Uncorrected Proofs in comics libraries? Keep or toss?

This question came up in the librarian section of the Comics Studies Society.

I argued in favor of keeping them as the art is frequently in an unfinished state, and can be thumbnails, pencils, or uncolored.

Here is an example of a proof, or Advance Reader Copy, of Trashed by Derf with an added editor's note and marketing information that may not be available anywhere else. It's from my own collection that I happen to run across recently, so I decided to take a few pictures to bolster my argument, and then thought I'd share them here as well.

I'd call this part of the Secret History of Comics.

My apologies for the so-so photos.

 

 

 

OT: Interesting comic book contest

I got an email today from a Simon & Schuster marketer, asking me to mention her new project here. While I'd like to think I'm not for sale (cheaply), the novelty of the idea appealed to me. Accordingly, here's Leah Wasielewski on the contest:

I’m a marketing manager at Simon & Schuster, and I’m working on an exciting new blockbuster novel by N Y Times bestselling author, Matthew Reilly. Titled The 6 Sacred Stones, this is the sequel to 7 Deadly Wonders. Reilly is redefining the thriller for the 21st century with novels that rival video games and Hollywood blockbusters for pulse-racing, non-stop action.

We have a fantastic contest I’d love to share with you. It’s called our "Create a Comic Book for 6 Sacred Stones Contest"—in it, consumers are invited to create comic books based on chapter 1 of the book (we have a free excerpt online). In order to be eligible to enter, entrants must create a comic book that is no longer than 20 pages.

One Grand Prize will be awarded: Winning comic submission will be included in the mass market edition of 6 Sacred Stones to be published in January 2009.

Here is the full set of rules: http://www.simonsays.com/content/feature.cfm?tab=1&feature_id=6256

Perhaps some of our DC-area creators will enter - it's probably a good bit of publicity for the winner. I haven't heard of anything like this before, and I think it's showing the growing popularity of comics. I'd be glad to hear from anyone about that they think.