I have not updated this blog in a while because, basically, it seemed to be just a case of posting and absolutely no one commented. Comments and reactions help a great deal in showing that there is someone out there but also encourages new blog posts.It is almost unbelievable to think that pre-internet LOCs (letters of comment) were common even in the Small Press but now it is so much easier (and less expensive) to comment and react but few do.
The internet changed a great deal because now anyone who draws matchstick figures can announce that he is a greater artist than Leonardo (not the turtle -Da Vinci) and is awaiting the offer from TV or the movies to make his character THE next big sensation (and earner of millions of dollars). That attitude did exist in the 1990s and I can think of five people who adopted that attitude but had not developed the patience or skill to back up the ego rants (one who was a good artist and should be a familiar comic name by now often lagged behind by weeks on a project we were working on because he was hung over from drinking sessions. He had talent but just could not be bothered.
I worked with a few artists who could have made it into mainstream comics (some did) but the problem was the same; turn in good art pages then nothing for weeks other than full page spreads that had nothing to do with what we were working on. At one point I had six first issues fully drawn and several publishers interested but...the artists vanished. In one case I found out via a publisher that a joint project featuring a character I created and wrote had been doing the rounds as his solo created project.
Another big problem was the artist who thought he had the right to re-write everything. i once received a full 22 pages comic fully drawn and lettered from an artist who was working on a series I wrote. I phoned him and said it looked great but was this work delaying our project (I had a publisher interested)? I sat in silence for a few seconds. This was my script but the artist decided the characters needed name changes and that one would now be a woman (he had clearly not read or ignored scripts 2-4 because the character being male was a point later on). Oh, hew also decided that the British detectives needed to carry Uzi submachine guns. I politely pointed out that although I had left the action scenes up to him to set out (I always do with artists) the characters were THE characters and the story was THE story. He had a slight tantrum and told me that he was only doing me a "favour" by drawing and improving the script and in two years he planned to have a TV or movie deal with his own work.
That was 1989 and his name still has not cropped up in comics, TV or movies.
How about someone I got an intro to Marvel Comics for and he was asked to submit Hulk sample pages to? He drew them and, yes, they were very interested in him working on some comics. His reaction was not to Marvel but to me. He had decided that he could do much better and was not going to work for Marvel. I had to contact Marvel and explain that due to "unforeseen circumstances" the artist could not take on the work offered. But, despite stating that he was not going to let Marvel know the artist had contacted them and I was told that he had "literally demanded a better deal than long term pro Bullpen creators" and told the editor that it was the artist who was more important than an editor. That was another 1980s genius who vanished.
I even had one artist go behind my back to give away the rights to a character and during which I was not allowed to use or mention him -even though he featured in stories I was drawing- for 7 years after which the 'owner' would decide whether any money was paid out. Oh, and I had to remove the character from anything I had already published. Artist took full credit and even though he had my email and phone number and we were in touch at least once a week stated I ("the writer") was hard to get hold of and he wasn't sure whether I was still in comics. I spoke to the 'publisher' (I use the term loosely) and explained things. Nope. He wanted THIS character and already had posters and mug designs as well as the book (2 all in one volume) ready. Was I stupid? I'd never get a better deal -give my character away for 7 years with no financial payment up front or even promised for the future. The man was told where to go and the artist had his books withdrawn from my store front.
I used to package comics. Meaning that a publisher got in touc ah and asked for a comic put together featuring original or existing characters. I did so many of those but pulled all the stops out for two companies based in India; one got a fully drawn and lettered 48 pager but then said "We decided a while ago not to bother" (apparently two weeks after they gave me the go ahead to put the book together) and there was no cancellation/kill fee. The other Indian company did similar and so months of work done for nothing. A Hong Kong company asked me to work on a book that would introduce some of its characters to non Chinese readers. Work done and submitted and "Oh, were you working on this?" End of story.
I could really write a book on British comics and the dirty deals and worse and if I drew in all the other stuff it would be quite a hefty tome.
My deal with artists has always been the same since neither of us get paid up front! a 50-50 deal where I do all the promoting and try to sell a project and although my characters the artist has all the rights to the art work (selling of pages being extra income for him/her).
Creators rarely become stars or rich.
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