Around The Web: Outlaw Translation, Authors, Literary Groups and the Eisner Awards

Welcome back, dear readers! I hope you’re all still hanging in there amid the pandemic and ongoing protests and that this post will give you some opportunities to take a break.

This week, I’m sharing a look at the history of outlaw translations, some thoughts on reader entitlement, a piece on famous literary groups, and a recap of the recent Eisner awards.

Outlaw Translation

You might not think of translators as being at the centre of illegal activity, but outlaw translation has a long history. Electric Lit has outlined this history, sharing specific examples and the lengths publishers have gone to to avoid unofficial translations getting out.

Authors Don’t Owe Books

There are a couple well-known book series that have been waiting for the next instalment for extended periods of time. In a recent piece for Book Riot, D.R. Baker discusses the entitlement of “fans” and their demands for authors to get books out, referring specifically to readers of A Song of Ice and Fire and The Kingkiller Chronicles. If you are awaiting a new book, or have witnessed others complaining about having to wait, this is a good reminder that writers are people.

Famous Literary Groups

Writers have long sought community among other writers, and in some cases, the groups they’ve created have become quite famous in their own rights. Penguin has collected a few of these famous literary bubbles for those interested in a bit of literary history.

The Eisner Awards

This year's Eisner awards were a bit different. Like many other events, the awards were held online. The pre-recorded award show was part of Comic-Con@Home. Aside from the pandemic delays, there was also a technical issue that caused organizers to pause and restart the voting process. Despite all this, the awards still celebrate comics and graphic novels. So, if you’re looking for some comic recommendations, do check out the winners.