How do they do reprint TPBs of vintage comics? 0

[kav]

I have the Will Elder complete collection Mad 1-23 and how do they get the image so clear?  It cant be just photostats from the books can it?  Do they have access to the old plates?  what?

[Not A Clone]

6 hours ago, kav said:

I have the Will Elder complete collection Mad 1-23 and how do they get the image so clear?  It cant be just photostats from the books can it?  Do they have access to the old plates?  what?

Good question. Especially when you hear about so much original art being thrown out. 

[kav]

4 minutes ago, Not A Clone said:

Good question. Especially when you hear about so much original art being thrown out. 

This has baffled me for years.  I hope someone knows the answer.

[Ken Aldred]

Fairly complicated question, I’m no expert, but perhaps this might be some use...

https://community.cbr.com/showthread.php?1611-How-do-old-comics-get-reprinted

[theCapraAegagrus]

I've kind of wondered the same thing with the Marvel Famous Firsts hardcover reprints...

[jools&jim]

Let's not forget "Theakstonizing" or "Theakstonization"...basically destroying old comics by taking them apart and bleaching the color out of the pages in an attempt to approximate the original line art, which can then be manipulated, re-colored, and reprinted...

[Ken Aldred]

18 minutes ago, jools&jim said:

Let's not forget "Theakstonizing" or "Theakstonization"...basically destroying old comics by taking them apart and bleaching the color out of the pages in an attempt to approximate the original line art, which can then be manipulated, re-colored, and reprinted...

Yup. That’s mentioned on the web page I referenced, but I was surprised to learn that the process was little more than simply bleaching.

Far less technical than I’d previously assumed.

Used on DC’s ‘Greatest’ Superman / Batman / Joker / Golden Age books.

Edited September 20, 2018 by Ken Aldred

[Robot Man]

Pretty simple in the case of MAD #1-23. They had the original art. Bill Gaines kept it all. Before it was broken up and sold, it was scanned for the Russ Cochran's reprints. 

On other GA books where the art no longer exists, original comics were disassembled, scanned and "cleaned up". Not the best way to do it but they work with what they have available.

[Artboy99]

high resolution scans of the original comics, which are then tweaked in a graphics program.

That is how PS Artbooks did their compendiums.

I did 1200 dpi scans of my Planet 15 for them.