Just An Observation [Not a TSIF* Thread]

[David]

*The Sky Is Falling

We all know accidents happen and sometimes things get by a pair of eyes or two, but I just finished reading two issues of the New 52 with mistakes in the credits.

The cover of Birds of Prey #3 is by David Finch:

Yet inside the cover states:

And at least one person listed on the cover of Suicide Squad #3 actually worked on the comicbook:

Like I said, I know these things are going to happen.  It just stuck out to me since it happened in two books that were read one after the other.  It's not the first time since the reboot, either, since Hawk & Dove's inker wasn't credited in the first issue.

[Dean S.]

I dunno how I feel about these kinds of things.  Depends on what kind of mood I'm in.

One on hand, getting the credits correct is the "easy stuff" in the publishing of a comic.  It's hard to get good stories and good art and publish on time, etc., but you should at least be able to get the credits right.

On the other hand, mistakes DO happen and they're probably kinda random and that means that sometimes multiple random events will happen all at once making it seem like a pattern when it is really just randomness.

[Bobgar Ornelas]

One would assume that there would be fact checker/proofreader positions in a publishing house. Who's fault is this? Assistant Editor? Editor? An uncredited position?

This sucks. I like people to get credit where credit is due. That's not speaking to the quality of the work, just the facts of who worked on the book.

[Lawrence]

I work in a tax office and i'm sure as hell not expected to make minor errors such as these. Of course I probably wouldn't be fired over something small but if my mistake goes external and makes it to the customer I would be grilled, come on DC who is falling asleep at the wheel over there? 

[David]

One would assume that there would be fact checker/proofreader positions in a publishing house. Who's fault is this? Assistant Editor? Editor? An uncredited position?

I was expecting to find the same editor on both books.  Bummed me out that this wasn't the case.

Or maybe it is and the wrong editor is listed...

 

This sucks. I like people to get credit where credit is due. That's not speaking to the quality of the work, just the facts of who worked on the book.

 

[VinceB]

Stuff like this happens in publishing all the time. The tighter the deadline, the quicker the pace, the more oopsies make it through the radar.

Tell you the truth, if I was cutting the checks for these people, I would much rather see the publication come out on time warts and all than if they had clogged the machine for a time to correct the oversight. Getting the pub out is top priority. Everything else should fall by the wayside. Besides, they can always include the correct credits in the letters page of a subsequent issue.

It's not like the slighted folks lost any money in the oversight.

[Tim H]

I wonder if they will be fixed for the collected editions. 

[bean6344]

I wonder if they will be fixed for the collected editions. 

Or the digital versions.  I think they changed the look of the sandworm monsters from Stormwatch #1 because they looked too similar to a movie poster.

Bean

[Bobgar Ornelas]

Or the digital versions.  I think they changed the look of the sandworm monsters from Stormwatch #1 because they looked too similar to a movie poster.

Bean

There were next day updates to the digital files of Justice League #1 too when the "news" sites reported a difference in content

As for the collected editions, we would hope that all will be fixed but one just need to walk over to their powers trade paperbacks to realize that sometimes these things happen even though I think that it is inexcusable.

[Tim H]

There were next day updates to the digital files of Justice League #1 too when the "news" sites reported a difference in content

As for the collected editions, we would hope that all will be fixed but one just need to walk over to their powers trade paperbacks to realize that sometimes these things happen even though I think that it is inexcusable.

I was going to call out Powers but thought better of it since it was a few years ago and from another publisher, but that is exactly what I had in mind when posting my snark.

[Bobgar Ornelas]

I was going to call out Powers but thought better of it since it was a few years ago and from another publisher, but that is exactly what I had in mind when posting my snark.

It is legendary. It didn't stop with the infamous Cosimic trade dress either. Even the recent singles had all kinds of goof ups if I recall correctly. I'm very forgiving with my use of "recent" too.

What we need around here is a good old fashioned pulping 

[David]

I wonder if they will be fixed for the collected editions. 

I was going to call out Powers but thought better of it since it was a few years ago and from another publisher, but that is exactly what I had in mind when posting my snark.

That was snark?

I read it as an actual, honest-to-dog query.

[David]

Listening to Comic Book Noise 262 and it sounds like there were some discrepancies in Mister Terrific #3, too.

[Chris]

In the age of trade waiting and collected editions, I often feel like single issues are almost pre-releases. For some reason I take typos and mis-credits in collected formats as being more of an issue.

I'm weird.

[David]

In the age of trade waiting and collected editions, I often feel like single issues are almost pre-releases. For some reason I take typos and mis-credits in collected formats as being more of an issue.

I'm weird.

Didn't really need the qualifier, homie.

But I agree: if the mistakes make it to the reprinted material, someone has really dropped the ball.

[evaD]

It's not like the slighted folks lost any money in the oversight.

I think this is the most important part. As long as the right guys get paid and the correction is made later, no foul.

[David]

...and the correction is made later...

If it's made later.

...no foul.

Except when bloggers or reviewers or podcasters or anyone that writes or talks about the issue continue to run with the erroneous information.

[Bobgar Ornelas]

It's not like the slighted folks lost any money in the oversight.

I think this is the most important part. As long as the right guys get paid and the correction is made later, no foul.

I don't know about that. If one of those artists names was enough to get someone to purchase the title  the omission of said name might cost a sale. The credits are there to sell the book at retail.

No foul? What if this was someone's first published DC work and his/her name was accidentally left out. That could sting even if it is corrected.

Not earth shattering news but it still stinks

[leafinsectman (Dan)]

I'm giving King DAP karma for "honest-to-dog"

As for the topic at hand, I get that mistakes happen and it doesn't bother me too much (although I do feel for the creators that weren't credited properly) but I'd like to know whether this is something that they take seriously or if they're taking a "let's worry about it later" approach or somewhere in between. I wonder if they call up the artists and address it. And if so, I wonder how that phone call goes. I wonder if some artists lose their shit over it.

[Bobgar Ornelas]

I'm giving King DAP karma for "honest-to-dog"

As for the topic at hand, I get that mistakes happen and it doesn't bother me too much (although I do feel for the creators that weren't credited properly) but I'd like to know whether this is something that they take seriously or if they're taking a "let's worry about it later" approach or somewhere in between. I wonder if they call up the artists and address it. And if so, I wonder how that phone call goes. I wonder if some artists lose their shit over it.

Alan Moore allegedly threw his copy of Watchmen collection in disgust for some type of error. It happens, but I bet we only hear about it if someone of Moore's standing speaks about it.