Pat Mills moving onto new things it would seem

[Greg M.]

And you don't think that Alan Moore would have written even better stories with a character he'd created himself and had complete control over? Likewise Miller? As it stands, they both end up as just a significant chapter in the story, rather than (with the artist, in Moore's case) the whole of the story.

[Leigh S]

JK Rowling?  *runs*

For what it's worth, I can think of better uses of Moore's time than writing LXG, but it's not as if he's screwing anyone over by doing so.

[broodblik]

In most cases I believe that the original will more likely be the better than the "remake".  I can understand why creators do not want other writers working on their characters.  We can just see how DC/Marvel pilferage their own characters. Reboots on reboots, resets, reworks, re-imaging every "third" episode. I do understand why Mills do not want someone else to continue his stories.

[TordelBack]

I really don't think there's anything wrong with "lifting" things that are in the public domain. If there is, that's almost all of human culture down the drain: no more Greek or Norse or (back on topic) Irish myths for can start.

It's what you do with public domain characters that makes it good or bad: for my money Moore's Mina Harker is a far more interesting character then Stoker's, ditto his Nemo(s) and even Hawley Griffin.

[Colin YNWA]

And you don't think that Alan Moore would have written even better stories with a character he'd created himself and had complete control over? Likewise Miller? As it stands, they both end up as just a significant chapter in the story, rather than (with the artist, in Moore's case) the whole of the story.

Well we don't know. They may have done, but they may have been inspired to by the work of others to elevate the stories they wanted to tell. I just think its clumsy to use absolutes like:

The creator(s) always writes the best stories for their creation

The creator(s)' best work is always on their own creations

Is just not always going to be the case in either circumstance. That doesn't deflect from the rights and wrongs of whether someone else should work on the properties of others, BUT both sets of arguments are more nuanced than that and definately in the small ecosystem of the comics industry.

[Greg M.]

Have a nice evening, Colin.

[Magnetica]

I was just reading the article in the Meg about Rok of the Reds.

According to that, John Wagner is several thousand pounds down on the first one and 10k down on the 2nd one.

So it would seem owning the copyright isn't the be all and end all of getting paid a commensurate rate.

As has been stated above once you start taking production, distribution and marketing into account, the costs add up pretty quickly.

It's also a pretty sad state of affairs when a comic by Britain's leading comic writer of the last 50 years can't make a profit.

[IndigoPrime]

Wagner gets the short end of so much in the industry. He should be talked about in the same breath as Morrison, Ennis, Moore, et al. His body of work on Dredd alone is the equal of the very best in modern comics, but then you add in everything else he's done and... well. That he's barely a blip on the radar to so many feels very unfair, but then life isn't fair. You do wonder what might have happened had Wagner thrown his lot in with Rebellion for Rok.

[GordonR]

You do wonder what might have happened had Wagner thrown his lot in with Rebellion for Rok.

AFAIK, Rok had been shopped around various publishers for years prior.  No takers.

[IndigoPrime]

But he did say on a podcast about a possible tie-up with Rebellion—but then they bought ROTR and at that point any deal became unviable.

[broodblik]

But he did say on a podcast about a possible tie-up with Rebellion—but then they bought ROTR and at that point any deal became unviable.

ROTR ?

[Magnetica]

Roy of the Rovers.

Obviously you couldn't have more than one football based strip in your overall portfolio....unlike multiple future detective, future war, mythical warrior strips. Or indeed two strips about travelling the galaxy.

[JayzusB.Christ]

And suddenly I realise what must be blindingly obvious to everyone else on the board - the name Rok of the Reds is a play on Roy of the Rovers.  I'm not quite old enough for senility, so it must be stupidity.

[Rately]

And suddenly I realise what must be blindingly obvious to everyone else on the board - the name Rok of the Reds is a play on Roy of the Rovers.  I'm not quite old enough for senility, so it must be stupidity.

Double the stupidity here, Jayzus!

[Magnetica]

Originally it was going to be Rom of the Reds and got changed to Rok to avoid copyright infringement of another character.