Publishing Dilemma

1/10/2013

Here's a quandary that I don't come across too often. I am reprinting classic Australian comic strips (as most of the Readership will know). In the last few days I have been working on a Second Volume of John Dixon's Air Hawk. What do I do when there is a spelling mistake in the original artwork's text? See the illustration to the left below. John has clearly written "WAGGON" in the text prior to the strip heading to the newspapers, and just as clearly a line has been placed through it. (I am not sure what was actually reprinted in the newspapers, as I am working from proofs from the artwork as the newspaper editors would have received them.) Do I correct the spelling of the word (and thus in effect censor the original)? Or should I clean up the copy (as you can see on the right) and leave it as John intended, irrespective that there is still a spelling error contained therein? Or should I clean it up and spell it correctly?

I am already presently editing out the dates and office records on the margins of the strips, which is I suppose in essence a form of censorship. Or is it? It is material that wasn't seen on the original reproduction in the newspapers. I clearly know I have an opinion (which I shall follow in the publication), but I am still interested in your thoughts....

4 Comments

Dave

2/10/2013 11:55:53

Nat, I checked the Oxford Dictionary, and it has both spellings ie wagon and waggon. So both are correct. It looks odd with two "g's" but maybe it is a modern age perception of the word. We've forgotten over time that it had two "g's". Remember how we use to call the thing that rubs out pencil marks a "rubber"? Nowadays everybody calls it an "eraser" for some reason. When old fogey's like us "go west" no one will remember that there was a "rubber" on the end of a pencil (unless they check the dictionary) :)

Nat Karmichael

2/10/2013 22:19:47

Hullo Dave! Thanks for your thoughts. It wasn't the SPELLING of the word, as such, that I was concerned about. I am happy with the spelling of either version. With the stroke through the word, I believe someone (and I am NOT convinced it was John, more likely someone from Auspac Media who distributed the strip) was unhappy with the spelling, and sought to remove the extra 'G'.

My concern centres around my editing out of material that John was comfortable with, and in essence censoring his work. Because I am working from proofs, I do not - at this stage - have access to the final newspaper version. I would be interested in seeing how the eventual published version ran.

Incidentally, this topic drew great discussion on The Australian Cartoonists' Association's Facebook page, if you have opportunity to read it!

Dave

3/10/2013 09:35:45

Oh, I see.
In my opinion, for what it's worth, the cross-out line should be removed and the word be read as Mr Dixon wrote it originally - "WAGGON". I'd reckon that if he'd have wanted it with one "G" that's how he would have written it. However, it's your choice now, I guess, as you are the editor of the new publication :)
Keep up the good work, Nat.

Nat Karmichael

3/10/2013 15:17:56

Ah, Dave, you shall now have to wait and see what choice I DID make, won't you??! Thanks for your input!

Publishing Dilemma

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