[Gizmo]

I agree with this post very strongly.

I was also thinking this earlier. Why do certain scanlation groups -- whose whole "aim" is to popularize the manga-ka's works to online audiences -- almost think of the manga scans as THEIR work, and think that they're entitled to keep a mangaka's work from everyone?

What I don't understand is why they think they have the privilege to make the author's work inaccessible. They, in support of the manga-ka, translate and scan the work so to publicize greater this manga-ka. That is the purpose (mainly) of scanlation groups. So, why then, do they prevent accessibility when they themselves decide to shut down? The whole point was to make everyone access the manga scans in the first place. And on that note, why do they think they have the same rights as the original author in terms of distributing the manga, when in all reality, they are only "soft" (i.e. internet) distributors and unofficial translators?

Scanlation groups are fans who want to promote the author: they are not the official representatives of the author, or the author herself/himself, and therefore I don't see why they've any right to stop distributing something they were never the authority of in the first place, especially after they shut down.

It makes no sense. It contradicts what these scanlation groups say they want to do, and are supposed to do. That is the essential point of having scanlation groups! To make the author/original manga-ka MORE accessible to larger audience, and then to gain greater recognition of the original manga-ka. It is not to claim they can stop access to the manga's scans whenever they want, and then to stop all distribution of the manga's scans, and also say that they have the right to do that.

By doing that, they seem to be hypocritical. They've removed the original author from the picture, and replaced it with their own scanlation group.