Landridge is no longer going to work for DC and Marvel

[Ari Gold]

How different is the comic book industry from other creative industries like television and movies?

Or rather, are there any similarities where a creation is owned by a larger media company and the writers just add to it?

[Michael P]

Almost every television show.

[Darrell D.]

How different is the comic book industry from other creative industries like television and movies?

Or rather, are there any similarities where a creation is owned by a larger media company and the writers just add to it?

The comic industry doesn't have an equivalent of the type of union that protect and fight for creative types that work in television and movies, though.

[mikekerrIII]

Seems very silly. It's not like he was really doing much work for them anyway, and it's not like both don't do creator-owned stuff.

I tend to think that standing for what you believe in is never "silly"

[finfangfool]

I'd be curious if anyone working in the industry who might be reading this would know why that is. The no union thing. Is it because there's not enough money involved, or people shuffle into and out of the industry too quickly? Is it because if they ever did strike having no comics for 6-12 months might drive a good portion of the fanbase away? Or is it because it's easier to go the Image route and just start your own company or self publish?

[Michael P]

It's because organizing freelancers is like herding cats.

[Iangould]

I think everyone knows its a mega cash grab by DC. But they see a potential franchise here with money to be made and I can't blame them. People have discussed a sequel or prequel for years. It really is something Alan Moore wouldn't do. But they being DC , don't care. Its something they see future money with.

Problem is I've seen the order numbers and there's nothing especially "mega" about them. DC has a bunch of other franchises and these creators could have made more money for them working on those.

[Spike-X]

Problem is I've seen the order numbers and there's nothing especially "mega" about them. DC has a bunch of other franchises and these creators could have made more money for them working on those.

So what is it then, do you think? Just a really elaborate 'Fuck you' to Alan Moore?

[Iangould]

So what is it then, do you think? Just a really elaborate 'Fuck you' to Alan Moore?

In essence "yes".

"Watchmen was a success because of our brilliant promotion not because of Moore. Look, we'll prove it."

[Spike-X]

In essence "yes".

"Watchmen was a success because of our brilliant promotion not because of Moore. Look, we'll prove it."

See, I really want to believe that they're not that frickin' dense. But with so much evidence to the contrary, it's getting harder and harder to do so.

[Charles RB]

The huge double-page ad for it, stinking up my latest Action Comics and Demon Knights, bellows "IT'S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD. IT'S THE BEGINNING" and "BY COMICS' TOP TALENTS".

Yeah, it's an up yours.

[Cthulhudrew]

That sucks- I was hoping (against hope, probably) that we'd eventually see some more Fin Fang Four. :(

I respect his position, though, and certainly agree with it.

[king mob]

I'd be curious if anyone working in the industry who might be reading this would know why that is. The no union thing. Is it because there's not enough money involved, or people shuffle into and out of the industry too quickly? Is it because if they ever did strike having no comics for 6-12 months might drive a good portion of the fanbase away? Or is it because it's easier to go the Image route and just start your own company or self publish?

The latter.

In the attempts I know of to start a union in the UK have seen people blacklisted, or seen such a pitiful response that it died before it started. The 'getting a gang together and walking away' works as it did with Image and when John Wagner, Alan Grant, Kev O'Neill and Pat Mills told 2000AD and IPC to fuck off and went off to start Toxic!. Now that may have ended in tears (and trust me there were lots of tears) but it ended up changing British comics as suddenly IPC/Fleetway started paying royalties as it realised not every creator is interchangeable.

The same goes today as long as enough talent goes, though the difference is now I think more fans are willing to buy shite for the sake of it because it's got their favourite character in it.

[king mob]

The huge double-page ad for it, stinking up my latest Action Comics and Demon Knights, bellows "IT'S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD. IT'S THE BEGINNING" and "BY COMICS' TOP TALENTS".

Yeah, it's an up yours.

And from what I hear it's pissed people off who work for DC and are still matey with Moore and Gibbons.

[Johnny P. Sartre]

I was wondering, how the British comic scene had taken to the Before Watchmen and this uprise of creator rights?

Actually, I'd love to know the perspective from users from other countries what their scene thinks of all this?