Comments on: Book Series Fan Discovers What Work for Hire Really Means

By: Jason

Jason — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:14:30 +0000

While I of course hate companies that take advantage of workers, I am not crying too much over this specific situation.

It seems to me–and I admit to not following these stories–that the original ideas were not the author’s. The original idea came from the publishing house, in some capacity.

Without that, there are no “VD” books or shows.

And the author isn’t claiming that the contract was broken, or that any shenanigans took place. People get fired. It happens.

Go write more books.

By: Johanna

Johanna — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:35:49 +0000

Yes, the European support of moral rights is admirable, and yes, corporations hate the idea, since they want to take full ownership.

By: Atomic Kommie Comics

Atomic Kommie Comics — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 07:08:25 +0000

In England, even work-for-hire projects give the writers (and artists if its comics) certain rights.
Terry Nation created the Daleks for the Dr Who tv series produced by the BBC.
Every time the Daleks are used on Dr Who, his estate gets a check!
Nation even produced his own non-BBC books and other products featuring the Daleks, and he tried to sell a Dalek tv series to American tv networks in the late 1960s!

In addition, even if you didn’t create a series character, as the author, even of work for hire stories for an ongoing series, you have a say as to whether the material you wrote can be reprinted.
(Alan Moore has used that right a number of times to gain concessions from companies that wanted to reprint his British work.)

There’s nothing like that in US copyright law, and it’s one of the few aspects of European copyright law that American companies like Disney DON’T want incorporated into our laws!

By: Steelbolt

Steelbolt — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 05:19:50 +0000

Personally, I feel that the work-for-hire idea is outmoded and deserves to be made obsolete–I’d rather that companies today and authors/creators enter into co-ownership deals; that way, we’d avoid future takes on the Siegel/Shuster/Kirby/Friedrich/Moore fiascos that are wasting everyone’s time. If you have an idea that you want to have published by a bigger house, but still want to keep your concept and such, don’t give in, strongarm the execs into accepting your terms; go all Lyndon Johnson if need be.
What do you think of that?