posted February 25, 2003 11:36 AM               

Tons of protocols of this wonderful hobby of ours I've yet to master, such as...

royalty payments and such to the various creators (estates?) whose work is reprinted in these superb Archives/Masterworks and countless trades...

I'd swear I recall a board member mentioning that the 4th Green Lantern (silver) was possible "fast-tracked" at Mr G. Kane's death to "assist" the family. If so, certainly a gracious gesture by DC (and yes, I realize the semi-gold mine this series is...)!

So again, can anyone enlighten me on the royal aspect of reprints?...contractual stuff?...I recall all that Kirby "mess" with Marvel a dozen or so years ago, too - also something to do with "who owns what"?...

posted February 25, 2003 04:32 PM            

As for Kirby, Marvel wanted him to sign a waiver saying that Marvel Comics owned everything that he created for them lock, stock, and barrel before they would return any of his original artwork. Kirby wouldn't sign it, and that's what that was basically about. Marvel was really under no obligation to give the art back, but it had just become standard policy somewhere along the way and they were applying that policy retroactively to include the silver age. Realizing the mess they'd be in if Kirby ever sued (and won), they wanted to cover their bases and used the artwork as leverage.

posted February 25, 2003 05:14 PM            

This may be one reason why Bob Kane was identified as the artist on the recent Dynamic Duo Archive. Even though DC is (I think) not required to pay the fees, if they do pay them, they may, by contract, owe him and not Moldoff the repritn fees.

posted February 25, 2003 07:56 PM               

Thanks as well, OldGuy,for the DC policy up-date...

This Southern Gentle gives a tip of his mint julip glass to the suits at DC for this gesture! Bravo, DC.

posted February 25, 2003 09:06 PM            

As I understand it, along with creator rights, DC was in the forefront during the 80s and 90s in giving due recognition and paying out royalties. Effectively pressuring Marvel into doing the right thing by its creators (Scott McLeod's books, Understanding Comics and Reinventing Comics, have more to say about all this).

But by now, royalties aren't mere gratuities but standard industry practice. As this is standard practice, DC probably has a legal responsibility to pay royalties. However it would likely take a legal case or two to prove this in law (I don't know as yet that any legal cases have gone through the courts--there are probably current cases in litigation and cases that have been settled out of court--but no court cases that have yet made it onto the books in law).

In the Alter-Ego Comic Book Artist Collection, there's a piece about Bill Finger's son and his fight for royalties. Not having the book in front of me I can't recall the entire piece, but I believe Finger's estate was paid a one-time only royalties fee, and now DC maintains that it is no longer on the hook to pay royalties for more reprints. Since this book was published a couple of years ago, the case may have moved forward since then.

Likewise, it seems quite possible that Moldoff's attorneys and DC's attorneys are arguing over his royalties. In which case the DD archives may have avoided any further legal problems by simply crediting the official creator of Batman (in law) rather than the actual pencil pusher.

posted February 26, 2003 09:49 AM               

I recall that Alter Ego issue as well, from some time back...

I wanna also swear (perhaps in that same issue?) I read some interview of sorts with Mr Moldoff in which in implies he was somewhat "at peace" with the arrangement he had with Kane, albeit chagrined at the lack of recognition (and monies). But yep, sometimes you'd wonder how Kane could "look in the mirror".

With all the "stuff" one reads of the contributions of Finger, Robinson, et al, you'd scratch your head figuring who really did give birth to this character...

posted February 26, 2003 03:01 PM            

My father, despite current medical problems for my mother, refuses to accept any veterans pay or any aid at all from veterans services, even though both my mother and father served in the armed services during WW II, and even though he risked his life as a paratrooper in wartime (and saw many comrades die or severely injured). He has some medals back in Ottawa, but he's never bothered to get them--doesn't want to know about them.

My father is a good man and I hope he's at peace with all the ghosts from the past, but as his son I'd like to see his contribution recognized and I'd like him to accept the gratitude of his country.

posted February 27, 2003 09:09 AM            

At the time that DC instituted their royalty program on the monthlies, there were only two DC comics selling well enough to generate royalties: The New Teen Titans and The Legion of Super-Heroes. By comparison, just about every Marvel comic was over the royalty threshold, since said threshold was also Marvel's cancellation threshold (the only exceptions being their direct sales titles like Moon Knight and Kazar).

posted February 27, 2003 01:41 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by OldGuy:

...The Moldoff issue is a tricky one. DC hired Kane to do these stories. By contract with him, they had to give him so much work per year. Kane subcontracted the work to Kane. (Officially DC did not know this, though most people in the office did.) If it's DC's policy to pay royalties to the creators, it *has* to go to Kane. Now if Kane were honorable (and there is much evidence against this), he'd pay the royalties to Moldoff.

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posted February 27, 2003 08:28 PM            

If the question of royalties is between the Kane estate and Moldoff, then it's nothing to do with DC, insofar as reprints go.

Which means that DC could have published credits for the "Bob Kane studio" or for Moldoff, with impunity--as they have done in the Action Comics archives where variously the Shuster studio or individual artists are credited.

posted February 27, 2003 08:34 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by India Ink:
...If the question of royalties is between the Kane estate and Moldoff, then it's nothing to do with DC, insofar as reprints go.

Which means that DC could have published credits for the "Bob Kane studio" or for Moldoff, with impunity--as they have done in the Action Comics archives where variously the Shuster studio or individual artists are credited....

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