Comments on: Under the Weather LinkBlogging http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/12/19/under-the-weather-linkblogging/ Independent Opinions on Comics of All Kinds Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:42:16 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Johanna http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/12/19/under-the-weather-linkblogging/comment-page-1/#comment-39927 Johanna Wed, 20 Dec 2006 01:12:26 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/12/19/under-the-weather-linkblogging/#comment-39927 I'm sure everything you say is right, Nat, but even if I was interested in a bunch of unfinished stories, I wouldn't feel right morally knowing that the people who made them exist never got compensated for them. I’m sure everything you say is right, Nat, but even if I was interested in a bunch of unfinished stories, I wouldn’t feel right morally knowing that the people who made them exist never got compensated for them.

]]> By: Nat Gertler http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/12/19/under-the-weather-linkblogging/comment-page-1/#comment-39920 Nat Gertler Wed, 20 Dec 2006 00:02:22 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/12/19/under-the-weather-linkblogging/#comment-39920 While I understand your discomfort, I'll have to disagree here. Checker is in the right paying Disney, the people who own the work at this point, for the rights. If they were expected to pay double, they would likely simply not make the deal at all (remember, these books weren't exactly vastly profitable in the first place - if they had been, this situation would not have arisen). The power of the bankruptcy procedings is the power to move assets unencumbered by debts on them, and then to use the money to pay off the creditors -- which may not have availed the creative creditors much in this case (being so far down a long list of creditors), but in theory it's what could allow the WFH creators to recoup some of what they were owed. This isn't to say that there's not room for Checker to find some way to work with the creators (for new covers, signed editions, whatever), but Marz is right. These guys were stiffed by Crossgen, not by Disney (who, in buying the rights, helped see that some of Crossgen's creditors got paid), nor Checker (who, by creating a market for the rights like the ones Disney bought, helped make it worth it to Disney to pay the money they paid.) And before someone says that this is just me as a publisher talking - I've made a lot more money in my life as a freelancer than as a publisher. Been stiffed a few times myself. While I understand your discomfort, I’ll have to disagree here. Checker is in the right paying Disney, the people who own the work at this point, for the rights. If they were expected to pay double, they would likely simply not make the deal at all (remember, these books weren’t exactly vastly profitable in the first place – if they had been, this situation would not have arisen). The power of the bankruptcy procedings is the power to move assets unencumbered by debts on them, and then to use the money to pay off the creditors — which may not have availed the creative creditors much in this case (being so far down a long list of creditors), but in theory it’s what could allow the WFH creators to recoup some of what they were owed.
This isn’t to say that there’s not room for Checker to find some way to work with the creators (for new covers, signed editions, whatever), but Marz is right. These guys were stiffed by Crossgen, not by Disney (who, in buying the rights, helped see that some of Crossgen’s creditors got paid), nor Checker (who, by creating a market for the rights like the ones Disney bought, helped make it worth it to Disney to pay the money they paid.)
And before someone says that this is just me as a publisher talking – I’ve made a lot more money in my life as a freelancer than as a publisher. Been stiffed a few times myself.

]]> By: Lisa Lopacinski http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/12/19/under-the-weather-linkblogging/comment-page-1/#comment-39911 Lisa Lopacinski Tue, 19 Dec 2006 21:01:57 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/12/19/under-the-weather-linkblogging/#comment-39911 KFC is gut-rot. I can't eat it anymore either. that whole Checker thing bumms me out. The CrossGen stuff was pretty good, and when the bottom fell out and all of those creators were left empty handed, it really stunk. Now they're taking the stuff and re-packaging it and those people who did all of the work are STILL empty handed. KFC is gut-rot. I can’t eat it anymore either.

that whole Checker thing bumms me out. The CrossGen stuff was pretty good, and when the bottom fell out and all of those creators were left empty handed, it really stunk. Now they’re taking the stuff and re-packaging it and those people who did all of the work are STILL empty handed.

]]>