Games Workshop strikes again

I would like to premise this BLOG entry by stating that I am not a Privateer Press fanboy. In fact, I prefer the fluff and models produced by Games Workshop; it’s just too bad that the Company’s attitude and business practices stink (3 editions of 40k in eight years comes to mind). I guess their arrogance comes from to many years on top with very little competition. To a great extent it was this arrogance that forced me away from GW, no matter how much I liked their models (and all of their games besides the new 40k editions). When it came time for me to get back into miniature wargaming I looked else where to fill the gap left by the GW line of games. To a great extent, GW actually forced me into the waiting arms of Privateer Press. Like I said before, I prefer the look of GW miniatures but Privateer’s business model is very customer friendly and their games play much smoother than their GW counterparts.

Anyway, the whole point in this BLOG entry is really to talk about GW’s latest slap in the face to its fan base. I’ve discussed in a previous entry how much I liked the web-comic Turn Signals on a Land Raider (http://tsoalr.com/ ). This strip is an obvious parody of wargaming and of 40k in general. The creator of the strip wanted to publish a compilation of his first 500 or so strips, thus he tried to get permission from GW to publish the book. GW’s response was as follows:

“So, in the case of TSOALR we’ve been very happy to let you put your web comics up as a bit of fun. However, we can’t let you make money off of what you’re doing because of the legal precedent it could set. So, I’m afraid there’s just no way for us to allow you to sell TSOALR prints. I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news. It’s not that we don’t like what you do, it’s just that for various commercial reasons we’re unable to grant you permission to make commercial gain from what is, ultimately, selling GW-owned imagery.”

In other words GW is fine if you pimp their product for them but you should get nothing for you work. I would understand if TSOALR was actually breaking copy right law but it would actually be protected as a parody. The author could likely legally publish the compilation but in all likelihood he would have an expensive legal battle on his hand. Because of GW’s response TSOALR will soon end. I do not know if the website will soon come down as well, so I suggest if you want to check out this very entertaining comic you go check it out now at http://tsoalr.com/.