04pm

Great to see your post on here, Nina. It was Techdirt that introduced me to your work and ideas.

Still waiting for you to accept my friend request on FB, by the way.

In the meantime, I put Mimi and Eunice into my RSS reader and enjoy the strips every time they pop up. Those that get this stuff, get your stuff. Those that don't...ah well.
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spc, 17 Aug 2010 @ 4:35am

The problem with "free markets" is that they are mythical creatures of noeclassical/neoliberal legends.
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Crosbie Fitch (profile), 17 Aug 2010 @ 4:48am

Re:
Or so the supporters of subsidies, monopolies, barriers to entry, embargoes, regulatory capture, and other constraints would have everyone believe.
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Sandrina (profile), 17 Aug 2010 @ 6:04am

Great comics :)
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Nina Paley (profile), 17 Aug 2010 @ 6:31am

Re: Nina.....
Since none of your art is worth anything while you are alive

Can you read?
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Nina Paley (profile), 17 Aug 2010 @ 6:38am

Re:
Gah! Either you didn't leave me a message on FB; or if you did, I failed to connect it with your friend request. I can't distinguish between real people and random spammers without a message. Try again? Thanks!
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