General FAQ
1.1: What is the GCD?
The Grand Comic-Book Database (GCD) is an ongoing international project to build a detailed comic-book database that will be easy to use and understand, and also easy for contributors to add information to it. This fully searchable and sortable database includes information on creator credits, story details, and other information useful to the comic-book reader, fan, collector, and scholar. If we are able to take this project to its ultimate conclusion, the database will contain data for every comic book ever published in every country around the planet. It is available to all through the World Wide Web at the GCD home page. Note that the GCD is a database for "comic books", rather than a database for "comics", because it is limited to books and periodicals (of any size or binding) whose contents are 50% or more comics art. Comics in newspapers, web pages, or other publications that do not meet the above criteria are not indexed here, although publications that reprint newspaper strips, web strips or magazine cartoons and meet the official criteria may be indexed. For more information, see the GCD Charter.
1.2: Is the GCD a commercial entity?
No. The GCD is strictly a non-profit, non-commercial, fan-based volunteer effort.
1.3: When was the GCD started?
The GCD was started in 1994 by Bob Klein and Tim Stroup. Jon Ingersoll, Tim Tjarks, and Gene Reed joined shortly afterward. The project started as an offshoot of the Amateur Press Association for Indexing (APA-I) mailing group. Originally the GCD data was exchanged on computer disks. Soon Jon Løvstad of Norway joined up and GCD access on the Internet was born.
1.4: What is the GCD "Board" and how can I contact it?
The "Board" refers to the GCD's Board of Directors.
The "Board" is a group with a maximum of nine members who help run the GCD. There are elections every year in which either four or five of the Board members are elected to two-year terms by the GCD membership.
You can e-mail the GCD Board directly at: [mailto: [email protected]]
If you are on any of the GCD discussion lists [Email Lists FAQ], you can ask questions there and a Board member will usually respond.
1.5: What is a "member" of the GCD? Do I have to become a member to get access to data from the GCD?
The GCD Charter states that there are three ways to qualify as a member of the GCD:
(i) Submitting a requisite number of new and/or corrected indexes or cover scans, as specified in the current operating guidelines. (see the GCD Charter) (ii) Performing an administrative task, such as coordinating reservations, administering submissions, maintaining web sites, etc. (iii) Serving in any capacity or performing any task deemed worthy of membership by a majority vote of the board, including but not limited to providing regular assistance or background information that further (i) or (ii) above, creating or maintaining software tools, and serving as an active member of a temporary sub-committee.
To find out whether you have qualified for membership, contact GCD Board member and membership coordinator Ken Lemons, who can be reached at: [email protected] <----- should this be Lou Mazzella? or someone else?
Membership in the GCD was previously required in order to be able to download GCD data files for personal use. This requirement has been dropped, and anyone may now browse the website or request the GCD data files strictly for personal (non-commercial) use.
Membership in the GCD is not a requirement for joining and participating in the GCD-provided mailing lists - anyone may sign up and participate in the list discussions. There is currently one direct "benefit" for GCD members - eligibility to vote in Board elections. GCD members also "benefit" from the knowledge that we are contributing to a free, non-commercial resource that is regularly used by comics fans and researchers of comics history.
1.6: Whom do I contact for more information about the GCD?
For more information about the GCD, you may contact GCD Board member and membership coordinator Ken Lemons, who can be reached at: [email protected] <---- still correct? Should this be a whole FAQ on its own with who to contact for various reasons???
1.7: Whom do I contact to report problems with the website?
To report problems with the website, you may contact GCD Board member and web-master Jon Løvstad, who can be reached at: [email protected]
1.8: I would like to use data and/or cover scans from the GCD. Who owns the copyright to these items?
A: GCD Data - The GCD is an original compilation and database which by reason of the selection and arrangement of its contents constitutes an intellectual creation as defined by Copyright Law, and is protected as such. The data itself is copyrighted jointly by those who did the original work and the GCD. The data can be used as long as the GCD (and the original indexer if known) is credited as the source.
B: GCD Cover Scans - All cover images are copyrighted by their respective current copyright holders. Copyrights are typically held by the publisher on work-for-hire properties, by the creator(s) on creator-owned properties, or by a third party in the case of licensed properties. Copyright details can usually be determined from the indicia of comics.
If you wish to download and use cover scans from the GCD website, please credit the GCD and the person who posted the scan (if known). Please do not "leech" bandwidth by linking directly to the cover image files on the GCD website.
1.9: Does my country have a local GCD chapter?
National GCD chapters exist for the following countries:
GCD Deutschland: http://www.garcke.de/GCD/
GCD Italia: http://www.ubcfumetti.com/gcd/
GCD NORGE: http://www.comics.org/norway/
GCD Sweden: http://www.lysator.liu.se/gcd/