How to handle piracy 101.

For those who aren't aware (and for those who aren't lucky you), 4chan is an image board frequently referred to as the asshole of the internet.  All postings are anonymous, and every thread must be accompanied by an image.  The website is separated into different content boards of interest.  This fable takes place on the comics/cartoons board.

The other week, a poster began posting every page of every issue of the new comic "Underground" from Jeff Parker and Steve Lieber (the writer behind 30 Days of Night, which was later turned into an 'okay' movie starring Josh Hartnet).  It's a common practice, nicknamed 'Storytiming,' and provides a communal experience for reading new comics.

That day though, someone of interest was watching.  Lieber, the book's artist, found the thread, that had been up for several hours, and did something revolutionary.  Instead of kvetching and demanding that the copyrighted material be taken down, he entered into the community and joined in the discussion.  Pretty soon, he was fielding questions about the industry, the book, Jeff Parker and anything else anyone felt the need to ask.  Though some felt the need to abuse him (it is the internet afterall), response was incredibly favorable, with many users promising to buy the collected graphic novel based on the decency of Lieber's interactions.  Though the thread has since 404'd (timed-out), it remained active for several days, a pretty impressive feat for a board that usually cycles through threads every 6 hours or so.

Soon after Lieber's posting, he and writer Jeff Parker decided to offer the book as a free download on their website.

The next day, they posted this picture showing the spike in graphic novel sales following Lieber's appearance on 4chan.  As an unrelated Lieber would say...

'Nuff Said.