Comic creator David Lloyd has alerted us to what appears to be a scam ad circulating on Facebook using comic creator or auteur names, including writer and publisher Paul Gravett, to promote their AI-created graphic novels.
Such projects are unlikely to garner support from those the ads claim “like” their product. It seems, however, that JBE Books, a high-end Paris based publisher, has only recently initiated its AI comic line, so perhaps Paul “liked” them for their past art books – not these new comics.
“Just saw something on Facebook that’s equivalent in the comics world to one of those scam ads you sometimes see purporting to be from Martin Lewis (a celeb tv money-saving guru in the UK for those outside it),” David, publisher of Aces Weekly, cautions, “that recommends something you wouldn’t go near financially unless from [Paul’s] endorsement.
“The post ‘likes’ this thing you see in comics here, that apparently, Paul Gravett, doesn’t – I’ve informed Paul about this, so he can do as he wishes in disassociating himself in his own way.
“Of course, no champion academic and editor/publisher of real comics of such long-standing as Paul would recommend a scraped and prompted piece of multi-plagiarism to anyone, but we’re constantly faced with the possibility of this occurring through the use of other unwary comics people of note and influence.
“So, watch the skies! And please be real!”
This article was updated on Friday 25th April, following the release of further advertisements by JBE
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
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