CBR: Friedrich Ordered To Pay Marvel $17K Over "Ghost Rider"

[Comicbookfan]

I'm sorry but how can any one take marvel's side here. Its not enough that they won and will continue to receive the benefits of owing the character but now they have to kick the guy while he is down? that's complete BS i call for a boycott of marvel for real. we should all drop all marvel books for until they drop the counter suit and just leave this dude alone. Marvel really i can't see the point guys.

[Jake V]

I'm sorry but how can any one take marvel's side here. Its not enough that they won and will continue to receive the benefits of owing the character but now they have to kick the guy while he is down? that's complete BS i call for a boycott of marvel for real. we should all drop all marvel books for until they drop the counter suit and just leave this dude alone. Marvel really i can't see the point guys.

They did drop the counter suit on the condition he pay 17 grand in damages. Seriously, Disney would sue for a lot more than 17 grand.

[ARCHER9]

They did drop the counter suit on the condition he pay 17 grand in damages. Seriously, Disney would sue for a lot more than 17 grand.

Yeah exactly. Marvel could of really did some damage if they wanted.

Anyways people can boycott all they want. I'll be picking up my books next Wednesday like usual.

[Old Sparky]

I'm sorry but how can any one take marvel's side here. Its not enough that they won and will continue to receive the benefits of owing the character but now they have to kick the guy while he is down? that's complete BS i call for a boycott of marvel for real. we should all drop all marvel books for until they drop the counter suit and just leave this dude alone. Marvel really i can't see the point guys.

I can't see the point in boycotting...

Anyways people can boycott all they want. I'll be picking up my books next Wednesday like usual.

And I'll be in line to watch the Ghost Rider movie without my conscience bothering me in the least.

[Prof. Warren]

I'm sorry but Friedrich is a victim of his own stupidity. Bringing a case against Disney/Marvel in which you have no legal leg to stand on is dumb. Anyone could've told him up front, if he couldn't have figured it out for himself, that this was destined to not swing in his favor. As cruel as the counterclaim might seem, I think it's Marvel's lawyers way of sending a harsh message - stop tying up our time in court with bullshit claims. If you do, you might not just lose the decision but you could end up far more screwed than when you started. I highly doubt that Marvel will actually press for the money. They know Friedrich can't pay it. But certainly after this, people will be far more reluctant to try their luck in court with similar claims.

[Iron Maiden]

I'm sorry but Friedrich is a victim of his own stupidity. Bringing a case against Disney/Marvel in which you have no legal leg to stand on is dumb. Anyone could've told him up front, if he couldn't have figured it out for himself, that this was destined to not swing in his favor. As cruel as the counterclaim might seem, I think it's Marvel's lawyers way of sending a harsh message - stop tying up our time in court with bullshit claims. If you do, you might not just lose the decision but you could end up far more screwed than when you started. I highly doubt that Marvel will actually press for the money. They know Friedrich can't pay it. But certainly after this, people will be far more reluctant to try their luck in court with similar claims.

Yes, I think that's even mentioned in the judge's decision.

For those of you in a mood to protest, why don't you guys go picket the judge's courthouse if you're that serious. Not that it would solve anything either. Yeah, it's harsh but maybe he was filing nuisance lawsuits and Marvel has to pay their legal representation by the hour. Have any of you guys seen one of those bills?? Even though Marvel won the counterclaim, you can be sure they lost money defending their rights.

[grphxkindaguy]

I'm sorry but how can any one take marvel's side here. Its not enough that they won and will continue to receive the benefits of owing the character but now they have to kick the guy while he is down? that's complete BS i call for a boycott of marvel for real. we should all drop all marvel books for until they drop the counter suit and just leave this dude alone. Marvel really i can't see the point guys.

No, I'm sorry, that you don't/won't seem to understand what "work-for-hire" means.

Friedrich *NEVER* owned GR, he was PAID to create it for Marvel!!!

IT WAS NEVER HIS IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!

Go ahead and boycott all Marvel comics, you'll only be depriving yourself and changing NOTHING.

[Iron Maiden]

No, I'm sorry, that you don't/won't seem to understand what "work-for-hire" means.

Friedrich *NEVER* owned GR, he was PAID to create it for Marvel!!!

IT WAS NEVER HIS IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!

Go ahead and boycott all Marvel comics, you'll only be depriving yourself and changing NOTHING.

Exactly

I am pretty sure that by the time Ghost Rider saw print, Marvel was already hearing rumblings from Kirby. By that point it would have been very clear that work done at the company was work for hire. This could have been around the time they were owned by Cadence.

No one cared about that kind of thing earlier because there were no superhero movies being made and the first time Marvel started doing any big push in the toy merchandising was with Secret Wars. That's when the money started to roll. Even the hard cover and TPBs are a relatively new development.

Marvel took the risk...they hired and paid for the inker, letterer, colorist. They paid for the printing and distribution costs. If you want to own a piece of it, you got to pony up for the costs. That's what self publishers have to do.

[squashmaster]

So when is Nicolas Cage gonna come save this guy? I mean, he did create his favorite character, which in turn has given him a job for at least a couple or three years of his life.

[CyberHubbs]

So when is Nicolas Cage gonna come save this guy? I mean, he did create his favorite character, which in turn has given him a job for at least a couple or three years of his life.

Cage is broke, too, I heard. Or at least in a lot of debt.

[squashmaster]

Cage is broke, too, I heard. Or at least in a lot of debt.

Well, has been, but he did just sell that copy of Action Comics #1 for like, what was it, 2.1 million? And the new GR movie is about to come out. Surely he can spare some chump change.

[Scavenger]

I imagine that Friedrich likely got a lawyer to take the case back in 2007 because his lawyer thought he could beat Marvel's lawyers. But then Marvel was bought out by Disney mid-way through their case and suddenly Disney's fearsome legal team took over representing Marvel.

More likely the lawyer likely took it with the plan that Marvel and Sony would pay out a settlement to keep bad PR from the movie.

And I'll be in line to watch the Ghost Rider movie without my conscience bothering me in the least.

I plan on seeing it too, but really, "a line to watch the Ghost Rider movie"? OVerstating things a bit much, no? :)

So when is Nicolas Cage gonna come save this guy?

GR isn't his favorite character...I belive that would be Power Man, hence his name. And you can always go over to Bleeding Cool for the letter trying to blackmail Cage into paying Freiderich off.

[the goddamn batman]

well if anybody here has any compassion for the guy, who doesn't have 17K: http://www.steveniles.com/gary.html

[Genki Sudo]

I'm sorry but how can any one take marvel's side here. Its not enough that they won and will continue to receive the benefits of owing the character but now they have to kick the guy while he is down? that's complete BS i call for a boycott of marvel for real. we should all drop all marvel books for until they drop the counter suit and just leave this dude alone. Marvel really i can't see the point guys.

You mean the people who own Marvel and their lawyers going after the guy? I'm sure everyone at Marvel busying trying to get a comic together all stopped and said 'hold up we have to get this guy"

[ronin21]

Curious, fanboys are pro Marvel but creators like Steve Niles are pro Friedrich. Obviously fanboys know everything about creative work...