Back when Disney bought out Marvel Comics I explained in several posts why this would mean the end for Marvel UK as a separate entity. Disney very rarely allowed its characters to be draw.n/written outside of the United States where their money and corporate muscle could pull strings to get what they wanted. UK, creator owned and originated characters -no.
At the very next Bristol International Comic Expo (remember them?) there were many long faces and crying into beers -twice I was asked "Who's died?"
I spoke to several of the creators involved and explained that they might not be internationally known but they were known in the UK. They should join together and create their own version of Image Comics. It was that or face less and less good paying work.
We know the little runt who brown-nosed and said "We don't need creators rights. I never asked for them -the boss' should be in control" -I have that blog comment with date, time and user ISP on file. The others were all "But that means we'd need to put our money into it!" I pointed out how Print on Demand worked and that investing was at least a way of securing earning money in comics. I said "Talk to ----- and ----- is in the same boat" but no. The response was despair mixed with anger at me suggesting such a thing.
At the time -and I posted about this after the Expo- I was at a loss as to why these people would sooner face shaky futures and harder to find work than combine their talents.
Now I know.
It appears (confirmed by two of the group themselves to me) that they were all back-stabbing each other. All smiles and friends in public but once backs were turned they scuttled off and told outright lies to editors, publishers and others who they thought were unconnected with their 'pals'. This is common and I found out how one writer who I had put forward for a new comic had actually sent the publisher involved an email that was a total character assassination. I found out because the idiot sent me the email in error. Publisher pulled out of the project. It seems, as bits and pieces leak out over the years that at least three such projects were sunk this way and here is the incredible facts: These people did this and had to have been aware that in doing so it meant that the paying work they were in line for would vanish.
I had a chat with someone from a French publishing house in 2017 and they mentioned attending a convention in the UK and were scouting for creators. After that weekend the idea was scrapped:
"I could not understand what was happening. I spoke to ---- and he was interested but told me that I should avoid another creator on my list as he was just trouble. I ignored that but the creator involved later said the same thing about the person who had told me not to have dealings with him. I spoke to eight of these persons and it was the same thing -yet they were together being photographed and smiling at each other!"
It is what happened when professional comic creators were replaced by the amateurs. Gil Page, former Managing Editor at Fleetway, told me once how the editor of 2000 AD had come to him once with a problem. One of the comic's artists had declared that he would no longer be working for the title unless they stopped work going to another artist who he disliked. Gil apparently told the editor "The popularity of that character is not dependent on any one artist. Just tell ---- he does not dictate who works for us". That story is very well known amongst people in comics as it saw the artist involved suddenly move off the strip. Big fans of the comic can probably guess the "who".
This is nothing new. When Dark Horse UK was set up (many years ago now) I predicted that it would not last long. The quality of the material was fine but to most UK comic buyers it would be a case of "meh" -they could pick up the complete comics at their local comic store so why pay more for UK reprints in parts? However, dealing with artists and writers at the time meant I was hearing a lot about what was going on behind the scenes -this post is not about UK comics history that no one cares about, however.
I do wonder what the reaction would be amongst artists who have found they are no longer getting the regular work or that it has been cut back drastically if they found out that their 'old mate(s)' were behind it.
So when you look at the newsagents shelves with merchandise related magazines (not comics) just remember all the hard work put in by those comic book 'nice guys' to insure you do not have to spend money on new comics.
At the very next Bristol International Comic Expo (remember them?) there were many long faces and crying into beers -twice I was asked "Who's died?"
I spoke to several of the creators involved and explained that they might not be internationally known but they were known in the UK. They should join together and create their own version of Image Comics. It was that or face less and less good paying work.
We know the little runt who brown-nosed and said "We don't need creators rights. I never asked for them -the boss' should be in control" -I have that blog comment with date, time and user ISP on file. The others were all "But that means we'd need to put our money into it!" I pointed out how Print on Demand worked and that investing was at least a way of securing earning money in comics. I said "Talk to ----- and ----- is in the same boat" but no. The response was despair mixed with anger at me suggesting such a thing.
At the time -and I posted about this after the Expo- I was at a loss as to why these people would sooner face shaky futures and harder to find work than combine their talents.
Now I know.
It appears (confirmed by two of the group themselves to me) that they were all back-stabbing each other. All smiles and friends in public but once backs were turned they scuttled off and told outright lies to editors, publishers and others who they thought were unconnected with their 'pals'. This is common and I found out how one writer who I had put forward for a new comic had actually sent the publisher involved an email that was a total character assassination. I found out because the idiot sent me the email in error. Publisher pulled out of the project. It seems, as bits and pieces leak out over the years that at least three such projects were sunk this way and here is the incredible facts: These people did this and had to have been aware that in doing so it meant that the paying work they were in line for would vanish.
I had a chat with someone from a French publishing house in 2017 and they mentioned attending a convention in the UK and were scouting for creators. After that weekend the idea was scrapped:
"I could not understand what was happening. I spoke to ---- and he was interested but told me that I should avoid another creator on my list as he was just trouble. I ignored that but the creator involved later said the same thing about the person who had told me not to have dealings with him. I spoke to eight of these persons and it was the same thing -yet they were together being photographed and smiling at each other!"
It is what happened when professional comic creators were replaced by the amateurs. Gil Page, former Managing Editor at Fleetway, told me once how the editor of 2000 AD had come to him once with a problem. One of the comic's artists had declared that he would no longer be working for the title unless they stopped work going to another artist who he disliked. Gil apparently told the editor "The popularity of that character is not dependent on any one artist. Just tell ---- he does not dictate who works for us". That story is very well known amongst people in comics as it saw the artist involved suddenly move off the strip. Big fans of the comic can probably guess the "who".
This is nothing new. When Dark Horse UK was set up (many years ago now) I predicted that it would not last long. The quality of the material was fine but to most UK comic buyers it would be a case of "meh" -they could pick up the complete comics at their local comic store so why pay more for UK reprints in parts? However, dealing with artists and writers at the time meant I was hearing a lot about what was going on behind the scenes -this post is not about UK comics history that no one cares about, however.
I do wonder what the reaction would be amongst artists who have found they are no longer getting the regular work or that it has been cut back drastically if they found out that their 'old mate(s)' were behind it.
So when you look at the newsagents shelves with merchandise related magazines (not comics) just remember all the hard work put in by those comic book 'nice guys' to insure you do not have to spend money on new comics.
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