Comics UK

LauraH wrote: It's probably because I'm such a newbie, but I've yet to perfect the whole "Creating a concept good enough to attract editors' attention but not so good that you're bothered about who has the rights" balancing act

Laura, you should always be bothered about who has the rights - it's the single most important thing.

By the way, I know I'm a couple of years late in this but I've been enjoying your Bizarre Adventures of Gilbert & Sullivan in the Best New Manga 2. Very individual and original - and very good!

Comics are the lowest of the low. Bless our little cotton socks.

Very true Raven, but if we insisted on keeping the rights to every single thing we create, we'd starve. As Lew says, it's the reality of things, but likewise as Kev says, in an ideal world it wouldn't be! I think every creator has to decide for themselves where their limits of compromise are.

And thanks for the kind words about G&S - that is certainly one thing I will never hand over any rights to (assuming I actually have any... can you own the likenesses of real people? Hmm!)

LauraH wrote:Very true Raven, but if we insisted on keeping the rights to every single thing we create, we'd starve. As Lew says, it's the reality of things, but likewise as Kev says, in an ideal world it wouldn't be! I think every creator has to decide for themselves where their limits of compromise are.

Do you not think the creators are being complicit in their own exploitation though, Laura, if they agree to these Draconian terms? And that as long as it's agreed to, the longer it'll continue?

It's amazing that the conditions where Siegel and Shuster had to hand over the rights to Superman over seventy years ago apparently haven't changed in comics. Imagine if the same conditions applied to book authors. How would JK Rowling be feeling now if she'd handed over the rights to Harry Potter for a one-off low payment per book?

And what if the publisher took your creation off you and gave it to someone else to write and draw, which they'd have every right to do.

I think under those conditions creators should only write for characters created by the companies - if they give you the concept, whether it's Desperate Dan, Lord Snooty or something new they've created, fine. But you should always hold on to your own creations, and the outlet for them will hopefully come. In this age of graphic novels, maybe by approaching book publishers via a professional agent?

Raven wrote: Do you not think the creators are being complicit in their own exploitation though, Laura, if they agree to these Draconian terms? And that as long as it's agreed to, the longer it'll continue?

Ok, Crazy Comics is an exception because it does feature some strips that were created by freelancers. However the usual practice with Egmont & DC Thomson is that the concepts and/or scripts are created by the editors, so it'd be somewhat unjust of us to complain about creator's rights in that regard.

Lew

Lew Stringer wrote:
Ok, Crazy Comics is an exception because it does feature some strips that were created by freelancers. However the usual practice with Egmont & DC Thomson is that the concepts and/or scripts are created by the editors, so it'd be somewhat unjust of us to complain about creator's rights in that regard.

Lew

Absolutely, Lew. Hence me saying:

"I think under those conditions creators should only write for characters created by the companies - if they give you the concept, whether it's Desperate Dan, Lord Snooty or something new they've created, fine."

Raven wrote:

Lew Stringer wrote:
Ok, Crazy Comics is an exception because it does feature some strips that were created by freelancers. However the usual practice with Egmont & DC Thomson is that the concepts and/or scripts are created by the editors, so it'd be somewhat unjust of us to complain about creator's rights in that regard.

Lew

Absolutely, Lew. Hence me saying:

"I think under those conditions creators should only write for characters created by the companies - if they give you the concept, whether it's Desperate Dan, Lord Snooty or something new they've created, fine."

Oops, sorry. Didn't notice that bit.

Lew

A writer can still get into an uncomfortable situation creating backing characters for ongoing series, though. Think of Marv Wolfman creating Blade the vampire slayer for Marvel's Tomb of Dracula comic in 1973.

Then 25 years later Blade is starting his own major big budget money-spinning film series and later a TV series!

He launched a three year lawsuit to try to get control over the character he created, but the work for hire philosophy won out.

I don't like Jamie's one at all....yuck! Count Von Poo...or Bovver Baby

The Hoaxers is good

I can see possibilities in Laura Zombie one..

Simon Spectacular had a very done before joke..
Spooks in Space needed more time to see how it would work..
Were Wilf is another good one.
Clump! not sure..But well drawn Lew..

I'd say Zombie to win...
Were Wilf a close second..

Peter Gray wrote:I don't like Jamie's one at all....yuck! Count Von Poo...or Bovver Baby

The Hoaxers is good

I can see possibilities in Laura Zombie one..

Simon Spectacular had a very done before joke..
Spooks in Space needed more time to see how it would work..
Were Wilf is another good one.
Clump! not sure..But well drawn Lew..

I'd say Zombie to win...
Were Wilf a close second..

Were Wilf to win it's a good adventure style strip.



Latest votes.

Lew's Clump reminded me of Galaxus from Buster for some reason. And actually I rather liked Count Von Poo in a sort of perverse way. But of course it's all been done before with Wee Eck in the Oor Wullie strip having had a turd for a pet in the late 1940's and not forgetting the Dandy classic 'Our Teacher's a Pile of Shite!'

Kashgar - Seriously Wee Eck had a pet that was a Turd? and the DANDY strip???? - I'll head out after work for a copy of Toxic and the Roy of the Rovers comic

Kashgar wrote:not forgetting the Dandy classic 'Our Teacher's a Pile of Shite!'

Not a fan of "Our Teacher's a Walrus" then?

I just got it this afternoon, Its nice to see something new on the shelves, I love Lews comic and the way it breaks the fourth wall all the way through it. Jamies comic ticks all the toxic boxes I think will make a nice addition to the magazine. Lauras is very good too lovely artwork in it, shame its just ends - teasing us into voting for her I bet! ha ha. Paul Palmers is very nice although you see too many Baby comic strips nowadays, although thats just opinion. The others are nice too but the four I have mentioned are the strongest for me.

It would be great to see other comics take some innitiative like this and treat us all to some new material every now and again!

Thanks Steve. In retrospect I should have explained The Clump's origins within the strip. He'd previously appeared in the regular Team Toxic strip, and was an ordinary kid turned into a monster by evil Hallie Tosis, one of the Team's many villains.

Lew