# Recoloring old comics for trades - Should it be done?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recoloring-old-comics-for-trades-should-it-be-done/415977>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [August 17, 2007, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recoloring-old-comics-for-trades-should-it-be-done/415977 "2007-08-17T18:55:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Just\_Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ad7895/32.png) [@Just\_Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Some_Guy)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recoloring-old-comics-for-trades-should-it-be-done/415977/1 "2007-08-17T18:55:00Z")

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I was reading the Jack Kirby’s Fourth World Omnibus and since they used blown up original pages for the front sheets the fact that the entire comic was recolored was obvious. Looking at it I wondered how much Kirby took into account the limitations of printing and worked with them. I can’t really tell, though since it has been recolored with solid colors using modern separation techniques instead of the dots.

I’ve seen it quite a bit lately with trade paper backs of older comics and I was wondering how much it’s affecting the art. So should it be done? And in those cases where it is necessary should the coloring be done in a style that matches the original technique?

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**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recoloring-old-comics-for-trades-should-it-be-done/415977/2 "2007-08-17T19:41:19Z")

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I don’t like the idea of recoloring. I like seeing the color of the old comics. I have some trades of older Swampthing and the coloring is like the original and I like it that way. It’s neat to see the difference in drawing style and coloring.

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**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recoloring-old-comics-for-trades-should-it-be-done/415977/3 "2007-08-17T20:24:45Z")

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Often, there is no choice.

Some of the originals are more than 60 years old, & the colors are badly faded. Other times, even the originals were drawn, inked, lettered & colored with the cheapest materials available. Those don’t fare well over time.

Finally, modern readers are used to modern printing tech, & insist on better color, or the goods don’t sell.

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**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recoloring-old-comics-for-trades-should-it-be-done/415977/4 "2007-08-17T20:46:53Z")

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I like it - it’s only ever an improvement, and most of the time is so subtle that it’s not a major change. The recolored _Watchmen_ is outstanding, akin to seeing a cleaned-up and restored print of a classic movie.

side note - it’s an absolute travesty the way they went with that cheap “newsprint” paper stock for the Fourth World Omnibus.